August 30, 2012
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Paving the Way for Wisconsin's Women Ag Leaders
by Laura Beane, WROF, Inc. Board member
Laura Beane with two of her four great-grandchildren, twins Ella and Charlotte
I was the first woman to
join the WROF, Inc. Board of Directors. It was 1976, when women in leadership
roles were hardly commonplace.
Walter Renk, the board
president at that time, called me and invited me to serve the WROF, Inc. as a
director. I didn't know Walter personally, but I knew of him because of his
family's company, Renk Seed. He had a great reputation in our community, so
even though I hadn't heard of the WROF, Inc., I was willing to listen to what
Walter had to say.
The more Walter talked, the
more interested I grew in helping the WROF, Inc. fulfill its mission of
fostering the vitality of rural Wisconsin. I agreed to join, and more than 35
years later, I still believe just as strongly in the work the Foundation does and the impact it has on rural Wisconsin.
My late husband Craig and I
farmed in the Fort Atkinson area, so in addition to bringing a woman's
point of view to the board, I was also able to bring a farmer's point of view.
Though I never thought of myself as a pioneer, I am proud to be one of
Wisconsin's first woman leaders in agriculture. Seeing me in this light
inspired my daughter Marcia to be a leader in agriculture as well; She was the first
woman to win Outstanding Ag Student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Back then, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences was only 20% women.
Today, women students outnumber the men--I believe it's 60/40.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my
service to the WROF, Inc. There are some really good minds on the board, and we
have accomplished many wonderful things, supporting those from rural Wisconsin who are interested in enhancing their education. I am no longer the only woman
director--there are three of us now. Still, we are always looking for more women
to help lead the WROF, Inc. into the future.
If you are interested in
learning more about my experience with the WROF, Inc. or would like to be
considered as a director, feel free to contact me. You can reach me through the
WROF, Inc. by sending an email to [email protected].
UW Farming Course Appeals to Young Entrepreneurs
Richard Cates with the WSBDLF class of 2011
Prior to 1995, farming in Wisconsin was almost strictly a
family affair. Richard Cates, Director of the Wisconsin School for Beginning
Dairy and Livestock Farmers (WSBDLF), says knowledge about operating a
successful farm was passed down from generation to generation.
"Wisconsin had no pathway to start farming if you didn't
come from a family of farmers," says Cates. "It's not like becoming a plumber
or a carpenter."
The WSBDF is a program of the University of
Wisconsin-Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems and Farm &
Industry Short Course, with the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. The
WSBDF was created with a grant from the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research
and Education program. Now in its 17th year, it is the only program of its kind
in the country.
Specifically designed to educate, prepare, and mentor
entering and transitioning dairy and livestock farmers, the WSBDF has enabled
graduates to turn an investment of a few months' time and tuition into the
start of a lifelong successful farming career.
Cates shared the success story of one former student, Andy
Hatch. Originally from Milwaukee, Hatch dreamed of being a cheese maker. After
completing the WSBDF program, Hatch is now the cheese maker and general manager
at Uplands Cheese near Dodgeville, Wisconsin, making Pleasant Ridge Reserve artisan
cheese. In 2012, for the third year in a row, Pleasant Ridge Reserve won the
American Cheese Society's annual competition as the best cheese of its type.
Hatch's story is just one among hundreds. Nearly 400
students and transitioning farmers have gone through the WSBDF program. About
75 percent of its graduates are actively engaged in dairy or livestock farming,
and about half of these farmers have started their own farm business. In
addition, many who are not currently farming still have plans to do so.
"Wisconsin has a pool of very bright, motivated individuals
who want to be entrepreneurial," says Cates. "They want to run their own
businesses ... They want to have the American dream."
The WSBDF also offers a distance education option. There are
currently 18 locations with a classroom facilitator who leads on-site
discussions and hosts the weekly live webinars broadcast from the UW-Madison
campus.
The WROF is proud to support Cate's program, providing the
WSBDF with $3,500 annually, with which Cates is able to award as many as seven
scholarships. "Most of the kids that come to short course, and especially
those who are looking to start farming, are paying for this on their own," he explains.
"So when I see that, I know that if I can help them out a little bit, that this
money is going to be appreciated. I am so eternally grateful, and honored to
thank the Foundation very much for its support."
To get application materials to attend the WSBDF on the
Madison campus, or for more information about any aspect of the program, go to www.cias.wisc.edu/dairysch.html
or call 608-265-6437.
A Love of Tinkering Leads to Lifelong Career
by Martin Melssen, WROF, Inc. scholarship recipient
Martin Melssen on his family's farm
Both of my parents grew up on farms. My
mom's side preferred International Harvester, while my dad's side preferred
John Deere, so I gained the knowledge of both brands over the years. I have
always been interested in understanding how things worked, particularly machinery. If a
piece of equipment wasn't working, I enjoyed helping to fix it. My favorite
part is seeing a piece of machinery run normally again, after it has been
repaired.
After a few years of helping fix my
family's farm machinery, and working on the neighbors' lawn mowers, mini bikes,
and small one-cylinder engines, I decided to look into becoming a professional
mechanic. When I was a junior in high school I went to an open house at South
West Technical College to learn about the Agricultural Power and Equipment
Program. As soon as I saw the shop, I knew it was the right career for me. I
felt right at home--it was just like being in my uncle's shop.
I enrolled at SWTC after high school
and two years later, I had my degree. In 2010 I was hired as a mechanic for Scott
Implement in Platteville, Wisconsin. I really like doing what I do for a
living--fixing and maintaining machinery.
If it weren't for the grants, scholarships,
and, most importantly, the WROF, Inc., I wouldn't have achieved the level of schooling I did. Thank you!
Check it Out! Did We Get it Right?
by Marcy Heim, WROF, Inc. Executive Director
Attention all past WROF, Inc.
award recipients! YOU and your
many contributions and successes represent the IMPACT we have had in Wisconsin,
and we want everyone to know you were selected to receive our support.
We are in the middle of a big project to
recognize our past recipients from each educational institution over the years.We congratulate you on your achievements!
Please go to our website, www.WROF.org,
click on Scholarships and Awards, then select "Past Recipients" from the
drop-down list. If your school is
highlighted, we have your awards listed. Please take a look and see if we have the information listed
correctly. If you find an error,
please send an email to [email protected] with the subject line "AWARD CORRECTION," and provide us with the correct information.
Several groups of past
recipients are taking advantage of the new WROF Matching Challenge
Program. Past recipients can group
together to create a new scholarship for their particular area of study,
institution, or program. For
example, nursing students are pooling their gifts to create a new nursing
scholarship. The best part, thanks to a major matching grant, is that these
scholarships will all be matched, doubling the amount awarded each year! For
more details, or to begin a program in your area, please contact me at 608-772-6777
or [email protected]. Thank you for
your investment in the vitality of rural Wisconsin!
Bright Futures is published six times a year on or around the third Wednesday of the month. Please send comments to [email protected]. |