MADISON — Sevie Kenyon: Learning about Farm and Industry Short Course, we’re visiting today with Jessie Potterton, Director of Farm and Industry Short Course, University of Wisconsin-Madison in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and I’m Sevie Kenyon. Jessie, introduce us to the Farm and Industry Short Course.
Jessie Potterton: The Farm and Industry Short Course program has been offered at UW-Madison for over 130 years and it is the first agricultural education program in the college of Ag and Life Sciences. It is a program that is offered from late fall to early spring, intended to help farmers, future farmers, agricultural enthusiasts learn more about the ag industry.
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Sevie Kenyon: Jessie, what are some of the benefits of this particular program?
Jessie Potterton: So, it’s scheduled around the non-growing season. Another benefit is that we have two residence halls. They use the libraries, they use the work out facilities you can go to Badger games, you’re just here in a shorter amount of time. And then, if you want to transfer those credits to the University you can do that.
Sevie Kenyon: Can you give us an example of some of the classes that people might get into?
Jessie Potterton: Sure, so we have six certificates that we offer in the program. There’s one certificate at the first-year level called “The Foundations of Farm Management” and those classes relate to basic skills that employers would expect: communications, ag business human resources, introduction to soil science and forage crops, ag safety and health, food safety, a rural social economic issues class, and business principals.
Sevie Kenyon: Jessie could you perhaps describe what a class would be like for a student?
Jessie Potterton: Starting next year, we will schedule the courses more like an undergraduate college course. So, with the change next year with the curriculum there will be 8-week sessions, there’s an 8-week fall and an 8-week spring with lectures three days a week or two days a week. And then, the classes that might require a lab, reproduction of farm animals is a popular course in the Dairy Farm Management, has lectures three days a week and there’s an extended lab on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Ruminant nutrition, another class that both Meat Animal and Dairy Farm Management have to take, might have lectures two days a week and there’s a lab, an extended lab one day.
Sevie Kenyon: Jessie, if someone is interested where can they get more information?
Jessie Potterton: Go to our website, search farm and industry short course, farm short course, UW-Madison short course, College of Ag and Life Sciences short course, we have a preview day option were students can come visit us on campus and view the residence halls and visit a class and talk with current students and then we will also make visits to your schools.
Sevie Kenyon: Jessie who can apply for Farm and Industry Short Course?
Jessie Potterton: We accept applications from anyone in the world. The majority of our students come from the upper Midwest and then we also have a large contingent from northeastern United States – New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut, and then we have folks from Arizona, Texas, and California.
Sevie Kenyon: We’ve been visiting with Jessie Potterton, Director Farm and Industry Short Course, University of Wisconsin-Madison in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, and I’m Sevie Kenyon.
— Jessie Potterton, Director, Farm and Industry Short Course, UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and Sevie Kenyon, UW-Madison
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