Posted: 07.13.2010

Three Wisconsin organizations—Wisconsin Counties Association, Wisconsin Towns Association and the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin—are partnering to sponsor two on-farm Agriculture Community Engagement Twilight Meetings in August. The meetings, conducted in different parts of the state, are set for Wednesday, Aug. 11, and Thursday, Aug. 12.  

“This is an open invitation to the state’s community leaders, elected officials, conservation officials, dairy and livestock producers and all citizens interested in learning from each other so Wisconsin communities can be vibrant and green,” states Eric Hillan, dairy producer from Ladysmith and president of PDPW. “Those attending an ACE twilight meeting will be treated to a 60-minute tour of the hosting dairy followed by a discussion moderated by Dennis Frame of UW Discovery Farm. The discussion will provide a platform for open communication about issues important to our communities. 

“And did I mention that, while the discussions are underway, pie and ice cream will be served at both meetings?” 

The Wednesday, Aug. 11, meeting will take place at Saxon Homestead Farm LLC, Cleveland. The dairy—owned by Robert and Kathleen Block-Klessig, Karl and Elizabeth Klessig, Gerald and Elise Klessig Heimerl and families—transitioned in 1991 from conventional dairying to management intensive rotational grazing and is home to 450 crossbred cattle housed on 900 acres.

 The Thursday, Aug. 12, meeting will be near Independence at the Bragger Family Farm, a three-way partnership involving Hildegard Bragger and two of her sons, Joe and Dan. This dairy milks 285 head on two farms and is involved in a 32,000 pullet operation and beef operation. Both Saxon Homestead Farm LLC and Bragger Family Farm are graduates of UW Discovery Farms.   

The meetings, which are free to all attendees, are slated to start at 6:00 p.m. and will wrap up by 8:30 p.m. 

“If you have a question about, or for, the Wisconsin dairy and livestock industries—or are involved in the dairy and livestock industries and want to hear the viewpoints of community leaders, elected officials, etc., then this is the place to be,” Hillan states. “Previous ACE evenings have been fun and extremely successful in boosting the learning curve for attendees. It’s eye-opening what topics come up and how we learn from each other.” 

To attend one of the upcoming ACE Twilight Meetings, please reserve your space by contacting the Wisconsin Towns Association. Call Wisconsin Towns Association (715) 526-3157 or email  wtowns@frontiernet.net  by August 4.

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