Marathon County Announces Seehafers As 2011 Farm Technology Days Hosts

By Jane Fyksen Crops Editor
Thursday, November 13, 2008 12:48 PM CST

Ken and Karen Seehafer of Seehafer Acres, Inc. were introduced this week as the hosts for Farm Technology Days in Marathon County in 2011. Seehafer Acres, owned and operated by this couple since 1972, is north of Marshfield on Highway 97, in the Township of McMillan.

This is a third-generation family farm, originally purchased by Ken’s grandfather in 1930. From 80 acres, the operation grew to 200 when Ken’s parents were running it. His folks were milking 36 cows when Ken took over. Today, this 2011 Farm Technology Days host farm is over 600 acres with 200-plus dairy cows.

Seehafers make cow comfort high priority, and have a full-time herdsman to help achieve that goal. Two other full-time employees milk the cows twice a day in the double 10 parallel parlor. All cattle are raised on-site for biosecurity reasons. Facilities include a freestall barn for 230 milking Holsteins, a youngstock facility to house yearlings and calves, along with a recently completed dry cow facility. The original dairy barn has been renovated for hay storage and to create a nursery for newborn calves.

Growing forage, corn and soybeans, Seehafers utilize conservation practices like minimum tillage, strip cropping, terracing and waterways. Once harvested, feed is stored in four conventional stave silos, one oxygen-limiting unit and two bunkers.

Marathon County, the host county for Wisconsin’s massive outdoor farm show in 2011, leads other Wisconsin counties in milk, hay, barley and dry-root ginseng production.

According to a 2004 UW-Madison analysis (the most recent available), agriculture employs 10,427 residents in the county n over 12 percent of the total county workforce at that time.

In 2004, Steve Deller, professor of agriculture and applied economics, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UW-Madison, analyzed the most recent economic data and reported. Milk production and dairy processing contribute about 5,340 of those jobs.

Marathon County agriculture generates $1.25 billion in economic activity annually, with $953.7 million coming from the dairy industry alone. Agriculture contributes $317.4 million to Marathon County’s total income. Dairying in Marathon County is very diverse, ranging from large confinement operations to a growing number of managed grazing operations.

The 2011 Wisconsin Farm Technology Days Executive Committee consists of 11 members, plus the newly announced host family, Ken and Karen Seehafer of Marshfield. They are: Chairman Keith Langenhahn, a dairy producer in the township of Marathon and chairman of the Marathon County Board; Vice Chairman Jerome Oelke with Dairy Services, Stratford; Treasurer Tim Buttke, M&I Bank, Wausau, and chairman of the Partnership for Progressive Agriculture; Executive Secretary Mike Wildeck, Marathon County dairy agent.

Other on the Executive Committee for the 2011 event are: Len Bayer, Country Fresh Meats, Weston; Sandi Cihlar, farmer; Scott Mickelsen, dean of Agriculture and Community Services, Northcentral Technical College in Wausau; Craig Mortenson, Future Products Corporation, Weston; Jilayne Radtke, United FCS, Wausau; Jenn Zimmermann, Wells Fargo Bank, Edgar; Russ Wilson, Ruder Ware L.L.S.C. law firm, Wausau; and Glenn Thompson, general manager, Wisconsin Farm Technology Days, Inc., Madison.

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