The Buffalo County Extension sub-committee and the Buffalo County Board took action to appoint Steve Okonek as the Division of Extension Regional Crops Educator serving Buffalo County. Okonek began this new appointment on March 4, 2024. He will also be serving Trempealeau and Jackson Counties.

Okonek is very familiar with the Driftless area. He has lived in the Buffalo, Trempealeau, and Jackson area since January of 1991. He grew up near Spooner, WI and studied at UW-River Falls where he received a BS degree in Farm Management with a minor in Animal Science. He received an MS in Agronomy from Iowa State.

He worked for 12 years as an independent crop consultant throughout our counties. This was a terrific opportunity to get to know farmers in Buffalo County.

In addition to his degrees, Okonek has actively farmed in our area for many years. He operated a dairy farm for ten years. He has been a hog farmer for the last 26 years. Like most farmers in the Driftless, Okonek operates a family farm in partnership with his wife Julie, and their son, David.

Okonek looks forward to working with Buffalo County farmers on agronomy issues. To quote Okonek, “The Driftless Area is my adopted home area. I love the Driftless and want to keep agriculture viable in this unique and beautiful area.”

Contact the Division of Extension Buffalo County, 608-685-6256 or steven.okonek@wisc.edu for your soils and cropping inquiries.