For the City Times

A freak accident has caused the death of a farmer and at least 13 livestock near Amherst, cancelling a Portage County farming event.

The Portage County Forage Council Annual Forage Field Day was scheduled for this Thursday, but those plans are no more, says UW-Extension Agriculture Agent Ken Schroeder.

“The untimely death of one of our young farmers, whose father actually had been on the board of directors for the Forage Council for a number of years,” said Schroeder. “The funeral is on the same day as our scheduled forage field day.”

Amherst resident Mike Biadasz, 29, was the victim after being overcome with fumes from a large manure pit on his family farm. He was found around 6:30 a.m. on Monday morning.

Portage Co. Coroner Scott Rifleman said Biadasz likely died as a result of methane or sulfur oxide fumes.

Schroeder says the foraging event will hopefully be rescheduled to a new date in September, weather and schedules permitting.