11/07/2022

Diana Rashash

‘You call it a woodlot. I call it a tax bill.’ Working with farmers over the years, I have heard this sentiment more than once. Farmers closely track annual returns from their land base, and if we are just talking dollars and cents, farm woods often end the year in red. However, with the help of a forester, the farmer-woodland owner (FWO) has many opportunities to find value in their woods.  

Farmers are used to working with resource professionals. Many regularly consult with agronomists, agriculture extension agents, engineers, and agri-business folks. Unfortunately, in our traditional forestry outreach to unengaged woodland owners, we have not been consistent in building connections between foresters and FWOs. However, with the right value proposition, seeking professional forestry assistance could become the norm for FWOs looking to get more from their woods.

In 2020-2021, I conducted a statewide assessment to understand farmers’ needs around woodland management and access to existing forestry services and resources. The needs assessment had two components: focus groups with agricultural resource professionals (Ag Extension, County Conservationists, and NRCS) and one-on-one interviews with FWOs throughout Wisconsin. The assessment brought to light some recurring motivations, barriers, and needs of FWOs, illuminating a potential path forward.

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FWOs had a variety of motivations, when choosing how to manage their woods. The three biggest motivations were their personal conservation ethic, the production of a variety of forest products (timber, syrup, firewood, etc.), and hunting.  The main barriers to active forest management were the lack of time and money to commit to forestry practices, and the perceived low return on investment of woods work in general. The primary needs that FWOs expressed included: 

• Help recognizing and quantifying the financial value of their woods. 
• Information on economic opportunities related to non-timber forest products, agroforestry, agri-tourism, timber harvests, and leasing land. 
• Recommendations for loggers, forestry extension agents, foresters, and biologists.
• Better understanding of tax considerations (reducing tax liability, land transfers, etc.).
• Help navigating technical and financial assistance programs
• Assistance determining forest health and its impact on economic value, wildlife habitats, soil health, and water quality. 

With these findings in mind, I am providing outreach about the value woodlands add to the farm, in the places where farmers prefer to get information.  To accomplish this, I am partnering with University Ag Research Stations, demo-farms, and producer-led farm networks throughout Wisconsin to organize on-farm field days and integrate forestry into the suite of technical information that is standard in outreach to farmers. For foresters looking to improve their connections with FWO’s, here are a few tips:

• Learn the basics of local farm workflows, both daily and annually. Much like a forester, farmer workloads can vary throughout the year. Knowing how a grass-fed dairy differs from a cash grain operation will help with communication and planning.
• Make connections with ag professionals, to improve the referral approach commonly used to meet farmer needs. That means getting to know your County Conservationist, the local NRCS District Conservationist, university Extension agents, and others who regularly work with FWOs, so that they know what you do and how you can help. 
• Find and build local FWO examples of success in your community, to expand the reach of your work. Word spreads quickly in farming communities, both positive and negative. Some of the most effective agricultural conservation programs in Wisconsin rely on local farmer advocates. So, work closely with FWO leaders to champion sound forestry. 
• Farmers often have equipment and expertise that makes them capable woodland managers. Feel free to ask FWO about their equipment and capacity when identifying opportunities in the woods. 

With all that said, I am curious to hear what you think. Do you have questions about working with FWOs? Do you partner successfully with farmers in your area and are willing share your success stories? Please contact me if you want to continue this discussion. Also, let me know if you want to see the full 5-page FWO needs assessment summary that is referred to in this article.

Tony Johnson
Forestry Outreach Specialist
University of Wisconsin
Email: anthony.johnson@wisc.edu