PRODUCTIVITY AND SUSTAINABILITY IMPACTS OF IMPROVING PASTURES ON MANAGEMENT-INTENSIVE ROTATIONAL DAIRY FARMS IN THE US

This project has three main objectives:1. Characterize the diversity of MIG practices and their relationship to economic and environmental outcomes on dairy farms in WI;2. Examine market, landscape, and farmer network factors that shape MIG adoption and compare the economic and environmental performance of this system with other farming system approaches and;3. Explore ways to improve the content and delivery of decision-support tools and other programs aimed at advancing farmer learning and changes in management practices or technology adoption as well as broader stakeholder evaluation of alternative dairy farm grassland strategies for economic and ecological service outcomes.ACTIVITY GOALS: Secure a large, Wisconsin sample of conventional and management-intensive grazing WI dairy farmers that is either large enough to include (or is stratified accordingly):a. Conventional and organic MIG farmers (including Organic Valley);b. Large-scale MIG farmers (over 200 cows); and,c. Locations with and without active farmer networks Survey farmers on management practices, productivity and profitability indicators, and environmental and social preferences, along with standard farm survey questions on demographics, organization, and farm characteristics. This survey will help identify the degree of reliance of WI dairy farmers on MIG practices in their overall farm management strategy. The guiding hypothesis is that MIG is a flexible system in the US that dairy farmers use in combination with a wide array of other feed and forage sources. The answers will be used to inform both MIG and conventional options in the support tools mentioned below.