Rep. Gallagher Visits Local Farms on Save the Bay Field Day
Congressman Mike Gallagher (R-WI) today joined farmers, agronomists, and conservationists for tours of Tauchen Harmony Valley and Erickson Dairy Farm as part of his annual Save the Bay Field Day. The Tauchen and Erickson farms are two of 10 farms that have partnered with the Natural Resources Conservation Service to demonstrate emerging best practices and new technologies that reduce costs and environmental impacts while improving soil health.
"Save the Bay field days are opportunities for our community to come together and share ways we can strengthen our farm economy and protect our environment," said Rep. Gallagher. "Farms like the Tauchen's and Erickson's prove that Northeast Wisconsin is at the cutting edge of environmentally friendly practices such as interseeding and grazing, and I'm thankful they took the time to host today's productive discussions."
During the tours, the Ericksons and Tauchens shared their experiences with interseeding cover crops, grazing, and planting grasses in low-lying critical areas. Agronomists and conservationists presented additional background information for on-farm practices. Grazing research and studies have estimated managed grazing alone reduces a farm's carbon footprint by 25 percent and greenhouse gases by 14 percent.
Rep. Gallagher's Save the Bay initiative is a Northeast Wisconsin collaborative initiative in which agriculture, academia, industry, government and nonprofit leaders identify, share and promote conservation practices to reduce phosphorus, nitrogen and sediment flowing into the waters of Green Bay and Lake Michigan.
Tauchen Harmony Valley is a dairy farm owned by Steve, Greg and Gary Tauchen. Gary is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the 6th District, and chairs the State Assembly's Committee on Agriculture. Tauchen Harmony Valley practices rotational grazing of dairy heifers, no-till planting, and cover crops for sustainable crop rotation.
Erickson Dairy Farms, operated by Randy and Adam Erickson in Bear Creek, uses a cocktail mix of forages, harvestable buffers and low-disturbance tillage and other conservation applications.