MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

Soil health remains a top-of-mind concern for many crop and dairy farmers. With spring planting season beginning, it’s important to take proper steps before and after planting to better control waterhemp.  Rodrigo Werle, UW-Extension Cropping Systems Weed Specialist, says it's very hard to control waterhemp once it's established. He provides advice on how to handle this weed and the impact it can...

The calls are coming in as farmers take their planting equipment out of the shed and realize they need new tires. Luckily, Todd Cavil at Pomp's Tire Service says availability is better than last year and the price hikes have stalled. During the busy season, there's also incentives from manufacturers, such as rebates, for growers to take advantage of. To keep those tires working like new -- keep th...

Dairy processors are incorporating sustainability into their everyday operations and long-term strategic planning. But this isn’t an overnight thing.  Jennifer Block, Senior Vice President of Industry Relations for the Innovation Center for US Dairy, says they have custom built tools for dairy processors to be able to better measure their greenhouse gas emissions. She explains more about these too...

Producers are learning more and more about the specifics of raising beef on dairy cattle.  It's offered a high quality product for consumers and a great financial opportunity for dairy producers.  Carrie Mess talks with master's student, Alyssa Seitz, who's working on uncovering more information on what producers can do to continue capitalizing on this option. CheeseCon 2023 is wrapping up today i...

Avian influenza is back in conversations this spring.  Stephanie Hoff chats with Wisconsin's State Veterinarian, Darlene Konkel, about biosecurity measures that any poultry owner should be implementing. Pam Jahnke talks to Ashley Huhn from Steffes Group about their huge spring consignment sales coming up.  Sponsored by the Steffes Group. Weather has been a real challenge for this spring's maple sa...

Surveillance cameras on the farm can do more than give you a sense of security. Ag Video Surveillance in Beaver Dam is seeing a growing interest in using surveillance for better farm management. Jason Nosrati tells Mid-West Farm Report about the trends he’s seeing in farm security and the logistics required to install video surveillance. He says dairy is his leading customer, but he works with agr...

Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI) is well known in the dairy industry, but not as well known in grocery stores. Well that’s about to change. AMPI has created Dinner Bell Creamery and produces butter which can be currently found in Hy-Vee and other local grocery stores. Marshall Reece, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at AMPI explains what led them to create this new business and th...

The Wisconsin Bankers Association says that banks finished 2022 in a strong financial position. The data says that people are paying down their debts and are putting money into savings at the bank. On the agriculture side, farmers have also been paying off loans. Farmland values also stay strong. And ag lenders are ready to lend. Mark Binversie is a senior vice president at Nicolet Bank. He gives...

The Dane County Farmers Market is ready to return to the Capitol Square. As the largest producer only farmers market in America, it will be celebrating its 51st year on the square. Jamie Bugel, Market Manager for the Dane County Farmers Market, explains how the farmers market got started and what attendees can expect this year. “The Dane County Farmers Market was founded in September of 1972 with...

Maple syrup production has been spotty so far across Wisconsin, mostly due to lingering snow loads and chilly temperatures. But in northeast Wisconsin, Alicia Baroun of Maple Buzz in De Pere says her family has had the best season in over 60 years. She's collected roughly 10,000 gallons of sap from about 1,500 taps compared to roughly 8,000 gallons last year. It hasn't been this way for others in...

A great event for horse lovers is coming up soon and people from all over the midwest will be heading to Madison. The 42nd annual Midwest Horse Fair will be taking over the Alliant energy center Friday April 14h through Sunday the 16th. Teri Gianetti the new Executive Director of the Midwest Horse Fair joined us to share a sneak peak.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Easter traditionally is one of the hottest markets for Wisconsin lamb.  That's still the case, but the market price isn't what it was 2-3 years ago.  Pam Jahnke talks to Dave Johnson, Vice President of Marketing for Equity Cooperative Livestock Association.  The lamb and goat markets have flattened, but also become more consistent. Not much to report in the first of the season, crop progress repor...

Farmers are good stewards of the land and care about the environment. Climate-smart agriculture and regenerative agriculture practices are used to determine the impact of climate change such as soil carbon sequestration or reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Diane Mayerfield, Senior Outreach Specialist at UW-Extension, explains the difference between these and how to achieve a good connection b...

Some producers in Wisconsin are wrapping up their tapping season. Others are just getting started. For Pete Roth of Roth’s Sugarbush in Cadott, he’s in the middle of his season. Roth’s Sugarbush has been making syrup since the 1950s. They boil from about 19,000 taps, selling syrup across the U.S. And they supply equipment to other producers. He expects his season to last through April 20.  See omn...

Finance veteran Gary Sipiorski has decades of experience in farm finance and ag lending. He also devotes time to the Professional Dairy Producers Financial Literacy program. He stresses the importance of understanding the balance sheet, cashflows, assets, liabilities and projections. The biggest challenge for farmers is finding the time to do it all. But he reminds listeners that any written finan...

Gudmundur Sigurjonsson is the manager of more than 300 producing ewes that will help me market around 1,000 lambs each year.  In Iceland, the growing conditions and how shepherds manage their flocks is different than what we see in Wisconsin. The Icelandic breed of sheep is the ONLY breed you'll find on the island.  It's ability to withstand the weather and maximize available grass have kept famil...

Although the name may be hard to pronounce, the vision of Bjarteyjarsandur Sheep Farm is family, education and the environment. During our 2023 Iceland Farm Tour, Pam Jahnke sat down with Arnheidur Hjorleifsdottir. With an educational background in environmental sciences, she immediately saw the educational opportunities this multi-generation sheep operation perched on a fjord, could bring to the...

Easter is one of the strongest demand windows for consumption of fresh lamb.  Ethnic groups have traditionally been some of the best customers, but things may be changing.  That's according to Dave Johnson, Vice President of Marketing for the Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Association in Baraboo. Johnson says while lamb and goat prices remain strong, it's not like it was 3-4 years ago. Johnson...

Wisconsin's Farmland Preservation program started back in 1977 and has seen very little change since then.  Now, Wisconsin Senator Pat Testin from Stevens Point, and Assembly Representative, Loren Oldenburg from Viroqua are teaming up to try and make the program more functional and inviting to today's farmers and land owners. Testin visits with Pam Jahnke about why he's bringing this topic up for...

There are at least 5 key components that farms need to focus on for success in 2023.  Jill Welke talks with Dr. Brady Brewer, ag economist from Purdue University on what those items are and why they're important. Ag Day at the Capitol was not only productive in guiding policy development at the state house - it was also a great exchange between farmers from one region to another.  Carrie Mess talk...

There is a purpose behind the grass waterways and berms people see in fields and ditches when driving through farm country. Chad DeWyre, soil conservation engineer for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) describes the benefits of having grass waterways and knowing when to implement them. “Grass waterways are very important due to multiple reasons as they protect the soil,” explains D...

One of the best parts of Ag Day at the Capitol is learning from farmers across the state. Brad Olson, a dairy farmer from Polk county says that in his area wildlife damage is a significant concern. Having his voice heard by lawmakers when he asked for an increase in wildlife damage limits is one of the reasons he made the drive to Madison.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They say that decisions are made by the people that show up, and Ag Day at the Capitol is an event where farmers show up to influence the decisions made by our lawmakers. However like many opportunities in Ag where decisions are being made, the crowd tends to be the older generation from farms. But Brady Zuck, who owns a cow/calf operation in Rusk County and Logan Frei who raises beef cattle and g...

Paul Jarvis is a member of the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association board. He farms in the center of Waushara County with his family. This week he was one of more than 250 farmers to go to the State Capitol and talk to legislators about the priorities for Wisconsin agriculture. What on his mind ahead of planting season? Market volatility, interest rates, inflation, rural road infrastructure, conserv...

Handling nutrient management on Wisconsin farms has gotten more sophisticated and more complicated.  Charitee Seebecker visits with Isaac Lemmenes, a custom operator in Northeast Wisconsin, about the increased demand they're seeing for their services. Ag Day at the Capitol was deemed a success by Jason  Mugnaini, government relations specialist with the WI Farm Bureau.  Stephanie Hoff recaps the e...