Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers (WSBDF)

Emphasizing Business Planning and Pasture-Based Farm Management

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Staff
  • Former Students
  • Program Offerings
  • News
  • Contact Us
  • Apply

Apply

We’re thrilled you’re interested in our school! You’re chances of acceptance are excellent so long as you have a strong desire to become a dairy or livestock farmer and a serious interest in management-intensive grazing. Below are the different ways you can apply:


Pasture-Based Dairy and Livestock Seminar (On Campus)

To take the Pasture-Based Dairy and Livestock Seminar on campus, most students register through the Farm and Industry Short Course (FISC).  FISC students can enroll in the Pasture-Based Dairy and Livestock Seminar when registering for classes and also have the option of completing the Pasture-Based Dairy or Livestock Specialty Certificate.  You can find all the information you need about program costs and how to apply at the Farm and Industry Short Course website.  Also, see the scholarship assistance section below to learn more about scholarship opportunities that may be available to you.

Current University of  Wisconsin students also have the option of taking the Pasture-Based Dairy and Livestock Seminar for credit.  If you would like to pursue this option, please contact us to learn more


Pasture-Based Dairy and Livestock Seminar (Distance Education)

To take our Grass-Based Dairy and Livestock Seminar at one of the distance education sites, you will need to complete a WSBDF Application and contact the site facilitator for additional information and requirements.  At some locations you may be able to take the seminar for credit, and your site facilitator can assist with this.  A list of distance education sites and contact information for site facilitators can be found by clicking here.


Pasture-Based Dairy and Livestock Seminar (Online)

For students who want to take the Pasture-Based Dairy and Livestock Seminar at any time from the comfort and convenience of their own home, we also offer the course on online.  The online course includes all of the lectures, discussions, handouts, homework, and business planning materials from the in-person Pasture-Based Dairy and Livestock Seminar, and it offers students the opportunity to interact with the instructors and get personalized input and feedback on their business plans.  Click here to see an outline of the online course materials.   If interested, you can register using the link below:

Register here image2

The online course could also be an option for schools, farming organizations, and other groups for whom the training could be beneficial.  Please contact us if you are interested in discussing possible group rates.


Scholarship Assistance

Finding the money to pay for school can be a daunting task. That’s why WSBDF searches high and low for scholarship opportunities to offer our students. Our current list of available scholarships is available here.

To apply for scholarship assistance, we will need the following three things from you by April 1st:

  1. A completed WSBDF Application
  2. Transcripts from the school you most recently attended
  3. Three letters of reference that discuss your qualifications and interest in grass-based dairying

Gather all these materials and mail them to:

Wisconsin School for Beginning Dairy and Livestock Farmers
CIAS
1535 Observatory Drive
Madison, WI 53706


Questions?

If you have any questions about the school or the application process, please don’t hesitate to send a message on our Contact Us page, or contact program director Dick Cates or Outreach Specialist Nadia Alber at (608) 265-6437. If you prefer, you can reach Dick by email at rlcates@wisc.edu or Nadia at nalber@wisc.edu.

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

“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."

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

“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.”

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

"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"

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

"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."

"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."

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

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

“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.”

"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."

<< Prev
Next >>

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

Copyright © 2022 · Outreach Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in