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University of Wisconsin President optimistic about dairy & extension research

 

The President of the University of Wisconsin System says their dairy research is the world’s best, but even more needs to be done.

Ray Cross tells Brownfield the University is going through a realignment which includes bringing the cooperative extension back under the Madison campus like it was before the 1970’s.  Groups including Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association are concerned about the Extension having adequate research dollars and resources, but Cross says he is confident this will be good for ag research and for producers.  “I actually see more funding coming to that, and I would argue that the restructure we’re working on should in many ways help tighten that relationship and make it easier for us to monitor the resources going to those critically-important fields.”

Cross says Wisconsin has to be the state everyone continues to come to for answers or solutions for agriculture, and particularly the dairy industry.  “We have to be the state that everybody comes to to find answers or solutions to agriculture and in particular the dairy industry.”  He says, “That’s what we’re hoping to do, is to identify ways to attract faculty, clusters of faculty to support this kind of research that helps us remain number one while advancing us, particularly in the area of the application of technology to the dairy industry.”

Cross spoke about the University programs at the Agricultural Community Engagement meeting Tuesday hosted by The Wisconsin Counties Association, Wisconsin Towns Association, and the Professional Dairy Producers.