Schoper says goodbye

Moves on

to FSA job

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- When it comes to dairy farming advice and other agricultural information in Brown County, Wayne Schoper was often the go-to guy.

The University of Minnesota Extension Technical Advisor got a fond farewell from co-workers, colleagues and friends Friday at the Brown County Office Building.

Schoper, who worked for the University of Minnesota Extension Service for nearly 20 years, the past 15 in Brown County, accepted a position with the United States Farm Service Agency office based in Slayton.

Following a six-month training program, he will become the FSA executive director in Redwood, Le Sueur or Rock County.

Schoper said many things were changing at the Extension Service and his job change was among them. He added that there is Extension funding for his former position.

A member of New Ulm's Concord Singers, Schoper plans to remain living in New Ulm but will be on the road often with FSA duties. He plans to continue his periodic visits to foreign dairy farmers, giving them technical advice. Schoper visited Vietnam, Russia and South Africa in recent years.

He analyzed 684 farms for 2002 Farm Bill preparation work, created 400 manure management plans and talked to just about every Brown County farmer at least once since beginning a Dairy Diagnostic Project in 1992.

Crop consulting and assessing herbicide damage were among his other specialties.

Some of the more unusual events during his tenure included the 1989 grasshopper outbreak, 1993 floods with heavy rains around three federal holidays, snow on Memorial Day and an early frost; and the 2003 soybean aphid attack.

John Woodford, South Central Technical College Farm Business Management Instructor, who works out of the Sleepy Eye FSA Office, said Schoper was very cooperative in projects he worked on with him.

"He's a spokesman for agriculture," Woodford said. "Some people can be hard to work with, but he was very friendly and fun."

Barb Weicherding, his secretary for more than a decade, talked about his job change.

"I'm very sad to see him go, but I'm sure he'll do well with the FSA," Weicherding said. "He was a benefit to the county."

Sleepy Eye dairy producer Reynold Dittbenner said Schoper played a key role in his dairy herd expansion several years ago. Schoper was part of the dairy team including a banker, veterinarian and feed person that Dittbenner meets with three times a year.

Fritz Busch can be e-mailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.