MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

Today is Ag Day at the Capitol and one of the big discussion points will be rural roads and infrastructure.  Stephanie Hoff talks to Rep. Travis Tranel, chair of the Assembly Ag Committee, about some of the priorities he sees shaping up in policy development that could impact Wisconsin agriculture. Ashley Huhn from the Steffes Group joins Pam Jahnke to talk about the "hot pick" items people are se...

Having sound cow management leads to positive financial outcomes. Dr. Daryl Nydam, veterinarian and professor at Cornell University says knowing when to use dry-cow therapy or pathogen-based treatment has a direct correlation to a farmer’s bottom line. The difference between selective dry cow therapy and blanket dry cow therapy is that blanket therapy is where you administer antimicrobial to all q...

Spring weather can really throw us for a loop with high temperatures one day and then a foot of snow the next. This means you’ve got to keep an eye on your livestock barns. Courtney Halbach is the outreach specialist for The Dairyland Initiative with the School of Veterinary Medicine. The Dairyland Initiative is an online resource for dairy farmers and industry consultants that need more informati...

Agriculture Day at the Capitol was deemed a success with a crowd of more than 250 farmers and agribusiness leaders coming together at the Monona Terrace in Madison. After a briefing, they walked next door to the State Capitol to talk with their legislators about some key issues from rural road investments to farmer-led conservation grants. Jason Mugnaini is the executive director of governmental r...

Usually when we give market updates, we’re talking about the price of corn, soybeans or commodity inputs or expenses… but there’s also some important insurance market updates that producers and agribusiness should know about. Jen Pino-Gallagher is in-studio with us. She’s the director of Food & Agribusiness Practice at M3 Insurance. There's two areas in which an agribusiness is impacted by wha...

Formed in 1975 by the family of Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association members, the WPVGA Auxiliary works on creative ways of keeping in touch with consumers. One of these is the potato stand at the WPS Farm Show happening now through Thursday at the EAA Grounds in Oshkosh. Carole Gagas has been a member for 45 years and is a past president of the auxiliary. She expects to feed thousan...

It’s not a farm show without a big lunch, and the food tent at the WPS Farm Show is there to meet that need. You can smell those ribeye steaks on the grill before you can see them. Carrie Goss and her husband Dave manage the Wisconsin Cattlemen's Association steak trailer. The WPS Farm show at the EAA Grounds in Oshkosh is where they kick off their season. Carrie tells me just how much food they g...

It's the only place you'll find the bison food truck to score a bison burger or bison burrito. It's the WPS Farm Show at the EAA Grounds in Oshkosh, happening now through Thursday. Rebecca Ries is a longtime member and past executive director of the Wisconsin Bison Producers Association. She expects to go through 2,400 bison patties to feed hunger mouths at the show. See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

Maximizing all of your farm's resources really requires a sound business strategy. But what are key strategic levers of profitability you should be thinking of? Brady Brewer, Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University, says there are 5 levers that farmers should think about when making any business decision.  “You have to do what works best for your farm but in general, we...

Family dynamics can be difficult to manage around, but when it comes to farm families and long term planning - it can become painful.  Carrie Mess visits with Angie Coleman, Consultant, Organizational Development, FCCS Consulting, about generational communications within farm families. Saturday is the annual Wisconsin Beef Improvement Association's Bull Sale.  The event started in 1957 to offer ge...

Keeping an eye on costs and the world marketplace will be important components to dairy success this year.  Bob Bosold visits with Dr. Dan Basse, Ag Economist and president of AgResource Company.  He was a keynote guest at the Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin annual business meeting. This is the time of year when available hay supplies get tight for livestock owners, at the same time they...

The Wisconsin Beef Improvement Association Performance Selected Bull Sale is Saturday, April 1 starting at 11 a.m. at UW-Platteville and online. There are plenty of ways to scope out the animals online or in-person ahead of the sale. The association has been evaluating and developing beef bulls in Wisconsin since 1957. It’s the longest running continuous bull test in the nation. Association Presid...

The changes occurring at three weeks pre and post-fresh mark major turning points in a cow’s productive cycle. The physiological, metabolic and nutritional transformations cows undergo are closely linked to production, postpartum diseases, and reproductive performance. Dr. Laura Hernandez of UW-Madison Animal and Dairy Science Department, has been investigating ways to regulate the transition from...

Agriculture at a software company? Must be Epic. Epic, a health care software company, pays homage to Wisconsin agriculture in a number of ways -- it's state-of-the-art buildings that resemble a barn and farmhouse, 550 acres of operating farmland, 42 sheep, 14 cows, and one donkey. If you decide to get something to eat, you'll find your mouth watering over a cuisine that emphasizes Wisconsin agric...

By now if you’re listening to the Farm Report regularly, you’ve heard our guests tell you how easy and how important it is to become a rainfall reporter. But did you know that help to get set up as a rainfall reporter can be local? Matt Brown is a CoCoRahs county leader in Sheboygan. He volunteers his time to help other local reporters get set up and answer questions. See omnystudio.com/listener f...

The WPS Farm Show is a spring tradition returning next week at the EAA Grounds in Oshkosh.  Charitee Seebecker previews the event with coordinator Matt Cullen. Road maintenance is going to be a big topic of discussion next week at Ag Day at the Capitol.  Stephanie Hoff dives in deeper on policy development with Rep. Travis Tranel, dairy farmer and chair of the Assembly Agriculture Committee. We pa...

Lameness is an issue that continues to be prevalent within the dairy industry. But how can farmers detect lameness early? And how effective are the protocols and products currently available? Dr. Gerard Cramer, Vet and Professor at the University of Minnesota, shares how data collection plays a key role in managing lameness and what technology he recommends.  He says that your footbaths and protoc...

Conversations and the exchange of ideas!  This simple preface is helping fuel community projects across southern Wisconsin with the goal of earth stewardship, community, spirituality and economic justice through healthy food and sustainable farming practices. Roger Williams, professor emeritus from UW-Madison and treasurer of The Food, Faith and Farming Network, representing Harvest of Hope, visit...

Hay supply looks pretty good for Wisconsin thanks to a good 2022 crop. Wisconsin is an “island of good supply” in the midst of extreme shortages across the country, according to Emeritus Extension Forage Specialist Dan Undersander. He provides insight into what we can expect for 2023’s crop and if winter kill is an issue. “The hay supply is at a fifty year low and there are a lot of regions that a...

If you’re having conflicts with wild animals in your fields, your feed storage, and even around your home… there is help out there for you. Wisconsin DNR’s Wildlife Damage Specialist Brad Koele walks Mid-West Farm Report through who to call when aggressive birds or awake bears start becoming a nuisance. Farmers can take advantage of the year-round Wildlife Damage Abatement and Claims Program that...

We talk about it, complain about it, enjoy it and hope it'll change.  The weather.  How many of us routinely glance at an app, or shush others when a forecast is being shared.  We plan our day around it - but know very little about the work behind the scenes to bring us that forecast. Meet Scott Berschback, National Weather Service Meteorologist in Green Bay.  Berschback visits with Pam Jahnke abo...

With spring planting just around the corner, some farmers are re-evaluating their growing season practices.  Jill Welke talks with Gary Zimmer from Midwest BioAg about his philosophies on soil health and regenerative ag practices. California farmers continue to struggle against major weather events.  Carrie Mess visits with Tulare County dairy producer, Tyler Riberio, about the flooding that's for...

Tyler Ribeiro is a fourth generation dairy farmer in Tulare County, California. He is no stranger to water woes, but usually it’s a lack of water that keeps him up at night. However over the last two weeks that has changed as his area has been inundated with flood waters. While the Riberio farm is ok, Tyler shares that farms in his neighborhood are not.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

Fresh off our Iceland Farm Tour, we take a look at the unique Icelandic Horses.  The breed is exclusive on the island, and new genetics haven't been introduced for more than 1,000 years.  Pam Jahnke visits with Knútur, owner and operator of Fridheimar stable and greenhouse.  He explains the unique traits of the breed and why the country is so connected to these small horses. Ashley Huhn from the S...

The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin–Madison will host the ninth annual World Food Prize Wisconsin Youth Institute on Monday, April 10.  This event brings together high school students in grades 9-12 from across Wisconsin to learn more about critical global challenges.  To participate in this unique experience, ahead of the event students must research a glo...