The University of Wisconsin Discovery Farms program will be providing state dairy producers with the latest run-off research this month. Dennis Frame, co-director of the Discovery Farms program, will disclose the findings during the 'Rules Won't Improve Water Quality' session of the Dairy Business Association's Annual Business Conference in Madison. The forum is slated for Nov. 29-30 at the Monona Terrace.
Frame says his presentation will also include how this new data suggests that farming systems, soil moisture and time of the year are key factors in determining run-off. UW Discovery Farms research precedes studies conducted at DBA producer member John Pagel's dairy. This is the only operation in the program that is classified as a CAFO (Confined Animal Feeding Operation), and conclusions drawn from this work will undoubtedly influence the run-off control efforts of livestock facilities across the state looking to grow to the CAFO mark themselves.
During this session, Frame will also introduce a simple risk management tool for dairy producers to use to access the hazard of nutrient and sediment losses to surface and groundwater.
The research will be presented at 9 a.m. on Nov. 30. For a complete conference schedule and registration visit www.widba.com or call (920) 788-7588. The registration fee is $165, and single day registration is available.