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On the Farm: Additional data proving to be valuable at Osterhoudt Farms

One way DSWR is unique is that this research is being conducted on commercial farms. One of those farms is Osterhoudt Farms in Genoa, New York, a cropping operation that offers custom services to local dairies by providing forages and utilizing dairy manure. Farm representative Andy Miller is working alongside Cornell University researchers to bring…    Read more »

In the Spotlight: Meet researcher April Leytem with USDA in Idaho

DSWR is tapping into the talents of the best and brightest researchers in the U.S. They’re doing work through eight institutions in major dairy-producing regions, from Vermont to California. One of these all-important project partners is April Leytem, a research soil chemist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Kimberly, Idaho. Tell us a…    Read more »

Perspectives: DSWR will provide farmers with practical solutions

By Dr. Mara Cloutier, Soil Health Institute The Soil Health Institute (SHI) collaborated with Dairy Management Inc. on the design and development of the Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration (DSWR) project and is playing a central role in the data-driven project. Dr. Mara Cloutier of SHI shares her perspective on what sets DSWR apart from…    Read more »

Site Drop-in: UW-Madison’s work focuses on novel manure solids

Eight research institutions across the country are participating in the Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration (DSWR) project. Adam von Haden, a scientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, provided an update on what’s happening there. Research focus: Our work on DSWR consists of three experiments at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station in south-central Wisconsin. While the…    Read more »

DSWR research project explored at Dairy Strong conference

Farmers received insights about the Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration (DSWR) project from its leaders and researchers at the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 16 in Green Bay, Wis. Victor Green, director of soil health and crop sustainability for Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), provided an overview of the ongoing eight-year project and moderated a panel discussion…    Read more »

DSWR Launches a YouTube Channel to Showcase Project Videos

The DSWR team has been visiting project sites and working with researchers to produce a series of video shorts showcasing project results and components. The first few videos are now loaded on DSWR’s YouTube channel — follow the project on YouTube to see new videos as they are produced. https://www.youtube.com/@DairySoilWater

DSWR Insights Shared in Panel Discussion at 2024 Sustainable Agriculture Summit

Representatives from three Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration research sites across the country provided farmers, processors, supply chain companies and industry thought leaders insights into the project and a sneak peek at preliminary results at the 2024 Sustainable Agriculture Summit in Minneapolis. Reza Afshar, vice president of soil, feed and water research at Dairy Management…    Read more »

DSWR: The Talk of Tri-Societies

The American Society for Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society for America (CSSA) and Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) held their 2024 International Annual Meeting in San Antonio, bringing together soil and crop professionals from around the world to discuss revelations in research and innovation. Several DSWR project team members shared insights and preliminary results…    Read more »

DSWR Project Teams Huddle for Annual Meeting

Researchers and project leaders from across the U.S. gathered in San Antonio, TX on Nov. 14 to exchange latest insights from their Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration studies. From site updates to publication discussions, DSWR project teams spent the day collaborating and learning from each other. Team members delivered updates about the work at their…    Read more »

Dr. Afshar Highlights DSWR Collaboration During FFAR Webinar Series

Dr. Reza Afshar, vice president of soil, feed and water research at Dairy Management Inc. joined a Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) special webinar series celebrating FFAR’s 10-year anniversary. In this insightful session, titled “The Power of Collaborative Agricultural Research,” Dr. Afshar presented a comprehensive overview of DSWR and emphasized the numerous advantages that arise from fostering…    Read more »

California team works in sync with dairy farmer 

Eight research institutions across the country are participating in the DSWR project. Two of them — University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) and University of California, Davis — are working together in studies at a commercial dairy farm and an almond orchard.   Nicholas Clark, principal investigator for the dairy site, provided an…    Read more »

In the Spotlight: Researcher Jasdeep Singh from Cornell University 

Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration is tapping into the talents of the best and brightest researchers in the country. They’re doing work through eight institutions located in major dairy-producing regions, from Vermont to California.   DSWR Dispatch is highlighting these all-important project partners.   Today, meet Jasdeep Singh, postdoctoral research associate in Cornell University’s Nutrient Management Spear…    Read more »

Cows in a field

Data for Dairy: Research to Guide Farmers in Their Sustainability Journey

As dairy farmers consider climate solutions, they face the challenge of having limited science-backed information guiding them in their journey toward sustainability. Reza Afshar, vice president – soil, feed and water research at Dairy Management Inc., shares how the dairy community is working with research partners to bridge that gap. Read more on the FFAR…    Read more »

DSWR Publishes Progress Update for 2023

The DSWR Progress Report provides updates on the six-year project assessing how farming practices affect soil health, greenhouse gases and water quality in dairy feed production. The report includes updates from each research team through a study snapshot and findings to date from 2021 – 2023. Download the Progress Report.

UW-Madison Team Holds Field Day

“Demonstrating Soil Health in the Badger State” was held on August 7th, 2024 at the University of Wisconsin – Madison (UW) Arlington Agricultural Research Station. The event was hosted by the Soil Health Alliance for Research & Engagement (SHARE). Seventy-two people were in attendance, including academics, extension staff, and producers. The event included a panel…    Read more »

Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration Highlighted at North American Manure Expo

Members of the Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration (DSWR) research team attended the North American Manure Expo in Auburn, New York, to share preliminary findings, connect with Cornell University researchers and participating farmers, review study plots and gain insights into project progress. At the event, Victor Green, director of soil health and crop sustainability at…    Read more »

UW-Madison researchers highlight manure and soil conservation experiments 

Novel manure products are playing a key role in the Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration (DSWR) project, a research initiative on working dairies and research farms across the U.S.  As part of DSWR, the research team at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is evaluating the effects of those manure products and soil conservation practices on greenhouse…    Read more »

Two men meeting at Kinnard Farms

Project team visits Wisconsin dairy to see in-field progress

DSWR project leaders visited Kinnard Farms, a dairy in northeastern Wisconsin, to discuss research happening there. The farm is one of six commercial dairies around the country participating in extensive research trials. During the August 2023 visit, the team and the farm’s owner, Lee Kinnard, reviewed soil health and carbon data from an experiment at…    Read more »

Testing in the field at UW Madison Demonstration Day

Demonstration day focuses on infiltrometers at UW-Madison research site

The Dairy Soil & Water Regeneration project is very much a hands-on endeavor. Members of the research teams in Wisconsin along with those from the Soil Health Institute and private agronomists came together in April at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Arlington Research Station to learn how to use one of the key instruments in the…    Read more »