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Conservation agronomy curriculum coming to Wisconsin

Wisconsin officials are bringing an conservation-focused agronomy education tool across the Mississippi River. 

Jeffrey Voltz with Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources tells Brownfield his agency is working with Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation and the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection to develop a curriculum to teach conservation agronomy. “It’s definitely for those that are interested in entering into the field of conservation. It’s a program that’s actually modeled after a program that was done in the State of Iowa.”

Voltz believes there’s a shortage of people trained to understand how to best communicate, work with, and be partners with the agricultural community. “Recognizing that how we work with people is the pathway to doing what we all want to do, which is ensure that farms stay on the landscape, are profitable, and provide good habitate and protect surface and ground water.”

Voltz says once completed, the program would be available to prepare high school age and older students and graduates.  The three agencies are working with Fox Valley Technical College to develop an online and in-field training curriculum for release later this year.