By Blake Jackson
Mid-State Technical College will host its 49th Annual Farm Tour on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, with Fox City Builders serving as the event presenter. The long-standing tour brings together farmers, agribusiness professionals, students, educators and community members for a full day of applied learning focused on real-world agricultural practices and informed decision-making.
The Farm Tour is designed to reflect modern agriculture by highlighting data-based insights, shared experiences and collaboration across the industry.
The event is open to current and former Mid-State students, farm families, agribusiness partners, educators and anyone with an interest in agriculture.
“For 49 years, the Farm Tour has brought people together to showcase innovation in agriculture and learn from one another across the industry,” said Dr. Alex Lendved, dean of the Marshfield Campus and School of Applied Technology. “It’s a practical, boots-on-the-ground event where producers, students and industry partners can see ideas in action and have real conversations about what works.”
Participants will travel by bus to several tour stops, interacting directly with producers and subject-matter experts. Each stop will focus on practices that can be applied on working farms, with dedicated time for questions, discussion and peer-to-peer learning.
The tour includes a field presentation at the Marshfield Agricultural Research Station, a nationally recognized facility focused on applied research in crop production, soil health, water quality and sustainable farming systems.
Featured speakers include Adam Abel, state grazing lands specialist with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, who will discuss grazing systems, cover crops and regenerative practices. Jamie Patton, NRCS state agronomist, will share practical in-field tools producers can use to track soil health changes in grazing systems.
Attendees will also visit Elusive Hill Dairy in Loyal, Wisconsin, to explore modern dairy technology, including a newly built BouMatic 72-cow rotary milking parlor, expanded freestall barn and improved cow-flow design.
Following lunch, Patton will deliver the keynote address, focusing on soil health trends and regenerative agriculture applications. The Farm Tour has received national recognition from the Community College Alliance for Agriculture Advancement as an Outreach and Dissemination project and is partially supported through C2A3 funding.
Registration remains $10, with limited seating available. Early registration is encouraged at mstc.edu/farmtour.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-digitalvision
Categories: Wisconsin, Livestock, Dairy Cattle