DARLINGTON - For farmers, the land and water is everything, and a new group in Lafayette County wants to ensure the quality of both is preserved for generations to come.
Lafayette Ag Stewardship Alliance, a nonprofit organization that was created by area farmers and started to come together roughly a year ago, has devoted itself to sustainable practices and conservation. Jim Winn, who serves as chairman and is one of the 16 current members of the alliance, said "education is key."
"If we can learn from each other, the much better we'll be," Winn said. "We have a lot of diverse farmers in Lafayette County. Farmers care about clean water as much as anyone does."
LASA maintains that members make up roughly 20 percent of available farmland in Lafayette County. Members own 23,350 head of livestock and 55,760 acres of land, Winn said.
The group was to officially announce its existence today, with a field day open to farmers and the public. After teaming up with The Nature Conservancy, Professional Dairy Producers Foundation and La Crosse Seeds and Sloan Implement, the alliance was able to offer the event free of charge to attendees.
After a noon lunch at Highway Dairy, the group will be learning about cover crops in the early afternoon, followed by a demonstration of two different manure injection types: low-disturbance and conventional alongside one another to note differences. The day is scheduled to conclude at 3 p.m.
Cover crops will be "one of the core topics at the event," according to a press release sent by Maria Woldt, who helps with communication for the group. Woldt added that the group hopes to attract more members during the field day.
Winn said a large focus will be on tillage of land, whether conventional, minimum, low-impact or no till at all. Another core tenant of the day will be showcasing farming techniques that reduce water runoff and will ultimately result in healthier soil.
"We've got farmers in our area that do all of the above," Winn said. "We've had the benefit of learning from other organizations within the state. We've learned a lot from them. It's all about sustainability."
The core tenant of LASA is to promote "conservation practices that demonstrate continuous improvement and preserve and enhance the quality of life in the community," according to the release.
In identifying issues with karst topography, which makes the groundwater in Lafayette County more susceptible to contamination from things like manure injected into cropland, LASA wants to focus on three responsibilities: protecting natural resources, aiding public comprehension of general farming practices and helping farmers improve techniques.
"We need to leave our soil for the next generation," Winn said. "When we first started, everyone thought about clean water, but the biggest thing we need is education."
Lafayette Ag Stewardship Alliance, a nonprofit organization that was created by area farmers and started to come together roughly a year ago, has devoted itself to sustainable practices and conservation. Jim Winn, who serves as chairman and is one of the 16 current members of the alliance, said "education is key."
"If we can learn from each other, the much better we'll be," Winn said. "We have a lot of diverse farmers in Lafayette County. Farmers care about clean water as much as anyone does."
LASA maintains that members make up roughly 20 percent of available farmland in Lafayette County. Members own 23,350 head of livestock and 55,760 acres of land, Winn said.
The group was to officially announce its existence today, with a field day open to farmers and the public. After teaming up with The Nature Conservancy, Professional Dairy Producers Foundation and La Crosse Seeds and Sloan Implement, the alliance was able to offer the event free of charge to attendees.
After a noon lunch at Highway Dairy, the group will be learning about cover crops in the early afternoon, followed by a demonstration of two different manure injection types: low-disturbance and conventional alongside one another to note differences. The day is scheduled to conclude at 3 p.m.
Cover crops will be "one of the core topics at the event," according to a press release sent by Maria Woldt, who helps with communication for the group. Woldt added that the group hopes to attract more members during the field day.
Winn said a large focus will be on tillage of land, whether conventional, minimum, low-impact or no till at all. Another core tenant of the day will be showcasing farming techniques that reduce water runoff and will ultimately result in healthier soil.
"We've got farmers in our area that do all of the above," Winn said. "We've had the benefit of learning from other organizations within the state. We've learned a lot from them. It's all about sustainability."
The core tenant of LASA is to promote "conservation practices that demonstrate continuous improvement and preserve and enhance the quality of life in the community," according to the release.
In identifying issues with karst topography, which makes the groundwater in Lafayette County more susceptible to contamination from things like manure injected into cropland, LASA wants to focus on three responsibilities: protecting natural resources, aiding public comprehension of general farming practices and helping farmers improve techniques.
"We need to leave our soil for the next generation," Winn said. "When we first started, everyone thought about clean water, but the biggest thing we need is education."