Farmers voice concerns about changes to UW Short Course

Farmers and ag organizations had their first chance to hear why the University of Wisconsin wants to change the Farm and Industry Short Course program.

The 135-year-old program has been an accredited on-campus 16-week residential format, but College of Ag and Life Sciences officials announced they will make it a non-residential program without accreditation featuring a mixture of in-person and virtual instruction.

More than 100 farmers and agriculture group leaders joined an online informational meeting Tuesday, including UW River Falls alumni Kevin Ballman of Red Wing, Minnesota who promoted the short course during his time at UW River Falls in the late 1990s.

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