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UW River Falls revives Wisconsin’s Farm & Industry Short Course

A popular agricultural education program is coming back after a year off, but with some changes.

Dr. Steven Kelm with the University of Wisconsin River Falls tells Brownfield the Farm and Industry Short Course is coming back, but River Falls will be the home base with collaboration from Platteville and Madison. “I’m thrilled with my coworkers here at River Falls. My goodness, what a can-do attitude. They’re excited.”

Kelm says the staff is assembling the curriculum and having the necessary dorm space and the research farm close to the main campus makes River Falls the ideal home for the revived short course. “We can emphasize cow-side skills there. We have the ability to draw on the expertise from our colleagues, you know, in ag economics, agronomy, and elsewhere, and so I think it’s going to be an outstanding program.”

The UW System has also been in conversations with the dairy industry stakeholders including Shelly Mayer with the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin. She tells Brownfield, “It’s so important for developing that skilled talent that we need on our dairy farms as well as for those young people. Let’s think about those high school-age and even transitioning young professionals that are hands-on learners. Farm and Industry Short Course is perfect for them.”

Kelm says the Farm and Industry Short Course will enroll 24 students to start classes in the second half of the fall semester, and the credits will be transferable to other agricultural degree programs.