Sheboygan River Progressive Farmers gathered on February 14 for their annual meeting to share ideas, discuss research, and also hear from experts. Farmers, supporters, and community members attended the event, which featured regenerative farmer Rick Clark as the keynote speaker.
Clark, a fifth-generation farmer from Indiana, uses cover crops and no-till on over 5,000 acres of certified organic cropland. He shared his six principles of soil health and explained how strategic cover crop rotations build nutrients.
“For our farm, yields don’t drive our system,” Clark said. “Soil health and human health are the drivers of our system.”
Joe Ailts of Ailts Agronomy introduced the Haney Test, a tool for assessing soil health. He encouraged farmers to try the test on some acres, noting that optimizing nitrogen rates is a great starting point.
Greg Olson from The Sand County Foundation provided an update on the Johnsonville Project, which involves local farmers. The analysis of last year’s results will conclude this winter.
“Farmers in the Johnsonville Project are continuing to reduce sediment loss as well as phosphorus runoff,” Olson said.
Marti Viste of Farmers for Sustainable Food shared results from the 2024 Member Conservation Practice Survey. Among the group’s 39 members, 22,909 acres of cropland were surveyed. The data showed 9,552 acres had cover crops, 6,601 acres combined no-till with cover crops, and 4,132 acres were planted green.
Group president Brody Stapel of Double Dutch Dairy expressed excitement for the year ahead.
“2025 is looking like a page-turn year for our group, with a lot going on for us,” Stapel said. “These regenerative ag practices are not going away and will continue to expand.”
The meeting concluded with board elections. Members re-elected Derek Sippel of Airy Point Dairy as secretary, Brian Huenink of Huenink’s Seed and Dairy as treasurer, and Mark Breunig of A-OK Farms.
Other board members include Brody Stapel of Double Dutch Dairy, president; Mark Loehr of Loehr Dairy, vice president; Mike Mulder of Higher Ground Ranch; Ken Strack Jr. of Strack-View Farms; and Chuck Born of Born Farm.
