Farmers of the
Roche-A-Cri
Awarded Grant Money is earmarked for 2023 watershed projects to improve water quality and soil health By Carolyn Pralle, land conservationist, Adams County Land & Water Conservation Department research projects.
Across Wisconsin, farmers are teaming up to improve water quality and soil health. In the heart of the Central Sands, a producer-led watershed protection group known as the Farmers of the Roche-A-Cri received a $14,600 grant for 2023 to fund educational events and on-farm
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This grant comes from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP) through the Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grant Program. DATCP currently funds 43 producer-led
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N7158 6TH DRIVE P.O. BOX 215 PLAINFIELD, WI 54966 OFFICE: (715) 335-6660 FAX: (715) 335-6661
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watershed protection groups across the state. “We’re proud of the diversity within the group,” says Farmers of the Roche-A-Cri lead farmer Heather Gayton of ZanBria Artisan Farms. Since the group’s formation in fall 2020, producer members have represented a wide range of farming operations: large-scale vegetable producers, cranberry growers, cattle farmers, and smaller artisanal farmers. What do they all have in common? They share a commitment to stewarding their local land and water resources through on-farm research. Together, they are also creating educational opportunities for community members, including producers, lakes groups, students, and others. Above: Farmers of the Roche-A-Cri and other community members gather during a Cover Crop & Grazing Field Day at Signature Farms in Friendship, Wisconsin, September 1, 2022. Photo courtesy of Anna James