UW-River Falls College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences

10/20/2026

❕Attention❕ all CAFES Student Groups - The 2026 Student Impact Grant Application is now open.

CAFES Student Activity Impact Grants are awarded to CAFES student organizations, clubs, and judging teams by the CAFES Alumni Board of Directors through funds from the CAFES Annual Giving Day Fundraising Campaign held the first Thursday of each November.

📝Review the requirements and complete the application here:
https://uwrf.bplogix.net/form.aspx?pid=e6634b2b-e441-4279-8c38-a89adb52152c&formid=1d618d6c-5e6c-4cc3-a98d-5973dbd710e3&nohome=1&completepageprompt=1&completepage=&completetext=

🔹2025 Fall Grant Winners Include:🔹
▪Agriculture Future of America - AFA Leaders Conference
▪Beef Management Team - Fall Production Tour
▪Crop Judging Team - NACTA Judging Conference
▪Livestock Judging Team - North American International Livestock Exposition
▪Soil Judging Team - NACTA Judging Conference

10/20/2026

The University of Wisconsin-River Falls is hosting a visit from U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Food Safety Mindy Brashears - Today: Tuesday, October 20th.

Brashears will speak on food safety within the dairy industry from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in the Kinnickinnic River Theater in the University Center, 501 Wild Rose Ave.
The event is free and open to the public.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Food Safety Mindy Brashears will discuss food safety issues during a public presentation at the on Tuesday, Oct. 20. Learn more at https://www.uwrf.edu/newsroom/2026/10/usda-food-safety-leader-mindy-brashears-speak-uwrf

10/09/2026

Way to Go Josie!! Proud to have you as a UWRF FISC alumni!

Tell us about your family and farm. I’m part of the sixth generation on the farm. My great-grandfather, Lloyd Alberts, started the herd when he bought four registered Holsteins from the University …

10/07/2026

The UWRF Dairy Innovation Hub invites you to their upcoming Research Seminar:
Dr. Kurt Vogel, Director of Humane Handling Institute, Professor of Animal Welfare and Behavior, will present his project titled "A Tour of Video Recording Systems at the Mann Valley Farm"

Event Details:
📆Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026
⌚Time: 10:00 – 10:50 AM
📍Location: 120 Ag Science Building
Mark your calendar – we look forward to seeing you there!

➡️If you are interested in presenting at one of our future seminars - please reach out to: [email protected].

10/05/2026

What a day for the UW–River Falls Dairy Judging Team at World Dairy Expo!

The UWRF team finished 5th overall among 18 collegiate teams in the Collegiate Dairy Judging Contest!

Congratulations to our individual standouts:

Phia Kamm — 1st Individual in Jerseys, 10th Overall, 3rd High Individual in Placing Scores, 19th in Brown Swiss, 12th in Milking Shorthorns,
Natalie Clemenson — 1st Individual in Guernseys, 9th in Ayrshires, 5th Individual In Holsteins, 5th Individual in Milking Short Horns, 11th overall individual, 12th in Reasons
Jacy Saemrow - 9th in Guernsey's, 20th in Ayrshires, 16th in Red & White Holsteins
Sophie Stelling - 20th in Guernsey's

Congratulations to all four team members on an outstanding performance! We had a great time representing UW–River Falls and competing alongside some of the best collegiate dairy judging teams in the country.

Great work, Falcons!

Thank you to Walk-Era Farms for allowing Us to stop and Practice one final time on the Way to Expo!!

10/01/2026

✨All UWRF alumni and friends are welcome to join us at the annual alumni reception at World Dairy Expo - this evening!✨

You’ll find us in the Waubesa Room, on the 2nd floor of the Exhibition Hall from 5-7pm. Please stop by and enjoy some good conversation and refreshments.

If you can’t make the reception be sure to stop by our booth on the Main Concourse of the Coliseum - we'd love to visit with you!

Hope to see you there! 🐄❤️

09/24/2026

We would like to welcome this years incoming class of Can Do Canines: Sandy, Norman, Talia, Tula, Timber, Wade, Watson, Willie, Winnie, and Dottie! 🐾❤️

These wonderful Can Do Canines assistance dogs in training have a fun semester ahead of them! They will be working with 22 selected students in the FETCH (Fostering Education Through Campus Hosting) program here on campus!

These Can Do Canines assistance dogs in training moved into the dorm rooms of University of Wisconsin-River Falls students. Through the FETCH (Fostering Education Through Campus Hosting) program, the 22 selected college students will help raise and train these dogs this semester. In addition to adjusting to dorm life, the dogs will accompany students to classes and other college-life activities. Every two weeks, a Can Do Canines staff member will visit campus to conduct FETCH training classes. Happy learning, everyone!
Incoming Class: Sandy, Norman, Talia, Tula, Timber, Wade, Watson, Willie, Winnie, Dottie

09/22/2026

Another Eventful weekend for the UWRF Dairy Judging Team!

The team traveled to the Vernon County Dairy Judging Contest this past weekend and had a great day putting their dairy evaluation skills to work.

The team judged 10 classes of dairy cattle representing five breeds:

Holstein
Jersey
Guernsey
Brown Swiss
Milking Shorthorn

Our team of Noelle Vos, Stella Kamm, Alison Smith, and Josie Kinnard finished 5th Overall, and 5th in Reasons with some great individual class performances along the way.

And because a dairy judging trip isn't complete without a little fun along the way… we even made a pit stop at the Antique Mall on our way to the contest!

We're proud of this group and the time and effort they are putting into learning the art and skill of dairy cattle evaluation. More contests, more cattle, and more learning ahead!

Great job, ladies!

UWRF Dairy Judging Team

09/21/2026

The UWRF Dairy Innovation Hub is excited to kick off their research seminar series and is pleased to invite you to their upcoming session from Dr. Kurt Spokas:

UWRF/DIH Analytical Laboratory Overview: Instrumentation, Analytical Capabilities, and Collaboration

Event Details:
📆Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2026
⌚️Time: 11:00 – 11:50 AM
📍Location: 221 Ag Science Building
➡️Whether you are currently using analytical services or are interested in learning how the laboratory may support your future research or teaching activities, we hope you will join in to learn more!

09/21/2026

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

When: Wednesday, September 23, 2026, 11:00 – 11:50 AM
Where: 221 Ag Science Building

Who: All welcome

Dr. Kurt Spokas, DIH Analytical Lab Manager, will highlight newly added instruments, ongoing projects, and opportunities to collaborate with the laboratory on research, teaching and external partnerships.



Mark your calendar – we look forward to seeing you there!