Why Farmers Matter

On February 26, 2022, Serge Koenig, Sauk County Land Resources and Environment Conservation Technician, and Roman Miller, Baraboo area farmer and practitioner of Management-Intensive Grazing, presented a program "Why Farmers Matter". In their presentation, Koenig and Miller described how switching from conventional farming to Management-Intensive Grazing can benefit the grazing ruminants who eat nutrient-rich forage; the wildlife returning to the pastures; the soil that becomes richer, denser, full of life, and remains in place instead of eroding; the nearby waterways which become cleaner and life-sustaining because they are not inundated with runoff from the fields; the atmosphere from which carbon is being sequestered into the healthy soil; the farmer who spends less time tilling and harvesting in the fields or worrying about profits and losses; and the consumer who can purchase safe, healthful food products at a fair price while helping to support local farmers. This program was co-sponsored by Sauk County Land Resources and Environment Department (https://www.co.sauk.wi.us/cpz), Carnegie-Schadde Memorial Public Library (https://www.csmpl.org/), and Powered Up Baraboo (https://www.poweredupbaraboo.org/).