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Farm News: Where Will Next Dairy Farmers Be Found?commentsPosted: 10.05.2010 Where will the next generation of dairy farmers come from? Don't assume it will be today's dairy farmer sons or daughters! That question becomes increasingly urgent as more of Wisconsin’s dairy farmers reach the later stages of their careers. GrassWorks, the statewide grazing organization, is the industry sponsor for a new “Dairy Grazier Apprenticeship.” They want to use a model familiar for plumbers, bricklayers, electricians and so forth. The “Dairy Grazier Apprenticeship” will combine classroom education through the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) with on-the-farm training under the guidance of a Master Farmer. If successful the program has the potential to provide a new model for farmer education, environmental stewardship and rural economic development. Apprenticeship is a framework that the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (WDWD) has utilized for decades in other industries. As “Dairy Grazier Apprentices,” beginning farmers will not only achieve a high level of competency but will also receive compensation for work on the farm as well as for related classroom hours. In addition, as Journeyman Dairy Graziers, graduates will develop the relationships necessary to become successful entrepreneurs, co-owners and/or managers of grass-based dairy farms. Experienced farmers, as Master Farmers, will receive training in mentoring an apprentice to make sure that a good working relationship is established. They will gain a skilled apprentice who has gone through an initial screening process and provides skilled labor, managerial assistance and the potential for future business partnerships. Kay Craig, GrassWorks board member says the idea's catching support. “Someone at NIFA [National Institute for Food and Farming] must also have recognized how critical this issue is to mid-sized farms or they would not have funded the program with $96,000.” Initial funding through NIFA’s Beginning Farming and Rancher Development Program as well as Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative will allow GrassWorks to establish the “Dairy Grazier Apprenticeship” and will help to support the program in its pilot year.
If you are interested in enrolling in program as an Apprentice or as a Master Farmer, please visit www.grassworks.org or contact Joe Tomandl directly at: cjtom@hughes.net or 715-560-0389.
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