North American Manure Expo
August 9-10, 2023
Arlington, Wisconsin

Aerica has a lifetime of experience with dairy livestock. She earned her bachelor’s degree from UW-Madison with a major in Animal Science and a master’s degree from UW-La Crosse in Education. In her current role as a regional dairy educator, Aerica develops agriculture programming focusing on dairy producers’ needs in Kewaunee, Door and Brown Counties, as well as state-wide. The majority of her work specializes in dairy herd health. Her recent research focused on the Prevalence of Digital Dermatitis in Eastern Wisconsin (2016).

Dr. Larson is an associate professor and extension specialist in the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She completed her B.S, M.S., and Ph.D. in Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering at Michigan State University. The main component of her work focuses on increasing sustainability of food waste and livestock manure systems to reduce environmental impact while maintaining profitability.

Dr. Chris Baxter is a professor of soil and crop science and UW-Madison Division of Extension specialist in soil fertility and nutrient management based at the University of Wisconsin, Platteville. Research interests include manure management, soil fertility in conventional and specialty crops, soils impacted by historic mining activities and soil quality as affected by crop management. He teaches courses in soil science, soil fertility, soil physical properties, soil morphology and classification, and ecological restoration.

Dr. Dan Andersen is an associate professor and extension specialist in the agricultural and biosystems engineering department at Iowa State University. Dr. Andersen’s research and extension work at Iowa State University aim to improve soil, water and air quality by promoting the development and implementation of agricultural management systems. He does so through extension programming, state-wide training, and a mix of fundamental and applied research. His work examines how manure land application and utilization impact soil and water quality, opportunities for manure processing through nutrient recovery and anaerobic digestion, and how manures fit in the circular economy and provide opportunities for improved sustainability.

Heather Darby is an extension agronomist with the University of Vermont. For the last 20 years, she has worked in partnership with the farming community to develop conservation practices that make economic and environmental sense. Heather’s applied research and extension program investigates and highlights innovative crop, manure, and soil management techniques that support the needs and interests of farmers.

Joe Sanford is an assistant professor in the school of agriculture and faculty researcher for the Wisconsin Dairy Innovation Hub at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. His research interest is in agriculture wastewater management including management of farmstead and edge of field runoff, manure management practices and technology, nutrient management, precision manure application and biochar uses in agriculture.

Kirsten is passionate about the connection between agriculture and the environment. With more than 20 years of experience working with farmers in Washington state, Vermont and New York, she leads extension programming and applied research focused on nutrient management and environmental sustainability for Cornell’s Pro-Dairy program and is a member of the Cornell Nutrient Management Spear Program team. She enjoys working with all facets of the dairy industry to demonstrate and evaluate conservation cropping systems that benefit farms and the environment. As a Certified Crop Adviser, she aims to identify practical and effective strategies that can be adopted by northeast producers that both increase environmental sustainability and improve farm profitability and management. She believes in the importance of sharing sustainable farming practices with the public and enjoys helping farmers spread the word about what they are doing right for the land, the water, the air, and their communities. Collaboration is one of her core values and as such, she has and continues to serve on a diverse set of coalitions, workgroups, and committees to devise solutions for water quality, soil health, climate resiliency, policy and regulatory decisions, and public education.

Dr. Matt Ruark is a professor in the department of soil science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an extension specialist in UW-Madison’s division of extension. His nutrient cycling and agroecosystems laboratory works to improve knowledge of nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon cycling in grain, dairy, and vegetable cropping systems. He also serves as faculty advisor to the UW-Discovery Farms program and the Wisconsin Agri-Business Association.

Dr. Melissa Wilson is an associate professor and the manure nutrient management specialist at the University of Minnesota with appointments in both research and extension. Her research focuses on filling knowledge gaps about manure nutrient cycling as farming practices, weather, and technologies change. She is also currently evaluating techniques for opening up the window of opportunity for manure application.

Nancy is a PhD candidate in the soil, water, and climate department at the University of Minnesota. A native of New Richmond, WI, she graduated with her BS from Iowa State University in Agricultural Education and Environmental Science and a MS from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Soil Science. She worked for The Maschhoffs for 14 years as a CCA in the swine nutrient management and environmental services area before returning to graduate school. She resides in north central Iowa on her family’s grain farm.

Dr. Nesli Akdeniz is an assistant professor and extension specialist in the biological systems engineering department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to that, she was a clinical assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Her fields of interest include livestock and poultry environments, manure management and nutrient utilization, air quality, energy-efficient ventilation design, and GHG & VOC emissions

Shelly Mayer is a dairy producer, and the executive director for the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin (PDPW). As the director, she advocates for a proactive approach to bring dairy producers and neighbors together to reduce potential conflict and work for creative, win-win solutions.