Marshfield Agricultural Research Station

10/27/2026

Tuesday was another educational opportunity on the farm.

Fourth graders from Stratford Elementary came for a visit, as part of the Food for America program.
Students rotated through stations which covered ruminant nutrition, feeding dairy cattle, and soil science. They also took a general tour of the farm. Students learned how farms use science every day to care for their animals and the environment.

Food for America is an ag literacy program to help students better understand where their food comes from and how modern agriculture works.

Thanks to Stratford Ag instructor and FFA advisor, Ashley Schmidt, for including MARS in this program.

Thanks also to our staff for assisting with educational presentations and tours:
Assistant Superintendent/Agronomist, Ashley Blackburn;
Research Program Manager/Supervisor, Will Cordes;
Animal Care Tech lead, Hank Boschma;
Assistant Scientist/Extension Specialist at University of Wisconsin-Madison, Matt Akins

10/22/2026

Marshfield Junior High students visited MARS (and several other Central Wisconsin businesses) today as part of their community career tour. While at MARS, they learned about careers in dairy animal health, dairy nutrition, and agronomy, and the education and experiences that can lead to opportunities in these fields. They also learned that scientists utilize the station as a living laboratory to evaluate management practices, test emerging technologies, and generate research-based knowledge that improves the efficiency, productivity, and sustainability of Wisconsin dairy farms.

10/21/2026

Autumn is putting on quite the show at MARS. From golden fields and colorful trees; the last blooms of the year and final crops off the field; dazzling sunrises to wildlife enjoyed briefly. It's hard to beat this time of year in Wisconsin.

10/15/2026

The rain held off long enough for Patty Edelburg’s Amherst Animal Science class to visit MARS and learn about dairy cattle reproduction, some nutrition, and ruminant physiology. The highlight of the visit? Meeting a one-day-old newborn calf! Experiences like these help connect classroom learning with real-world agriculture. Seeing these students engaged was rewarding. We hope trips like this inspire the next generation of animal science professionals.

10/14/2026

What happens when calves are raised with a companion rather than alone? Dr. Jennifer Van Os in the UW Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences explores paired and group housing systems and their impact on calf health, behavior, and performance.

This Hoard's Dairyman webinar explores practical approaches to successfully implementing social housing programs on dairy farms. Dr. Van Os discusses management considerations, facility design, calf welfare, and strategies that support healthy, productive calves.

Research conducted at the UW Emmons Blaine Dairy Cattle Center and MARS contributes to research helping dairy producers make informed, science-based decisions.

Watch the webinar at

This webinar took place on Monday, October 12, Jennifer Van Os from the University of Wisconsin-Madison presented, "Two heads are better than one: Practical strategies for pair or group housing of calves."

10/08/2026

A huge thank you to NextGen Agronomy LLC for helping us get the Rain360 dialed in. And thanks for capturing this great shot of it applying manure. We appreciate the help and support every step of the way!

10/06/2026

10/05/2026

MARS was a stop on the Wisconsin State FFA Officer Team 2026 Fall Business & Industry Tour. During their visit, we shared the work done at the station and discussed how UW agricultural research is helping uncover solutions that improve productivity, sustainability, and profitability across the agricultural sector.

It was especially great to welcome back Jordan Berg, a UW-Madison student and former MARS student intern. Jordan currently serves as Wisconsin FFA State Reporter, representing the Granton FFA Chapter in Section 7. Jordan returned alongside an outstanding group of student leaders and their advisor, Cheryl Zimmerman.

09/21/2026

Silage season is here! Tomorrow, on Professional Dairy Producers - PDP Dairy Signal, Dr. Luiz Ferraretto, Professor & Ruminant Nutrition Extension Specialist at UW-Madison, will talk about the details that can make a big difference in feed quality and storage success. Join the conversation tomorrow at

The Dairy Signal | PDP

09/18/2026

GrassWorks, Inc., UW Extension, NRCS, and MARS held the Wisconsin Schools of Grazing event this week at MARS! We were fortunate to have outstanding speakers, engaging discussions, and good participation from attendees. The weather cooperated as well, making for a great two days of learning and networking.