The University of Wisconsin – Division of Extension moved to a Regional Agricultural Educators staffing model across the state. These positions will provide research-based education to dairy, livestock and crop producers by assessing the needs of farmers in their region and design and deliver educational programming and services to meet those needs. Dairy, Livestock, and Crop production are the largest agricultural industries in the Southwest area of Wisconsin. The Regional Agriculture Educators have specializations in these areas and will offer their expertise to serve those industries and producers. Regional Agriculture Educators will:

• Design and deliver educational meetings and field days in a four county region that
includes; Grant, Green, Iowa and Lafayette Counties.
• Provide consultation on production challenges to farmers and agricultural consultants.
• Contribute to outreach opportunities on agricultural topics through; workshops, virtual
trainings, symposiums, websites, social media, and publications.
• Collaborate with other educators and specialists across the state and region.
• Engage with Agriculture Extension Committees on progress and planning.

We are excited to announce that our region includes; Grant, Green, Iowa, and Lafayette Counties and will be served by; Dairy Educator – Jackie McCarville, Crops and Soils Educator – Jordyn Sattler, or Livestock Educator, Kimberly Kester.

 

Dairy Educator, Jackie McCarville joined Extension in 2017. Her dairy programming focusses on dairy production management including dairy calves and heifer management, animal husbandry and well-being, nutrition, and dairy x beef crosses to help dairy producers improve productivity, profitability, and efficiency while maintaining animal well-being. Jackie says, “I’m excited to bring my passion and expertise of the dairy industry to our local area.” Please feel free to reach out to Jackie at 608-576-0147 or by email at jackie.mccarville@wisc.edu.

 

 

Crops and Soils Educator, Jordyn Sattler, has recently joined Extension in January 2024. She graduated from UW-Platteville in 2013 as a double major in Agricultural Education (Non-Teaching) and Soil & Crop Science with a Plant Breeding and Genetics emphasis. Since then, she has spent most of her time working as a retail sales agronomist in Southern Wisconsin and  Northern Illinois.  Sattler says “I am excited to start meeting with local producers and providing resources and information that will help farms achieve their individual goals.”  Please feel free to reach out to Jordyn at 608-228-0208 and by email at jordyn.sattler@wisc.edu.

 

 

Regional Livestock Educator, Kim Kester, has joined Extension in February 2024 as the new Regional Livestock Educator for Grant, Green, Iowa, and Lafayette Counties. Kim double-majored in Dairy Science and Poultry Science at UW-Madison and interned at UW’s Marshfield Ag Research Station. She has worked as a bull herdsman for a cattle genetics company, and most recently worked for over 6 years as a County Extension Coordinator and Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent for University of Georgia Extension. Kim is excited to return home to Wisconsin and begin working with livestock producers, with an emphasis on beef cow-calf producers and heifer development. To contact Kim, please contact the Lafayette County Extension Office at (608) 776-4820 or by email at kimberly.kester@wisc.edu.