This project at UW–Platteville’s Pioneer Farm aims to improve how data is managed and protected on modern dairy farms. Today’s farms generate a lot of digital information, but it’s often spread out, duplicated, and not organized in a way that’s useful or secure. To solve this, researchers plan to clean up and organize the data, then create a secure system using blockchain technology, a method known for its strong security and transparency. This will help farmers make better decisions, allow researchers to analyze data more effectively, and give students hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology. The project will also serve as a model for other farms and strengthen the farm’s role in future dairy research efforts.

Manure plays an important role in crop production by returning nutrients to the soil—but managing it in a way that protects water, air, and soil health is a growing challenge for livestock farms. At UW-Platteville’s Pioneer Farm, a new project aims to support smarter manure use with the help of new equipment and hands-on research.

With the new tanker, faculty and students will test emerging technologies like nutrient sensors, manure treatments, and additives that could help farmers make the most of their manure—while also protecting the environment. This equipment will also serve as a mobile research and outreach tool, helping connect what happens in the field to what farmers and industry professionals need to know.

Ultimately, this will boost UW-Platteville’s research capacity, provide real-world training for students, and offer Wisconsin farmers practical, science-based information to guide their decisions.

Manure is a valuable resource for crops and soil health, but if not managed carefully, it can contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and public health concerns. At UW-Platteville, a new project will take a closer look at what happens to manure during storage—and how we can manage it better to benefit both farms and the environment.

With support from the Dairy Innovation Hub, UW-Platteville plans to install large, 2,000-gallon test tanks, called mesocosms, that mimic real manure storage conditions on farms. These tanks will let researchers study how different treatments affect emissions and nutrient levels during storage.

The team will explore tools like acidification, biochar, and manure additives that may help reduce harmful gases like methane and ammonia, while keeping more nutrients in the manure for crops. These practices have shown promise, but more research is needed to understand how they work in real-world conditions and what long-term effects they might have on soils.

This new setup will give faculty and students the ability to run controlled, in-depth experiments that reflect the realities of Wisconsin agriculture. The results will help shape future research trials, inform farmer decisions, and support the development of more sustainable manure management practices.

Modern dairy farms use many digital tools and technologies to manage everything from feeding to milking. At UW-Platteville’s Pioneer Farm, these tools generate a lot of valuable data, but that information is spread across different systems that don’t easily connect. Right now, over 60 different data points are stored across ten platforms, making it difficult to get a complete picture of what’s happening on the farm.

This project will build a system to bring all of that information together in one place. By organizing and cleaning the data into a single, easy-to-use database, the Pioneer Farm team will make it easier to use that information for day-to-day decision-making, long-term research, and innovative technology applications. This work lays the foundation for more advanced projects down the road, including using blockchain to securely track and verify farm data. This project takes the first step in unlocking the full potential of the farm’s digital tools, making the data more useful for students, researchers, and the dairy community.

A new project at UW-Platteville’s Pioneer Farm will bring a small-scale feed mill to life inside the maternity cow barn, giving students hands-on experience while supporting research that promotes animal health and welfare. The feed mill will be built in an unused 30-by-30-foot space near the maternity pens. Construction will begin in Fall 2025, with help from UW-Platteville’s Building Construction Management class, who will install a simple wall to separate the feed mill from the cow area. Once the space is ready, four key pieces of feed processing equipment will be installed.

This equipment includes a mixer for making small feed batches, a roller mill to grind grains like corn, a pelleter to form custom-sized pellets, and a precision mixer for very small ingredient batches. Each machine is similar to what’s used in commercial feed mills, but scaled down for safe and flexible student use. Once up and running, the feed mill will support student learning, research, and real-world feed trials, helping future dairy professionals understand how feed quality and formulation impact animal care and performance.

Cold plasma has shown promise in safely reducing bacteria, cleaning surfaces, treating water, and even boosting plant health. To build on this potential, the research team is investing in new tools to better control and scale up cold plasma treatments for real-world use. The project includes the installation of specialized equipment that can generate plasma consistently and treat larger samples with greater precision. A new system will also boost production of plasma-activated water (PAW), increasing output fivefold. This special type of water has the potential to safely disinfect produce, protect crops from disease, and treat contaminated water – all without using harsh chemicals.

Together with monitoring tools that ensure the safety and consistency of the treatments, this new setup will position UW-Platteville students and researchers to test and develop cold plasma solutions that support a safer food system and a healthier environment.

To better understand how different farming practices affect soil and water quality, UW-Platteville’s Pioneer Farm is installing new monitoring equipment in two pasture areas. The equipment will collect detailed data on how water moves across and through the soil, tracking things like erosion, nitrogen and phosphorus runoff, and overall soil quality. This will allow researchers to directly compare different farming systems, such as traditional cropping versus managed grazing, and see which practices help protect the land and water. The new equipment at Pioneer Farm will not only support local research, but also contribute to national and global sustainability efforts through collaborations with the USDA, Tribal Colleges, and the Global Farm Platform.

This study builds on previous Dairy Innovation Hub-supported research that revealed current nutrient management guidelines may significantly underestimate how much nitrogen is available to crops from processed manure. The first phase, conducted in a lab setting, showed that treatments like solid-liquid separation and anaerobic digestion can dramatically change how quickly and how much nitrogen is released. In this second phase, the focus moves to real-world field conditions to evaluate nitrogen availability from processed manure applied in both spring and fall. The goal is to generate more accurate data that can guide on-farm decisions, helping farmers apply manure more effectively to support crop growth while protecting soil and water resources.

Alfalfa is a crucial crop for Wisconsin’s dairy farms, but insect pests like the alfalfa weevil can cause serious damage, leading to lower yields and higher feed costs. To help farmers manage pests without relying on chemical pesticides, this project is testing an eco-friendly solution called Plasma-Activated Water (PAW). Made by treating water with cold plasma, PAW creates natural compounds that may help strengthen plants and boost their ability to fight off pests. Wan and Sanford will explore whether PAW can serve as a safe, effective alternative to traditional pesticides, helping protect soil and water while supporting healthy crops and strong dairy farm economies.

Healthy soil is essential for productive farming, but many fields face challenges like nutrient loss, poor structure, and declining microbial activity. This project explores how combining biochar, a carbon-rich material made from organic waste, with dairy manure compost can improve soil health. Sanford will study how different types of biochar and application methods affect compost quality, nutrient retention, and greenhouse gas emissions. Field trials will also measure how this enhanced compost impacts soil fertility and crop growth. The goal is to give farmers practical tools to boost soil health, support higher yields, and reduce environmental impacts through sustainable composting practices.