Beyond the lab: the Hub takes research on the road

March 17, 2026

This winter and spring, the Dairy Innovation Hub has been hard at work sharing research outcomes with farmers, elected leaders, and the broader public.

We kicked off the year in January with our annual research poster session at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Legislators, staff members, farmers, and curious visitors from across the state stopped by to explore more than a dozen research posters and chat with the enthusiastic faculty and student presenters from UW–Madison, UW–River Falls, and UW–Platteville. The three-hour event brought fresh ideas, great conversations, and plenty of energy to the Capitol rotunda.

From left to right: Martina Mancheno Valarezo, a graduate student at UW–Madison speaks to Rep. Dave Murphy. Hub-funded faculty member Margaret Kalcic and graduate student Emma Strickland presented their poster on winter runoff. Photos contributed.

*Research posters around the rotunda. The event was co-located with Ag Day at the Capitol, coordinated by Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. Photo contributed*

Also in January, The Hub had another opportunity to highlight how funded research connects directly to on-farm needs. At the AgForward event—hosted by UW–Madison CALS for the Farm and Industry Short Course students at UW–River Falls—Hub faculty director Matt Ruark shared an overview of ongoing research and several projects already having an impact on Wisconsin dairy farms. As part of the experience, students and their advisor, Steve Kelm, traveled to Madison to explore dairy facilities, discover current research, and learn about agricultural research stations at the state’s flagship campus.

Matt Ruark, faculty director for the Dairy Innovation Hub, speaks to Farm and Industry Short Course students from UW–River Falls as part of the AgForward event held at the Dairy Cattle Center at UW–Madison. Photo by Michael P. King, UW–Madison CALS

Fast forward to March, and the Hub made a strong showing at the Professional Dairy Producers Business Conference. Along with greeting farmers and industry partners at our trade show booth, we were invited to showcase 30 Hub-funded research posters in the Nexus Innovation Lane—an area dedicated to inventors, creators, and problem-solvers. And the cherry on top (or perhaps the chocolate swirl in the ice cream) was seeing four Hub-funded researchers take to the PDP Preview Stage to share their work and its real-world impact on the dairy community.

From left to right: Maria Woldt, Gracie Krahn, and Brett Shaw presented research on communicating dairy sustainability. A collection of 30 research posters filled the halls at the PDP Business Conference. *Photos contributed*

From left to right: Matt Ruark and graduate student Hannah Francis presented research on corn silage, cover crops, and nitrogen; Joseph Pierre discussed the long-term human health benefits of bovine colostrum; and Lautaro Rostoll Cangiano shared findings on how different colostrum processing methods influence calf health. *Photos by Maria Woldt, Dairy Innovation Hub*

March also brought a special visitor: Sarah Hagenow, the 78th Alice in Dairyland. During her visit to UW–Madison, Sarah learned about the Hub’s wide-ranging projects and met with two students conducting Hub-funded research. She toured the Dairy Cattle Center—including the new educational welcome center funded by the Hub—and wrapped up her day at Babcock Hall, where she toured the dairy plant and sampled new ice cream formulations. It was a delicious finish to a busy visit!

(Left) Alice in Dairyland Sarah Hagenow gets a hands‑on look at rumen health, exploring how a cannulated cow helps students and researchers learn about bovine nutrition. (Center) Hagenow joins food science Professor Scott Rankin to see how UW–Madison researchers are turning lactose and other dairy by‑products into innovation and opportunity. (Right) Hagenow finished her day with an iconic Babcock ice cream sundae. Photos by Maria Woldt, Dairy Innovation Hub

Thank you to everyone who has connected with us so far this spring. We’re excited to continue sharing discoveries and strengthening partnerships. We look forward to seeing you at the Dairy Symposium on May 12 and at many other events throughout the spring and summer.