Dunn County Extension educators outline research on nitrogen management, cover crops, barley and hemp

Dunn County Extension educators presented a broad summary of local and regional agricultural research and outreach to the Community Resources & Tourism Committee, highlighting soil- and nutrient-management trials, expanding cover-crop adoption and pilot projects on malting barley and industrial hemp.

Chris (Extension educator leading the presentation) summarized 2022 Census of Agriculture figures released in 2024 and local program priorities. “You can see about $381,000,000 of market value of products that are sold,” Chris said, and noted the county’s average farm size has increased and that cover-crop adoption has risen: “the cover crop … is 17%.” He said the average farm size is roughly in the mid-hundreds of acres and that cropland totals exceed 200,000 acres.

A large portion of the presentation described nitrogen research and pilot programs. Chris outlined an adaptive nitrogen management trial and a larger nitrogen optimization pilot supported in part by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP). He described lysimeter monitoring used on some pilot fields to trap and test nitrate at depth and said the pilot program receives substantial grant funding: “there's about $1,000,000 through [DATCP],” he said. In one example the presence of about 177 pounds of nitrate in the soil profile produced a flat yield response, demonstrating years when pre-plant soil nitrate reduces the need for additional commercial nitrogen.

Chris also reviewed on-farm demonstrations that compared plots with and without manure credits and said manure treatments boosted yields and shifted the economic optimum nitrogen rate. “We know manure is doing something out there to help those plants,” he said. He explained the adaptive- and optimization-style trials are run across multiple years and sites to understand variability.

On cropping systems and emerging markets, Chris described an experimental interseeding of alfalfa into standing corn silage. The technique reduced corn silage yield modestly but produced a substantial alfalfa stand that yielded in the following season. “We picked up over a half a ton of extra dry matter by doing it this way compared to seeding it in the spring,” he said. Extension also reported multi-site malting-barley variety trials and industrial hemp grain and fiber trials; hemp grain yields varied and averaged roughly $1,100 per acre equivalent in the trials.

The educators discussed workforce and service challenges for large-animal veterinary care in the county; attendees said fewer veterinarians and travel time to serve farms are barriers. Extension staff noted training and calf-care workshops as potential mitigations.

Ryan Stiry, introduced as the new livestock educator, and Deanna Wirskawa, the new support staff member, were also introduced. Ryan described his role and experience and Deanna summarized her background in agricultural education and 4‑H outreach.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about the experiments, establishment costs for interseeded alfalfa (estimated at about $700 per acre for establishment in the study’s cheaper model) and whether NRCS cost-share programs remain available for cover-crop establishment; Extension staff said some NRCS programs remain but specific cost-share availability varies and may shift to longer-term programs such as Conservation Stewardship Program after initial launch funding.

Extension staff said their research and outreach will continue and that they will provide written fact sheets and reports to the committee summarizing trial methods and results.

The presentation did not include formal committee action; committee members thanked educators and moved to other agenda items.