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Wisconsin Ag News Headlines |
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Improving Agronomy Through a Passion for Research
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 06/02/2023
Experimenting with on-field solutions to reduce cost of input for producers, Jody Wilhelm’s efforts on her Chippewa County farm have naturally supported existing conservation practices. Thanks to EQIP, Jody has been able to seed cover crops for ongoing evaluation and analysis.
Background
After receiving her degree in Marketing and Communications with an emphasis in Agriculture from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, Southern Minnesota native, Jody Wilhelm, met and married her husband, Aaron. They decided to put down roots in Fall Creek, Wisconsin, where Aaron took over his family’s 1100 acres farm. Jody was intrigued by the lighter soil colors of northern Wisconsin, mainly attributed to a deficit of soil organic matter and a coarser texture. In 2015, Jodi and Aaron launched A&J Agronomy, a crop and soil health consulting company servicing West Central Wisconsin.
Highlights
Jody has a strong passion for agriculture and figuring out the best way to do things. As she experiments with on– field solutions to reduce cost of input for producers, her efforts have naturally supported existing conservation practices. Her unique access to a wide range of producers around the Eau Claire area allows her to create an impact with more ease and trust. She passionately talks to landowners at many events about her personal on-farm research trials and methods.
The main driver of research on the farm is finding solutions for reducing fertilizer inputs by increasing soil organic matter, therefore improving soil health. Some of Jody’s current trials include understanding how inputs and yields fluctuate by comparing conventional to exclusively no-till systems; effects of cover crop species mixes inter-seeded into corn grain; the effect of soil moisture on fertilizer availability at specific depths; and how rye cover crops affect long-term profitability.
Thanks to the financial assistance provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Jody has been able to seed rye cover crops for ongoing evaluation and analysis. Currently in the fifth year of their EQIP contract, Jody is dedicated to implementing soil health practices, including rye and multi-species cover crop mixes.
Future Plans
Jody is currently studying the effects of soil texture compared to nutrient availability for her master’s program at Iowa State University.
Source: usda.gov
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