BARABOO, WI (JUNE 30 2023) –– Dones will be flying at this year’s Farm Technology Days, July 18-20 at the Badger Steam and Gas Engine Club in Baraboo. Located at the far north end of the show grounds, the Compeer Financial Drone Exhibit has ample space to show off how farmers and other ag-related professions can deploy drones to improve and streamline their operations.
Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) will run the drone exhibit, which Compeer Financial is sponsoring.
“The primary goals of the drone demonstrations will be to educate attendees on how drones are being adopted in the agriculture industry, the benefits of using a drone over traditional equipment, how to get started, receive training, and where to find drone equipment, along with license requirements,” said Shawn Creviston, Drone Certificate Program Instructor at CVTC.
Three one-hour demonstrations will take place each day of the show at 10 a.m., 12 noon, and 2 p.m. Demonstrations will include one of the largest drones available to show how it can be used to apply chemicals and fertilizers to help maintain crops. The drones will also be flying in between these demonstrations throughout the show.
“We are proud to sponsor this event that showcases the latest and greatest in agriculture technology and research,” said Alison Kepner, Compeer Financial Officer. Compeer Financial is a member-owned Farm Credit cooperative providing financial products and services to support agriculture and rural communities in Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
Chippewa Valley Technical College offers a UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) Drone Certificate, which is designed to give the student a solid foundation in understanding unmanned aerial vehicle system technologies, capabilities, regulations, safety, and legal responsibilities. The primary goals of this certification course cover planning a UAV survey mission, data acquisition via the drone, and post-processing the collected data for developing industry-related reports, maps, and/or 3D models. Parts of this course can be contextualized to relate to the industry the student plans to operate in (Agriculture, Emergency Services, Architecture/Energy, or Marketing).
About Wisconsin Farm Technology Days
Wisconsin Farm Technology Days is a three-day outdoor event showcasing the latest developments in production agriculture, including practical applications and recent research and technological developments. This is the only farm show of its size in the United States that is organized and run entirely by volunteers. As the largest outdoor agricultural event in the state, it welcomes more than 45,000 attendees, with more than 500+ commercial and educational vendors. The first WFTD show was named Farm Progress Days and was held in Waupaca County in 1954.
About Agriculture in Sauk County
Agriculture works hard in Sauk Country. Family-owned farms, food processors and agriculture-related businesses generate thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of economic activity while contributing to local income and tax revenues. Sauk County’s top commodities include milk, grain, cattle, swine, and cropland. There is a strong connection between farmers and consumers, with $1 million of goods sold locally through farmers’ markets, CSAs and agritourism initiatives. Over 56% of the county land is farmland, made up of more than 1,400 farms. Overall, agriculture has a tremendous impact on the county landscape, and the variety of family farms continues to keep agriculture thriving in Sauk County.
