Making informed decisions isn’t always easy, but having the right information makes all the difference.
The University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension works in communities statewide to connect the latest university research with practical knowledge that supports everyday decision-making. As a bridge between university research and real-world applications, Extension helps farmers, gardeners, and agricultural professionals turn research into useful tools and guidance for where they live and work.
“We develop research-based solutions to our clientele’s most challenging issues,” explained Heidi Johnson, Extension Agriculture Institute Director. “We have adjusted our staffing model to meet the needs of Wisconsin’s farming and gardening communities by providing staff trained to specialize in topics that matter most.”
Today, Extension’s team includes specialists who focus on specific topics important to Wisconsin agriculture and communities.
Helping Farmers Navigate Legal Questions
Kelly Wilfert ↗️ serves as an Extension Farm Law Outreach Specialist. Wisconsin faces a shortage of attorneys in many rural communities, and part of Wilfert’s role is to help farmers navigate legal questions and connect with legal professionals when needed. She also helps producers understand how farm law may affect their operations.
“I get to help farmers understand the building blocks of legal risk and legal education so they can have better conversations with attorneys, better conversations with their business partners, and ultimately make an informed decision,” Wilfert explained.
Wilfert covers topics such as farm transition planning, contracts, legal liability, and new laws or regulations that affect agriculture. She values the opportunity to talk through questions with farmers and help them prepare for conversations with legal professionals, without the cost often associated with legal consultations.
Recently, Wilfert hosted a webinar to help farmers understand the potential tax implications of the One Big Beautiful Bill and how the legislation may affect Wisconsin farms and agricultural businesses. The recording is available online for those who would like to learn more. go.wisc.edu/OB3webinar ↗️
Practical Resources for Lawn and Landscape Care
Bruce Spangenberg ↗️ is an Extension Horticulture Outreach Specialist serving communities across Wisconsin. His work specializes in turf management and helping both lawn care professionals and homeowners maintain healthy, resilient lawns.
One of the things Spangenberg enjoys most about his work is the opportunity to provide current information and practical guidance.
Even after years of experience in horticulture, he says new questions continue to challenge him to research and find the best answers, something he sees as a rewarding part of the job.
A project he is especially proud of is the Wisconsin Lawn Care Calendar, a resource he recently presented at the Garden & Green Living Expo in Madison.
“The Lawn Care Calendar covers everything related to lawns for a homeowner and when to do it, and what to do,” Spangenberg said. go.wisc.edu/WILawnCareCalendar ↗️
Supporting Dairy Producers at the Local Level
Extension provides regionally based educators who work closely with local communities.
Jackie McCarville ↗️ serves as an Extension Regional Dairy Educator in Grant, Green, Iowa, and Lafayette counties. She works with dairy producers and agricultural professionals on topics including dairy nutrition, animal welfare, genetics, and emerging technologies.
McCarville helps connect producers with university research and resources while bringing the latest information directly to local communities. In recent years, she has worked with dairy producers exploring automation technologies and evaluating what makes the most financial sense for their operations. Some producers she has worked with have since adopted new automation systems.
“The ways in which we help dairy producers is unique,” explained McCarville, “We’re non-biased in the dairy industry, so we aren’t trying to promote a specific product, we have non-biased research so we are giving producers all of the education and tools so they can turn around and make a decision on what product is going to be best for them.” Learn about the Badger Dairy Insight webinar series at go.wisc.edu/BDI ↗️
Connect with Extension
While Extension’s staffing model has evolved to include more specialized expertise, its mission remains the same: helping people access reliable research and connect with experts who can help provide solutions.
Through the Extension Agriculture “Contact Us” page, farmers, gardeners, and community members can submit questions online and connect directly with specialists who can provide guidance, resources, or simply start a conversation about the challenges they are facing.
Extension educators continue to respond to emerging issues and pursue new research questions to ensure Wisconsin communities have access to timely, useful information.
To contact an Extension agriculture expert or ask a question, visit:
go.wisc.edu/agquestions ↗️
