Fall Tech Tour in Chippewa County

THE COUNTY SHOWCASED THEIR MULTIFACETED APPROACH TO ADDRESSING NITROGEN IN GROUNDWATER

Chippewa County Land Conservation and Forest Management (LCFM) hosted 63 attendees for the 2025 State Fall Technical Tour. The event highlighted innovative solutions to nitrogen issues in groundwater, including an unconventional forage crop, a new strategy for providing safe drinking water in high-nitrate areas, and manure management practices at a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) facility.

The first stop on the tour was the Chippewa County Farm, where UW-Extension Agricultural Educator Jerry Clark led a discussion on industrial hemp research. Jerry shared insights into how hemp could be reintroduced into Wisconsin. He focused on production practices for fiber and grain. Attendees explored the variety trials and learned about the effects of nitrogen application rates and planting dates. Jerry explained how industrial hemp could integrate into existing cropping systems and its potential as a conservation crop.

The second stop was the Anson Town Hall, where LCFM Director Lynda Schweikert presented on the county’s efforts to provide safe drinking water through community well refill stations. As part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), LCFM looked into providing a safe source of drinking/cooking water for residents in areas testing above 10 mg/l for nitrates. They formed an ad hoc committee, focused on installing public water refill stations. Lynda discussed station locations, costs, and the successes and challenges faced in implementing this innovative program. She also highlighted how the approach could be replicated in other counties dealing with nitrate contamination.

Lunch was served at Mahr Brothers Farm, where attendees heard additional presentations while dining in the Farm Shop. Jerry kicked off with an overview of his Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Project (NOPP). Corn growers continually face many production challenges, such low grain prices, high input prices and regulatory pressure to minimize nutrient losses to the environment. Nitrogen management figures prominently into these challenges with questions surrounding selection of nitrogen fertilizer rates. Tour goers learned how on-farm research in Chippewa and Dunn counties has attempted to help answer questions to nitrogen rate application.

Lynda followed with findings from a Fall and Spring Manure Nitrogen Field Trial conducted at Mahr Brothers Farm. The trial evaluated soil nitrogen cycling on two corn fields within a dairy cropping system involving corn silage and manure application.

Wrapping up the presentations, Wisconsin DNR Wastewater Specialist Todd Prill provided a history of the Mahr Brothers Farm’s transition to a permitted CAFO facility. He detailed the regulatory requirements the farm adheres to and its evolving approaches to waste management.

The final portion of the tour featured a walking tour led by Ketty Clow, Chippewa County LCFM Environmental Engineer. Ketty explained the farm’s waste management system, covering its evolution as the farm expanded, the impact of changing regulations, and future plans involving a proposed digester and fiber separation system. She provided detailed insights into the various waste storage facility liner types—earthen, HDPE, and concrete—and the rationale behind their selection at different stages of the farm’s development.

From providing water to residents to reducing the leaching potential through planting cover crops (including hemp), optimizing nitrogen application on crop fields, and considering waste storage duration to time manure application when it is less likely to leach nitrogen, this stour showecasd how a multifaceted approach can address the growing nitrogen problem in our groundwater.

Chippewa County extends its gratitude to all who attended the tour, as well as to the LCFM staff and presenters who made the event a success!