Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers (WSBDF)

Emphasizing Business Planning and Pasture-Based Farm Management

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Contact Us

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Thank you for your interest in the Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers!  Our office is located in Room 263A of the Soils Science Building on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.

Our mailing address is:

CIAS – Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers

1535 Observatory Drive

Madison, WI 53706

You can also feel free to contact the WSBDF Director with any questions, using the contact information below:

Nadia Alber, WSBDF Director

Email: nalber@wisc.edu

Phone: 608-265-6437

Alternatively, you can fill in the form below, click send, and we will get back to you as soon as we can!

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    Support WSBDF:

    Support WSBDF

    The support of our many sponsors is what makes our work possible. Click the logo above to learn more about how you can support WSBDF.

    Student Testimonials

    "I'm by nature a cynic who doesn't often run into programs, meetings, or groups that truly embody optimism and change, but WSBDF manages to accomplish that in a humble and practical way."

    “The School made me think outside of the box…and look at the many ways to approach a farm business.”

    “I really enjoyed all the speakers we had and all the real life experiences they were able to share.”

    “I took the grazing courses [with WSBDF]…and this is the best crash course I’m ever going to get.”

    “My fears were primarily financial. The WSBDF showed me that there were different institutions…to loan me money and that is what really got me started."

    "We came away with a barn-full of inspiration, and the solid ground-under-our-feet feeling of having been shown 'how it is' with all the beauty and the sweat right there."

    “The business plan put it all into reality. It gave me confidence."

    "The quality and depth of the presenters for the WSBDF has given our family a top notch how-to manual for entering into a grazing based business and life."

    “The School opened my eyes up to a different direction of farming that has worked out very well for me. WSBDF was very important in my decision to start a grass-based dairy farm.”

    "I can sincerely say that the WSBDF course was everything I had hoped for, and then some. I met a lot of great people, learned an incredible amount, and came out of the experience feeling inspired"

    “The most beneficial thing by far was…the network of people I met – classmates and mentors – that are actively farming…to learn from what they are doing and compare [these things] to what I’m doing.”

    “You have the opportunity to make lifelong friends; you have so many people there that have the same interests and the same drive.”

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    Read more about

    • Pasture Management Course Now Available Online!
    • Now Available Online!
    • Learning from the Experts
    • A Business Planning Emphasis

    Ride to Farm

    Link to Ride to Farm Website

    Each year the WSBDF hosts Ride to Farm, a 100K bike ride with rest stops at local farms. All proceeds from this amazing event support the WSBDF endowment. Click the Ride to Farm logo above to learn more.

    Barn Dance

    Barn Dance

    The Partnering for Progress’s Barn Dance & Chautauqua celebrates Wisconsin’s working lands, and raises funds to support the important work of the nonprofit partner organizations, including WSBDF. And it's a lot of fun! Click on the image above to learn more!

    WSBDF

    Sponsored by the UW-Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems and the Farm and Industry Short Course, both within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; and by Badgerland Financial, Culver’s Restaurants, Organic Valley, Wisconsin Cattleman’s Association, Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, and Wisconsin Farmers Union; with additional support from the NIFA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program and individual and corporate contributions to the UW Foundation WSBDF Endowment Fund. A full list of each year's contributors is available in our newsletter, available through the link below:

    2018 Newsletter

    Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers

    The WSBDF office is located in the Soil Science Building on the University of Wisconsin-Madison Campus.

    Mailing Address:

    1535 Observatory Drive
    Madison, WI 53706

    Phone:

    608-265-6437

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