 John Shutske, Wisconsin Farm Technology Days Board chair, presents the 2016 Donald R. Peterson Award to Roger Schmidt and Mimi Broeske.
The University of Wisconsin Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Nutrient and Pest Management Programs (NPM) were recently awarded the 2016 Donald R. Peterson Technology Transfer Award for developing practical smartphone applications to help farmers. Read the full news story.
The following Smartphone Apps are available to help farmers with their farming operations;
- Wisconsin’s Corn Nitrogen Rate Calculator
- Nitrogen Price Calculator
- IPM Toolkit, news reader, video and IPM image search
- Crop Calculators
- NPK Credit, Manure and Legume Credit Calculator
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Bean Cam, Soybean Replant Calculator
Draft TMDL
WDNR has finalized responses to comments on the draft TMDL and is completing legal/regulatory review. As soon as this process is complete, the full TMDL package to USEPA. All comments will be included as part of the TMDL package and available for public review.
TMDL Implementation
Following submittal of the final TMDL package, we will be scheduling the next Milwaukee River Basin TMDL Implementation meeting. In the interim, staff are continuing to work with our basin partners throughout the MRB TMDL basin region. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact local DNR staff or sector team leaders. Their contact information is in the lower left section of this newsletter, under "DNR Contacts".
Cover crops can improve soil health, conserve resources and improve farm profitability. Now, your experience with what works and doesn't work can help shape the future of cover crop initiatives nationwide. Farmers who plant cover crops, used to plant cover crops, or have never tried cover crops are all encouraged to take this short survey, now in its fifth year.
Excessively shallow planting can cause poor emergence and rootless corn (“floppy corn syndrome”) later in the season. Shallow plantings increase stress, inhibit root developments, and reduce yields.
In a recent Ohio State University evaluation of planting depths, grain yields were about 14%-40% greater for 1.5-inch and 3-inch planting depths compared to 0.5-inch planting depth. Read more.
The Dairy Partner/El Compañero is a UW-Extension newsletter designed for dairy farm employees. Written
in both English and Spanish, the newsletter is meant to provide basic
information about dairy cows, farm safety, and personal health to individuals
who work on farms. Please share this link with those you work with who
might find this newsletter helpful on their farm.
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Time: Saturday, May 6th 9:00 AM -
3:00 PM
Location: Call for Details - Zac Driscoll, (414)-287-0207 x 4
Contact: If you have additional questions, please contact our Water Quality Specialist, Zac Driscoll, (414)-287-0207 x 4
RSVP: Please follow this
link and click on the "Become a Water Quality Monitor"
button.
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If you haven't done so already, it's NOT TOO LATE to register for the Sweetwater Clean Rivers/Clean Lakes Conference. Each spring, participants from nonprofit, government, business and academic organiztions gather to learn about improving the health of our watersheds through policy innovation, technical and engineering advances, watershed restoration planning and practices, and collaborative stakeholder involvement. The Conference is an all-day event that includes oral and poster presentations, exhibits, an awards presentation for Sweet Water Water Quality Mini-Grant recipients, and a celebration of our Watershed Champions!
The Milwaukee River Watershed Conservation Partnership (MRWCP) has received $1.5 million in conservation incentives available to area landowners to support agricultural conservation throughout river corridors. The incentive funding was made available through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership. By investing in no-till farming, grassed waterways, cover crops, vegetated buffers and nutrient management plans, participants can build soils that hold nutrients for their crops, retain rainwater during dry weather, prevent silts from leaving fields and keep nutrients from entering waterways. Partners seek to demonstrate that healthy soils can be cost effective for production and beneficial to area waterways.
Newsletter
We are interested in your opinions and constructive feedback on this newsletter. Of particular interest, we are currently considering changing from a monthly to a quarterly newsletter. We are also looking for ways to pull in more information from municipalities and other regulated partners to better facilitate their efforts in meeting TMDL and regulatory requirements
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DNR Stormwater Specialist
We are pleased to announce Marissa Thalen will be joining WDNR as our new Stormwater Specialist for the SE district, out of Milwaukee. Marissa will serve as the MS4 program lead
for the region and work with communities through permitting and the new TMDL limits that will be implemented once the TMDL is finalized.
La Crosse, Friday, June 23, 8 am-3:15 pm (Breakfast & registration begins at 8 am). Lunch and transportation will be provided
Registration: $99 (includes breakfast, lunch, 5 CE/PDH, and learning materials)
Download/print event Agenda/Map and registration form
Save the Date for our next Training
Nov. 30-Dec. 1, 2017
Waukesha, WI
The two day course is designed for those who perform site management duties,
supervise or direct construction activities, install best management practices, and/
or inspect sites for compliance relating to erosion/sediment control and storm water
management. This course will cover permit requirements, roles and responsibilities,
construction site erosion control plans, and best management practices to reduce or
control erosion and offsite sedimentation.
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The WDNR website for the multi-discharger variance (MDV) has updated information for point sources that are interested in learning more about the MDV option for extending schedules for compliance with low-level phosphorus limits. The MDV factsheet [PDF] provides general information regarding this program. MDV Implementation Guidance [PDF] provides details about eligibility and implementation requirements for this program.
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