Conservation Professional Training Program

2024 Nutrient Management Regional Meetings
2024-09-05 09:00 - 13:00, 2024-09-10 09:00 - 13:00, 2024-09-12 09:00 - 13:00 (America/Chicago)
Registration for the second annual nutrient management regional meetings is now open! DATCP has partnered with, NRCS, the Nutrient and Pest Management team and the SnapPlus team to bring you updates and information related to all things nutrient management!
These meetings are free to attend and will run from 9am-1pm. Light lunch and refreshments will be sponsored by the WI CCA Board and WI Land and Water.

Badger Crop Connect Webinar
2024-09-18 12:30 - 13:30, 2024-10-02 12:30 - 13:30, 2024-10-16 12:30 - 13:30 | Online
The UW-Madison Division of Extension’s Ag Institute will be hosting the fifth annual Badger Crop Connect webinar series for the 2024 growing season. The purpose of this series is to provide agronomists, crop consultants, and farmers with timely crop updates for Wisconsin. These free webinars will be offered, on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month at 12:30 PM, with the spring webinars beginning in April. Registration is required.

Wisconsin Schools of Grazing
2024-09-27 - 2024-09-28 | UW Lancaster Ag Research Station, 7396 WI-35 & 81, Lancaster, WI, United States
After more than a decade, the Wisconsin Schools of Grazing, organized by GrassWorks, Inc., University of Wisconsin Lancaster and Marshfield Agricultural Research Stations, UW-Extension, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), are back by popular demand. These highly anticipated events
will take place:

August 9th and 10th at the UW Marshfield Ag Research Station
September 27th and 28th at the UW Lancaster Ag Research Station

These two-day workshops are specifically designed to equip farmers with the practical skills and knowledge necessary for successful managed grazing. As soil health and regenerative agriculture increase in popularity, the program aims to address the increasing need for in-depth, practical education in this field.
The workshops are limited to 20 participants each to ensure a focused and interactive learning environment. The registration fee of $175 includes all sessions, meals, a GrassWorks Grazing Guide, and a Pasture Stick. Early registration is highly recommended due to limited availability.
To register or for more information, please visit https://grassworks.regfox.com/grazing-school.

Lower Apple/Horse Creek Soil Health Event
2024-10-08 09:30 - 14:30 | Banner Stock Farm, 1545 Cty Rd H, Star Prairie, Wisconsin
The Lower Apple/Horse Creek Soil Health Event is Tuesday, October 8, 2024 from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm at Banner Stock Farm, 1545 Cty Rd H, Star Prairie, WI (ignore GPS/Google Maps. Use driveway next to house)
At this event, you’ll learn about the basics of soil health and steps you can take to improve it. Receive a FREE soil health test / assessment kit and learn how to use it. The workshop also includes a rain simulator demo & local farmer panel discussions. Registration is open to all, with priority given to farms within the Lower Apple and Horse Creek Watersheds.
This is a free event and requires no registration fee.

Wildcat Creek/Lake Sinnissippi Soil Health Event
2024-10-10 09:30 - 14:30 | Roskopf Farm, W3984 County S, Iron Ridge, Wisconsin
The Wildcat Creek/Lake Sinnissippi Soil Health Event is Thursday, October 10, 2024 from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm at: Roskopf Farm, W3984 County S, Iron Ridge, WI
At this event, you’ll learn about the basics of soil health and steps you can take to improve it. Receive a FREE soil health test / assessment kit and learn how to use it. The workshop also includes a rain simulator demo & local farmer panel discussions. Registration isopen to all with priority given to farms within the Wildcat Creek and Lake Sinnissippi Watersheds.
This is a free event and requires no registration fee.

ManCal/Spring Creek Watershed Soil Health Event
2024-10-15 09:30 - 14:30 | Dallmann East River Dairy, N6038 E River Rd, Brillion, Wisconsin, 54110
The ManCal/Spring Creek Watershed Soil Health Event will be Tuesday, October 15, 2024 from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm at Dallmann East River Dairy. Look for tent 0.4 mile south of JJ on East River, Brillion
At this event, you’ll learn about the basics of soil health and steps you can take to improve it. Receive a FREE soil health test / assessment kit and learn how to use it. The workshop also includes a rain simulator demo & local farmer panel discussions. Registration is open, to all with priority given to farms within the ManCal and Spring Creek Watersheds.
This is a free event and there is no registration fee.

Fisher Creek Watershed Soil Health Event
2024-10-22 09:30 - 14:30 | Nick and Amanda Kleiber Grain Farm
The Fisher Creek Watershed Soil Health Event will be hosted on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm at:
Nick and Amanda Kleiber Grain Farm
Southwest Corner of County MM and Meadowlark Road
Sheboygan, WI
At this event, you’ll learn about the basics of soil health and steps you can take to improve it. Receive a FREE soil health test / assessment kit and learn how to use it. The workshop also includes a rain simulator demo & local farmer panel discussions. Registration is open to all with priority given to farms within the Fisher Creek Watershed.
This is a free event and requires no registration fee.

Basic Ag / Ag 101 Session Part 2
2024-11-07 08:30 - 16:00 | Arlington Agricultural Research Station, N695 Hopkins Road, Arlington, Wisconsin
Basic Ag 101 is designed for new agency staff working with landowners. Part 2 of this training focuses on:

Understanding livestock resource concerns
Safety around livestock
Hands on comparison of different farm tillage equipment and impact on crop residue, surface roughness and soil health
Picking the dominant critical area in a field
Using a Clinometer to accurately shoot slopes

For Ag 101 Part 2, we will be spending part of the day focusing on livestock production system resource concerns, spending time in the field viewing various tillage equipment in action (and measuring soil roughness/crop residue), and learning how to shoot slopes and determine the critical area for planning on a field.

Karst Geology in Southwestern Wisconsin Workshop
2024-11-15 09:30 - 15:30 | UW Plattegille Pioneer Farm, 29200 College Farm Rd, Platteville, Wisconsin, 53818
A one day classroom/field session providing an overview of sensitive/karst geology and drinking water & groundwater resource concerns in Southwest Wisconsin.
Agenda:

Welcome and introductions
Kevin Erb, CCA, UW Madison Division of Extension
Basic karst geology of SW WI – and how it varies across the state and why that’s important.
Moe Muldoon, Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey
Depth to bedrock mapping and karst feature mapping experiences
Dave Hart, Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey
Ag related case studies about contamination – Local experiences with contamination, working with homeowners and farmers
Local LWCD staff
DNR’s CAFO Program Hydrogeology Overview
Ian Anderson, Wisconsin DNR
Update on groundwater research/data for Southwest Wisconsin
Passive Seismic HVSR survey for depth to bedrock and karst characterization
Tim Weisbrod, USDA-NRCS
Field Tour of bedrock features and quarry visit

Day-of registration is $35 a person. This training is for DNR drinking water staff, DNR CAFO/Runoff Mgmt staff, county LWCD and NRCS staff, agronomic consultants with a basic understanding of geology.

2025 Annual CAFO Update Meetings - Green Bay
2025-01-28 09:30 - 16:00 | Tundra Lodge, 865 Lombardi Ave, Green Bay, WI, 54301, United States
Join the Conservation Professional Training Program, UW-Madison Division of Extension and Wisconsin DNR for the 2025 Annual AFO Update meetings. This is an update meeting for WPEDES permitted CAFO owners & managers, nutrient management plan writers, engineers, agency staff and consultants.
This meeting includes a separate pre-event engineering technical session from 9:30 – 11:30am. The registration fee includes one or both sessions and lunch on these dates. The technical engineering sessions are open and to non-engineers.
The workshop will be held from Noon – 4pm and will cover common concerns during inspections, a panel from consultants, sessions on nutrient loss and tile lines, manure hauling audits, updates on permitting and nutrient management policy and more.
Both sessions – engineering technical session and CAFO update meeting will be held at the Tundra Lodge in Green Bay.

2025 CAFO Update Meeting - Fond du Lac
2025-01-29 12:00 - 16:00 | Fond du Lac County Highway Department, 1820 S Hickory St, Fond du Lac, WI, United States
Join the Conservation Professional Training Program, UW-Madison Division of Extension and Wisconsin DNR for the 2025 Annual AFO Update meetings. This is an update meeting for WPEDES permitted CAFO owners & managers, nutrient management plan writers, engineers, agency staff and consultants.
The workshop will be held from Noon – 4pm and will cover common concerns during inspections, a panel from consultants, sessions on nutrient loss and tile lines, manure hauling audits, updates on permitting and nutrient management policy and more.

2025 Annual CAFO Update Meeting - Manitowoc
2025-01-30 08:00 - 12:00 | Farm Wisconsin, 7001 Gass Lake Road, Manitowoc, WI, United States
Join the Conservation Professional Training Program, UW-Madison Division of Extension and Wisconsin DNR for the 2025 Annual AFO Update meetings. This is an update meeting for WPEDES permitted CAFO owners & managers, nutrient management plan writers, engineers, agency staff and consultants.
This meeting is held from 8am – noon and will cover common concerns during inspections, a panel from consultants, sessions on nutrient loss and tile lines, manure hauling audits, updates on permitting and nutrient management policy and more.

2025 Annual CAFO Update Meeting - Darlington
2025-02-04 12:00 - 16:00 | Darlington Multipurpose Building, 11974 Ames Rd, Darlington, WI, United States
Join the Conservation Professional Training Program, UW-Madison Division of Extension and Wisconsin DNR for the 2025 Annual AFO Update meetings. This is an update meeting for WPEDES permitted CAFO owners & managers, nutrient management plan writers, engineers, agency staff and consultants.
This meeting is held from noon to 4pm and will cover common concerns during inspections, a panel from consultants, sessions on nutrient loss and tile lines, manure hauling audits, updates on permitting and nutrient management policy and more.

2025 Annual CAFO Update Meeting - Jefferson
2025-02-05 08:00 - 12:00 | Jefferson County Highway Department, 1425 S Wisconsin Drive, Jefferson, WI, United States
Join the Conservation Professional Training Program, UW-Madison Division of Extension and Wisconsin DNR for the 2025 Annual AFO Update meetings. This is an update meeting for WPEDES permitted CAFO owners & managers, nutrient management plan writers, engineers, agency staff and consultants.
This meeting is held from 8am to noon and will cover common concerns during inspections, a panel from consultants, sessions on nutrient loss and tile lines, manure hauling audits, updates on permitting and nutrient management policy and more.

2025 Annual CAFO Update Meeting - Mauston
2025-02-11 09:30 - 16:00 | Outdoors Forever Clubhouse, W4890 County Road N, Mauston, WI, United States
Join the Conservation Professional Training Program, UW-Madison Division of Extension and Wisconsin DNR for the 2025 Annual AFO Update meetings. This is an update meeting for WPEDES permitted CAFO owners & managers, nutrient management plan writers, engineers, agency staff and consultants.
This meeting includes a separate pre-event engineering technical session from 9:30 – 11:30am. The registration fee includes one or both sessions and lunch on these dates. The technical engineering sessions are open and to non-engineers.
The workshop will be held from Noon – 4pm and will cover common concerns during inspections, a panel from consultants, sessions on nutrient loss and tile lines, manure hauling audits, updates on permitting and nutrient management policy and more.
Both sessions – engineering technical session and CAFO update meeting will be held at the Outdoors Forever Clubhouse in Mauston.

2025 Annual CAFO Update Meeting: Eau Claire
2025-02-12 08:00 - 12:00 | 29 Pines Conference Center, 5872 33rd Ave, Eau Claire, WI, United States
Join the Conservation Professional Training Program, UW-Madison Division of Extension and Wisconsin DNR for the 2025 Annual AFO Update meetings. This is an update meeting for WPEDES permitted CAFO owners & managers, nutrient management plan writers, engineers, agency staff and consultants.
The workshop will be held from 8am to noon and will cover common concerns during inspections, a panel from consultants, sessions on nutrient loss and tile lines, manure hauling audits, updates on permitting and nutrient management policy and more.

Ag Drainage 2025
2025-02-20 09:00 - 15:00 | Fond du Lac County Highway Department, 1820 S Hickory St, Fond du Lac, WI, United States
UW-Madison Extension and Conservation Professional Training Program are once again hosting their drainage workshops focusing on how drainage systems work and why planning ahead can be the difference between improving crop yields and an expensive failure.
Agenda highlights include:

Designing and maintaining drainage systems for peak efficiency
Wisconsin drainage law: What you need to know before you install
Understanding regulations that may impact your decisions
How to find old tile in your fields
Water quality and conservation considerations

2025 Manure Applicator 101 Training - Barron
2025-03-07 13:00 - 16:00 | Barron County Government Center, 330 E Monroe Ave, Barron, WI, 54812, United States
The Division of Extension UW-Madison is offering Manure Applicator Training 101 at several locations across Wisconsin. The Manure Applicator Training Program is an interactive training opportunity for anyone who works with manure applications.
Registration is $10
Spanish language training is available with advance notice. To request it, please get in touch with Kevin Erb at kevin.erb@wisc.edu

2025 Agriculture Water Quality Webinar Series - Neonicotinoid Insecticides: Widespread Use and Emerging Impacts on Agricultural Landscapes
2025-03-11 12:00 - 13:00
Join the UW-Madison Division of Extension’s Agriculture Water Quality Program for a biweekly webinar series that will focus on the important factors impacting ground and surface water quality.
This webinar focuses on Neonicotinoids, or “neonics,” which are neurotoxic insecticides targeting insect central nervous systems. As the most widely used insecticides in Wisconsin, they are applied to millions of acres of agricultural and urban land. This webinar examines the growing body of research on the unintended harms of neonics, their agricultural efficacy, and their prevalence in the environment.
Speakers: Shawn Conley, UW-Madison Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences Professor and Russ Groves, UW-Madison Entomology Professor
Each webinar will be an hour, starting at 12:00 pm, and will have one continuing education credit for certified crop advisors. Registration is free but required.
Please contact our Ag Water Quality team with questions agwater@extension.wisc.edu

2025 Manure Applicator 101 Training - Abbotsford
2025-03-13 13:00 - 16:00 | Abbotsford City Hall, 203 N. 1st Street, Abbotsford, WI, United States

2025 Virtual Nutrient Managment Training for Farmers
2025-03-14 10:00 - 15:00
The Nutrient and Pest Management Program within the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) are offering virtual training for farmers interested in writing their own nutrient management plans. This training provides both the basics of nutrient management and an introduction to SnapPlus.

2025 Manure Applicator 101 Training - Cecil
2025-03-17 12:30 - 15:30 | Tim Bulger Farm, W1008 Naurman Rd, Cecil, WI, United States

2025 Manure Applicator 101 Training - Dodgeville
2025-03-17 13:00 - 16:00 | Iowa County Human Services Building, 303 W Chapel St., Dodgeville, WI, 53533, United States

2025 Manure Applicator 101 Training - Kewaunee (Spanish)
2025-03-18 08:00 - 11:00 | Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy, N4893 County C, Kewaunee, WI, 54216, United States

2025 Agriculture Water Quality Webinar Series - Flood Mitigation and Water Quality in Extreme Weather Conditions
2025-03-18 12:00 - 13:00
Join the UW-Madison Division of Extension’s Agriculture Water Quality Program for a biweekly webinar series that will focus on the important factors impacting ground and surface water quality.
This webinar explores how to prepare for when extreme weather pushes our waterways to the breaking point, sometimes literally. What can agricultural producers do to reduce nutrient losses and lower flood potential downstream? See for yourself in this webinar, which discusses the dual purpose of some ag conservation practices and the extreme weather that makes them necessary.
Speakers: Steve Vavrus, State Climatologist, and Sheri Schwert, Extension Ag Water Quality Outreach Specialist
Each webinar will be an hour, starting at 12:00 pm, and will have one continuing education credit for certified crop advisors. Registration is free but required.
Please contact our Ag Water Quality team with questions agwater@extension.wisc.edu

2025 Manure Applicator 101 Training - Luxemburg (English)
2025-03-18 12:30 - 15:30 | Luxemburg Fairgrounds, 625 Third St., Luxemburg, WI, 54217, United States
