FISC Ag Forward, a multi-day short course offered by the University of Wisconsin­–Madison’s Farm and Industry Short Course program, took place on the UW–Madison campus in mid-January. The theme of the short course was “The Dairy Industry in an Everchanging Landscape,” with sessions focusing on agricultural economics, dairy diet and nutrition, reproduction, genetics and animal welfare.

The new short course was designed to complement the residential FISC program at UW–River Falls, and a majority of UWRF FISC students chose to participate. Sessions offered students an opportunity to learn about the latest university research, engage in meaningful discussions, and ask questions of faculty in the UW–Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. The program was held at the Center for Dairy Research January 16-19, 2024.

Participants enjoyed up-close interactions with CALS faculty and gave the program great evaluations all around, notes Heather Gayton, outreach program manager in the CALS Office of Extension and Outreach.

“It was incredible to see how this newly developed program came together,” says Gayton. “The level of engagement from participants was outstanding.”

The second day of the program — Wednesday — was documented in photos. That day, Luiz Ferrareto, UW–Madison assistant professor and extension specialist in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, reviewed forage production and management and described its impact on cow digestion, behavior and productivity. Marta Moura Kohmann, UW–Madison assistant professor and extension specialist in the Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences, went over the production potential of different forage crops under various management systems, both harvested and grazed, and explored their role in environmental sustainability.

During Wednesday’s networking lunch, participants heard from Andrea Miller, outreach program manager for the Center for Dairy Research, as well as Rachel Zwieg, a FISC alumna, who along with husband Kyle were named National Outstanding Young Farmers.

View the photos from Wednesday’s FISC Ag Forward short course on CALS Flickr.

Other short court sessions were led by CALS faculty members and Extension specialists Paul Fricke, Paul Mitchell, Jennifer Van Os and Kent Weigel — covering topics in their respective areas of expertise. A networking lunch was provided each day.

Upcoming UW–Madison FISC offerings include Spanish for Dairy (levels 1 and 2) and High Voltage Farmer Safety. To get the latest updates, visit https://fisc.cals.wisc.edu/ and follow at https://www.facebook.com/farmandindustryshortcourse.