Often, local challenges involve factors that go beyond the resources, jurisdiction, knowledge, or even capabilities of one community. Extension has a unique opportunity to help communities take steps toward local solutions while acting as a bridge to larger state resources. Sometimes, that connects communities to information and funding. Sometimes, Extension helps by bringing local concerns […]
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Small businesses, producers, and communities are faced with economic and financial situations every day. At Extension, we provide education, outreach, applied research, and expertise to support decision-making and finding direction. We lead placemaking and strategic planning processes so local leaders and residents can decide together what they want their future to look like. Then we […]
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Through community-engaged science, UW–Madison Extension is building local capacity so that communities can thrive. By engaging communities in research and scientific inquiry, community members help shape research questions, data collection, and the use of results. That leads communities to have more trust in the findings and more “buy-in” when the findings lead to new procedures […]
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Growing up on the Wisconsin River in the 1960s, Arnie DeWitt remembers the not-so-pleasant smell and look of the water. “There would be foam on top of the river, maybe a foot thick,” he said. Now, DeWitt lives in Burnett County near the Yellow River, which currently meets criteria for high-quality water according to the […]
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Like many rural and northern Wisconsin communities, Merrill’s population decline is shaped by an aging population and fewer young people moving to or staying in the area. “If you don’t address those and turn those around, what happens is your city, no matter what you do, will struggle to remain vibrant,” said Scott Steele, former […]
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Losing critical institutions and services makes it more difficult to have a thriving community and live in rural places. For communities in Wisconsin, there are planning tools and resources that are focused on increasing livability. The Rural Livability Project “Livability” is what makes somewhere a good place to live and work. But what livability looks […]
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Access to healthy food is challenging in rural areas, and many Wisconsin families struggle to afford healthy food on a limited budget. As food prices increase, more families are turning to emergency food providers, like food pantries, to help put food on the table. Emergency food providers also face challenges in procuring food, particularly healthier […]
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When it comes to Minecraft, Camdyn and Dawson consider themselves builders. After going to Grandparent’s University (GPU) with their grandmother, Sara Draeger, they see Minecraft in a whole new way. As part of this year’s GPU, UW-Madison Extension Community Development educators debuted a new course called “Using your Minecraft skills IRL* to make your community […]
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During the 2025 growing season, members of the agriculture community in Wisconsin will once again have access to a weekly climate outlook. The Wisconsin Ag Climate Outlook (WACO) includes things like historical and current weather patterns, soil moisture, precipitation, and crop progress. Combining data from national and local sources, including the National Weather Service, regional […]
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Wisconsin’s agricultural production and food processing sectors represent 14.3% of the state’s total economic impact, contributing $116.3 billion in industrial revenues – an increase of 10.9% from 2017. Agricultural businesses in Wisconsin constitute 353,900 jobs (9.5% of jobs in the state) and $21.2 billion to labor income. Additionally, the dairy sector and its significant dedication […]
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