Dane Demo Farms’ Edge of Field Monitoring Ribbon Cutting Ceremony & Field Day

July 21, 2025
Kim Meyer, Agronomist, (608) 445-1474
Land & Water Resources

Dane County Land & Water Resources Department is hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony for the inaugural debut of Dane Demo Farm’s edge of field monitoring stations at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, August 19, 2025 at the Sugar River Wildlife Area. The ribbon cutting ceremony will be followed by a field day for the public to learn about the equipment and view a rainfall simulator demonstration.

This is the first edge of field monitoring equipment installed in Dane County. The equipment is used to capture water runoff from farm fields to study how different farming practices address water quality and soil erosion. The rainfall simulator trailer will also be demonstrated at the field day to showcase how different farming practices respond to rainfall events.

“This is exciting and timely research on the impacts of rainfall on farmland,” states Melissa Agard, Dane County Executive, “Learning how conservation practices respond on real working farms is important to understanding the connection of the landscape to our local water quality.”

This research is being conducted as part of Dane Demo Farm’s work with local farmers and is in partnership with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the University of Wisconsin Madison – Division of Extension.

“The Dane Demo Farms network is a powerful example of local, farmer-led conservation in action,” said Nathan Fikkert, USDA-NRCS Wisconsin State Conservationist. “By demonstrating proven conservation practices in the Yahara and Sugar River Watersheds, these farms help advance soil health, protect water quality, and support resilient working lands. This partnership is not only about improving the land today, it’s about investing in education, innovation, and collaboration that benefits farmers, communities, and future generations.”

Applied research on working farms is important to understanding how conservation practices are incorporated into farm management.  Providing local research allows farmers to see first hand how practices work on the landscape in Dane County.

“Answering farmer questions about conservation practices at the local level is important to the education, outreach, and research goals of Dane Demo Farms and the University of Wisconsin – Madison Division of Extension,” said Dr. Francisco Arriaga, Professor in the College of Agricultural & Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. “Local research helps address local resource concerns for our community’s farmers.”

The event starts at 1:00 pm with the following agenda planned:

  • Welcome Statements:
    • Melissa Agard, Dane County Executive
    • Nathan Fikkert, State Conservationist for USDA-NRCS, and
    • Dr. Francisco Arriaga with the University of Wisconsin Madison – Division of Extension
  • Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Edge of Field Monitoring Equipment
  • Presentation about Edge of Field Monitoring and the Equipment
  • Rainfall Simulator Demonstration

Event details, registration, and parking information is available at https://lwrd.danecounty.gov/Event/Detail/2500.

More info: For more information about Dane Demo Farms, visit the website at: https://demofarms.danecounty.gov/

For information regarding the ribbon cutting ceremony or field day, please contact Kim Meyer at (608) 445-1474 or meyer.kim@danecounty.gov.

About Dane Demo Farms
Dane Demo farms is a collaboration between local farmers, USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service, Dane County Land & Water Resources Department, and the University of Wisconsin Madison – Division of Extension. It provides opportunities for farmers to direct local research on the impacts of conservation practices to improve soil health and water quality. It is an outlet for peer-to-peer education and outreach to farmers across Dane County to learn about how to implement these conservation practices.

About Dane County Land & Water Resources Department
The Dane County Land & Water Resources Department works to protect and enhance Dane County’s natural, cultural, and historic resources. It provides the county’s residents with a broad array of accessible, high-quality resource-based recreational services and facilities, and supports residents, communities, local governments and other agencies and organizations in their resource management and protection activities.

About USDA-NRCS
The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) supports farmers, ranchers, and private landowners in making smart, lasting investments in their land and communities. Through voluntary conservation programs, NRCS helps keep working lands working, strengthens rural economies, and helps improve the health of our soil, water, air, and wildlife habitat. With one-on-one, personalized support, NRCS’s technical experts collaborate with farmers and producers to develop practical solutions tailored to their conservation and business goals. The success of NRCS is rooted in strong partnerships with local conservation districts, communities, and other organizations—working together to protect and sustain natural resources on private lands nationwide. To learn more visit nrcs.usda.gov.

About University of Wisconsin Madison – Division of Extension
UW–Madison Extension embodies the Wisconsin Idea to extend university knowledge to every corner of the state, connecting campus to communities through six institutes: Agriculture, Community Development, Health & Well-Being, Human Development & Relationships, Natural Resources, and Positive Youth Development. Extension’s statewide network delivers services to communities and tribes across Wisconsin through partnerships and relationships to adapt the practical applications of research and inform studies with community input. UW-Madison Extension’s outreach creates key connection points for families, communities, businesses, non-profit organizations, government, and more. We support local volunteers and leaders to take action and serve as role models in their communities, and we make sure Wisconsinites have the latest research, best practices, and educational opportunities. To learn more, visit https://extension.wisc.edu/.

 

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