Mid-west Farm Report - Madison

The Farm and Industry Short Course has a new leader.  Mary Holle is the new program director at UW-River Falls Farm and Industry Short Course.  Mary and her husband operate a 480-acre farm in Baldwin, Wisconsin, where they manage a herd of 50 registered Holsteins. She tells Stephanie Hoff about the 16-week course which is specifically designed for the "slow season," running  from the last week of October to the second week of March. Students  spend roughly 80% of their time at the Mann Valley lab farm, working directly with cows, silages, and industry professionals. While the current curriculum is dairy-focused, there are plans to add business, horticulture, agronomy, and soil science electives by the 2026–27 school year. Mary aims to rebuild the FISC advisory board and restart the agricultural tour to connect current students with successful program graduates. Prospective students can reach out directly to the program via a dedicated email address: fisc