This engaging panel discussion will take a deeper look into the innovation and tradition of Wisconsin agriculture and the opportunities and challenges we face at the leading edge of sustainable systems. Moderated by Dr. Glenda Gillaspy, Dean of UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and featuring researchers who are helping establish Wisconsin as the leader in agricultural advancement and innovation.

Panelists:

• Dr. Julie Dawson – Professor in the UW-Madison Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences and Extension Specialist for Regional Food Systems. Research and extension interests include plant breeding for organic systems and participatory research in regional food systems. She is an academic cooperator with the USDA on the Farmer Seed Liaison initiative, focused on promoting fair competition and innovation in the seed industry.
• Dr. Randy Jackson – Joined the Department of Agronomy (now the Department of Plant & Agroecosystem Sciences) at UW-Madison in 2003. Jackson teaches Grassland Ecology and co-instructs Agroecology-An Introduction to the Ecology of Food and Agriculture. His grassland ecology group studies how carbon and nutrients flow into, within, and out of grassland ecosystems, including prairie, pasture, and row-crop communities.
• Dr. Rebecca Smith – Assistant professor of plant and agroecosystem sciences at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a researcher with the Wisconsin Energy Institute and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC). Smith’s research focuses on how to make alter the plant cell wall to improve plant digestibility, animal nutrition, and dairy sustainability.
• Dr. Shawn Conley – Professor and the State Soybean and Small Grain Specialist at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Conley leads the UW Soybean Research Program “a.k.a. The UW BeanTeam” and actively collaborates across all disciplines to generate science-based solutions to address real world problems in soybean and small grain production systems.

Link to full presenter bios. 

This is a free event – registration is requested to ensure adequate seating. Please register here.