MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

America's Dairyland has had a problem.  It's estimated that dairy operations have an estimated 5,000-10,000 year-round immigrant laborers, rather than temporary seasonal visa holders, that help keep cows milked and fed.  There's no federal work program that applies to that unique situation.  Recently the U.S. Dept. of Labor announced some clarification on H2A governance and how...

Sharing the great story of Wisconsin's beef industry can go in many different directions for many different audiences.  Dollars, however, are limited. That's one of the challenges facing Tammy Vaassen, executive director of the Wisconsin Beef Council.   Vaassen, along with other state staff leaders, will be at the Summer Business Conference of the Cattlemen's Beef Board learning about pr...

The need for affordable housing impacts our rural communities and their economies every day. But there is good news: there's people and programs working to ensure more homes are available. Done so through grants, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago hopes to incentivize the next generation of real estate developers to focus on the rural housing demand. Tashayanna Mixson sat down with me. She's cu...

This week's crop progress and condition report put out by the USDA says Wisconsin corn and soybeans are well on their way to a fruitful crop. But what are farmers noticing directly in their fields? I sat down with regional crops and soils educator, Anastasia Kurth. She tells us if the boots on the ground observation aligns up with the report. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Field demonstrations have become a staple of successful WI Farm Technology Days events.  This year looks to be no exception.  Bob Bosold visits with one of the volunteers who has repeatedly been involved with this element of the show.   Ron Zygarlicke has served on the field demo committee for more than a decade.  This year, he's adding a twist by including Italian ryegras...

Every soybean grower knows about low market prices.  If you're a farmer sitting on the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board , those challenges turn into difficult decisions about where to invest checkoff dollars for the future.  Pam Jahnke sits down with WI Soybean Marketing Board Vice President, Matt Wagenson.  Wagenson farms near Bear Creek, managing just over 1,000 crop acres plus a...

Janet Clark is a busy dairy woman at Vision Aire Farm LLC.  Clark juggles her active on-farm schedule with her duties as the chair of the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin farmer board.  Now that the dust has settled from amazing June Dairy Month acitivites, Clark shares some of the milestones DFW's attained that many dairies may have missed. Clark visits with Pam Jahnke about some of the campa...

There are some amazing ideas in food processing happening in Wisconsin, but some need a little financial support to get started.  Pam Jahnke finds out about a recent project with Westby Coop Creamery and the USDA Rural Development Agency.  Andrew Iverson is the state director for USDA Rural Development Agency.  He explains their overarching duties in working with businesses and orga...

Wisconsin Farm Technology Days may be held on a dairy, but that doesn't stop them from remembering their other bovine friends. Dennis Breneman joins us. He's the chairman of the Beef Tent and a member of the State Executive Committee. His passion for beef starts with his own operation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There will be an emphasis on safety in demonstrations at WI Farm Technology Days this year.  Jill Welke visits with retired fire chief, Jerry Minor, about the message he wants to convey to attendees.  Minor says today's responders lack the farming/agriculture knowledge that responders had 40 years ago when he began as a firefighter.  Minor says helping farms communicate directly wit...

Multiple generations are getting ready to welcome visitors for the 2026 WI Farm Technology Days event.  Redetzke's No Joke Dairy outside of Stratford has a story to share about family working together and making a farm work.  Bob Bosold visits with family members Sam Redetzke and brother Matt on how they juggle schedules with off farm duties to keep the wheels rolling.  The state's...

America's 250th birthday calls for a big celebration, and that's exactly what the Great American State Fair is. It's an opportunity for each state to showcase what makes them unique and special. Joey Hoey joins us, he's the assistant deputy secretary at the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs. He was in charge of putting together a display that shows off the best of what Wisconsin has to offe...

If mosquitoes could talk, I have a feeling they would say the 4th of July is their favorite holiday. From fireworks shows to lake days and barbecues, the influx of people outside basically means we're bringing an all-you-can-eat buffet straight to the doorstep of the homes of mosquitoes. PJ Liesch joins us; he's an Extension Entomologist who keeps an eye on the populations of mosquitoes in Wiscons...

Wisconsin beef producers joined a nationwide effort among State Beef Councils to amplify the beef industry’s summer grilling campaign.  Kaitlyn Kessler, Communications Coordinator for the Wisconsin Beef Council explains the campaign with Pam Jahnke.  The Wisconsin Beef Council invited women with various stills and areas of influence to learn more about grilling beef.  It was w...

Janet Keller is the general manager of Wisconsin Farm Technology Days. She tells Kiley Allan the details you need to know before you go to this year's event. We'll see you on July 14-16 at No Joke Dairy in Stratford! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After 60 years in teaching and broadcasting on the WI Public Radio Station Network, Larry Meiller is retiring.  Bob Bosold (who was a student of Larry's) chats with Meiller about how he started in broadcasting, and how things have changed.  One highlight is the amazingly popula call-in show that Meiller hosted.  Calls from across the state on people's pets! Hot and humid.  That...

Wisconsin Ag Secretary, Randy Romanski, joins Pam Jahnke in the studio to present a 5 year update on how the WI Ag Export Council's been performing and what progress has been made.  Romanski says Wisconsin's dairy exports grew 35% from 2021 to 2025 (the timeframe the program's been in place).  He also notes that the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports program generated a 2...

The temperatures are warming up ahead of the Independence Day holiday, and so are the grills. But do you know how much to expect your Fourth of July cookout to cost? The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, as well as the American Farm Bureau Federation, have released their Marketbasket Survey. It's an informal survey performed twice a year by volunteer shoppers. They participate by shopping for 12 d...

If you love grilling in the summer, you're not alone. In fact, it's a trend so consistent that the prices in the summer meat market typically reflect more and more people going outside and choosing to grill. Jeff Swenson along with us, he's DATCP's livestock and meat specialist. He starts by giving us a 30,000-foot view of what the marketplace is doing right now. See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...

We're seeing farms nationwide as well as here at home in Wisconsin struggling with a labor shortage. UW-Madison's agricultural safety and health specialist John Shutske says that's largely attributed to the low unemployment rate. He says that in order for farms to keep their labor, they must keep their operations attractive. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Farm Bill's to international market access, the National Association of State Departments of Ag encompasses it all.  Pam Jahnke talks with CEO, Ted McKinney, about how they navigate a diverse member population (Democrats and Republicans) while still doing the most for production agriculture and agribusiness in their individual states.  He says their priority now is to get a finished...

Protein continues to have a moment in the marketplace, and it's not a short-term fad. Consumers continue to reach for snacks that are not only high in protein but are also made with whole ingredients. Abbi (Prins) Groves joins Kiley Allan behind the microphone. She's a Livestock Economist at CoBank. She sat down to tell me about a new report from CoBank's Knowledge Exchange that says meat snacks r...

Mushrooms!  It's another crop from Wisconsin.  Bob Bosold learns a little more about mushroom production, the varieties that are popular and how they grow!  Steve Scholtz, a mushroom grower in Eau Claire explains how he produces his crop indoors to avoid contamination.  He's finding a vibrant market for his product in many different areas. Rain is drifting into Wisconsin and wi...

It's National Lightning Awareness Week and Wisconsin farmers, golfers, gardeners, joggers should all heed the warnings.  In Wisconsin, more people have died by lightning strikes since 2006, than by tornadoes since 1986.  Chris Vagasky, Research Program Manager, Wisconet and Lightning Data Specialist, National Lightning Safety Counci, explains how people can protect themselves,...

At this year's Wisconsin Farm Technology Days, held at Redetzkes' No-Joke Dairy in Stratford, Wisconsin, they're serious about farm safety. Melissa Ploeckelman-Brown joins us. She's the Outreach Specialist for the National Farm Medicine Center. They're bringing the "FRESH Area" to Wisconsin Farm Technology Days. FRESH stands for Farm Rescue, Education, Safety, and Health. She tells us what we can...