Communication Awards

The Wisconsin Association of County Agricultural Agents (WACAA) recently recognized several members during their annual awards and recognition program.  An affiliate of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA), WACAA is a professional organization:

• for county, area and state Extension professionals which encourages excellence and professionalism in their work.
• that works to improve effectiveness of Wisconsin Extension programs.
• which provides assistance for agents to seek and participate in professional improvement opportunities.
• to recognize and promote superior achievement.

Those agriculture agents receiving top communication awards included:

• Katie Wantoch, Farm Management Outreach Specialist, and Lyssa Seefeldt, Regional Dairy Educator for Chippewa, Dunn, & Eau Claire for their:
  • Audio Recording

• Aerica Bjurstrom, Regional Dairy Educator for Kewaunee, Brown, & Door, and Tina Kohlman, Regional Dairy Educator for Fond du Lac, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, & Washington for their:
  • Computer Generated Graphics Presentation
  • Event Promotional Package

• Aerica Bjurstrom, Regional Dairy Educator for Kewaunee, Brown, & Door for her:
  • Educational Video Recording

• Tina Kohlman, Regional Dairy Educator for Fond du Lac, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, & Washington for her:
  • Personal Column

• Tina Kohlman, Regional Dairy Educator for Fond du Lac, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, & Washington, Angie Ulness, Manitowoc County Agriculture Educator and Aerica Bjurstrom, Regional Dairy Educator for Kewaunee, Brown, & Door for their:
  • Factsheet

• Sandy Stuttgen, Taylor County Agriculture Educator for her:
  • Feature Story

• Jerry Clark, Regional Crops and Soils Educator for Chippewa, Dunn & Eau Claire, Richard Halopka, Crops and Soils Educator for Clark, and Kevin Erb, Conservation Professional Training Program Manager for their:
  • Publication

• Jackie McCarville, Regional Dairy Educator for Grant, Green, Iowa, & Lafayette, and Lyssa Seefeldt, Regional Dairy Educator for Chippewa, Dunn, & Eau Claire for their:
  • Newsletter

• Tina Kohlman, Regional Dairy Educator for Fond du Lac, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, & Washington, Aerica Bjurstrom, Regional Dairy Educator for Kewaunee, Brown, & Door, and Erin Dahle, Communications & Educational Program Support Specialist in Kewaunee for their:
  • Website/Online Content

• Heather Schlesser, Marathon County Agriculture Educator and Sandy Stuttgen, Taylor County Agriculture Educator for their:
  • Learning Module/Notebook

Six of these nominations advanced to regional winners, and four of those to national finalists.  These are: Learning Module /Notebook (national finalist), Heather Schlesser and Sandy Stuttgen; Educational Video Recordings (national finalist), Aerica Bjurstrom; Feature Story (regional finalist), Sandy Stuttgen; Computer Generated Graphics Presentation (national finalist), Aerica Bjurstrom and Tina Kohlman; Event Promotional Package (regional finalist) Aerica Bjurstrom and Tina Kohlman; and Website/Online Content (national finalist), Tina Kohlman, Aerica Bjurstrom, & Erin Dahle.

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Search for Excellence

Carolyn Ihde, Regional Educator for Crawford & Richland County, and team members Lyssa Seefeldt, Regional Educator for Chippewa, Dunn, & Eau Claire County, Bernie O-Rourke, Youth Livestock Specialist, Todd Taylor, Extension Sheep Specialist, and Bill Halfman, Beef Outreach Specialist received the Search for Excellence in Livestock Production award.  Their small ruminant program has advanced as a national finalist.

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Distinguished Service

Tina Kohlman, received the Distinguished Service Award for excellence as a WACAA member with more than ten years of Extension service.

Tina is a Professor of Practice with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension.  She has served as a dairy and livestock agent, and recently transitioned to a regional dairy educator covering Fond du Lac, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, and Washington County. Tina specializes in dairy farm management focusing on calf and heifer management. She also works in animal husbandry and welfare as well as dairy production management to help dairy farmers increase business viability, environmental sustainability, and food safety while maintaining animal welfare and husbandry.

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Achievement Award

Carolyn Ihde, Crawford & Richland County Agriculture Educator, received the Achievement Award in recognition of her excellence in the field of professional Extension outreach work among WACAA members with less than ten years of service.

Carolyn is an Agriculture educator for UW-Madison Extension in Crawford and Richland County. Her primary focus is livestock management & production, specifically small ruminant management. She leads the winter small ruminant production webinar series and helped launch the Badger Lambing School.  Before joining Extension she worked as an agriculture teacher and graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor’s degree in horticulture and a master’s degree in agriculture education.  Carolyn is currently the President-Elect of WACCA.

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Second Mile Award

Two individuals were recognized for their exceptional effort supporting Wisconsin county agricultural agents and received the WACAA Second Mile Award for their assistance in carrying out educator educational programs:

Kevin Shelley, South Central Nutrient Pest Management Specialist
Glenn Nice, UW Pesticide Application Training Program Manager

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Friend of the County Agent

Two non-Extension individuals received the WACAA “Friend of the County Agent” award for their exceptional support of Wisconsin county agricultural agents and their Extension programs across the state:

Tammy Vaassen, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Beef Council
Millaine Wells, broadcaster at WFRV Local 5 Green Bay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The WACAA annual awards are sponsored by Hoard’s Dairyman; WI Agriculturist; the WI Broadcasters Association and A & T Industries.