MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

Maple syrup producers from across the nation and Canada will come together in La Crosse on October 26-29 for the 2022 International Maple Syrup Conference. It's the first time Wisconsin has hosted this event in 16 years. Theresa Baroun is the executive director of the Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers Association. Her family has about 1,200 taps in De Pere. She says the event is open to everyone, an...

These cranberries are sold as fresh berries, so the harvest looks different than what you’ve seen before. For example, these bogs are not fully flooded. After harvest, the cranberries are dried and sorted four separate times by color. White to pale berries are sold to be mixed with juice (the flavor is not different from a more red berry). The deadline to get these berries harvested is around Nov....

Wisconsin State FFA Honors Band Director Monte Dunnum is celebrating 25 years of supporting those young musicians. He works with 65 students each year. Students can be in the band for up to five years or until they turn 21 -- but he says the relationships last forever. "Come by!" "Lie down!" "That'll do!" are some of the phrases you'll hear during a stock dog trial. These border collies start trai...

The folks working to help out dairy farmers at the Dairy Innovation Hub sure have been busy. Dr. Tera Montgomery, the campus liaison for the Dairy Innovation Hub at UW-Platteville joins us to share more about what they do and what they have going on.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Connie Brannen of Kentucky travels all over the U.S. to compete in stock dog trials. She brought four of her border collies to Wisconsin, and she came off of a good run at the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival. It takes time and patience to develop a relationship with your stock dog and train them to compete. Pictured: Connie and her dog, Kid. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Come by!" "Lie down!" "That'll do!" are some of the phrases you'll hear during a stock dog trial. These dogs can only be border collies. They start training at around nine months and are ready to compete at around age two or three. But it's not just the dog that needs training, but also the handler. John Wentz raises 420 sheep in Portage to train dogs and their handlers for the sport. He does mea...

Agriculture is known as one of the most dangerous industries in America, with the equivalent of 23.1 deaths per 100,000 workers. Keith Bryan, the technical service specialist at Chr. Hansen, shares more about the work they do to prepare farmers for harvest safety and the Silage SAFE Program.  Fall harvest time can be one of the busiest and most dangerous seasons of the year for the ag industry. An...

With an agronomy degree from UW–Madison and a passion for a career in plant seeding, Walker Fanning wanted to work on a fruit-crop farm, but his choices were limited and seasonal. Fanning went from uncertainty to now owning and running Hidden Cave Cidery.  He shares more on his journey to becoming a craft cidery owner that promotes Wisconsin’s apple farmers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

An agricultural startup in Wisconsin is setting out to be a resource for farmers and gardeners. SeedLinked is a search platform, marketplace and seed trail company changing the way large- and small-scale growers find horticultural crop seed. Users’ geolocated reviews detail seed performance and inform others of which variety might be most successful in a specific region, explains co-founder and Vi...

Consumers love choices and new products. Innovative products featuring dairy as the star, in particular those boasting the calming effects of dairy are being sought out in a competition among college students. Rohit Kapoor is the  Vice President-Product Research at Dairy Management Inc. He shares how DMI is helping to fuel the innovation fire with their Dairy Products Contest.  See omnystudio.com/...

Pheasants Forever isn’t just about hunting. And Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin isn’t just about milking cows. Recently these two organizations have developed a partnership, promoting on-farm conservation practices that also make sense to a farmer's bottom line. Carrie Mess talks to Josh Bendorff. Steffes Group is still busy ahead of harvest. They've got just shy of 10,000 acres before t...

It's National Suicide Awareness Month and National Farm Safety Week. Megan Schossow is the outreach director with UMASH -- the Upper Midwest Agricultural Health and Safety Center. She says mental health issues have reached points similar to that of the 80s farm crisis in the past decade. This is due to stress over trade deals, market volatility, COVID-19, supply chain disruption and inflation. She...

A lot has changed in the sausage-making industry over the past 75 years, such as consumer trends and overall expansion. But at least one thing has stayed the same – the need and appreciation for great employees. This is the message from Steve Harrison, the vice president and general manager of Old Wisconsin Sausage in Sheboygan County. Old Wisconsin Sausage is celebrating 75 years of sausage makin...

"I’m too young." "I’m healthy." "I don’t want to pay that every month." These are common thoughts people have about life insurance, says Carl Ivey, life advisor with American Family Insurance. He says these thoughts are getting in your own way. Today is always the cheapest time to buy life insurance, because you're always getting older. And the expense is more like paying for a tool -- Ivey walks...

The 2019 data for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that the agricultural sector is the most dangerous in America with an equivalent of 23 deaths per 100,000 workers. Fall harvest time can be one of the busiest and most dangerous seasons of the year for the agriculture industry. For this reason, the third week of September has been recognized as National Farm Safety and Health Week. An...

Don Bussye, chief planner for the census of agriculture, shares more on the 2022 census of agriculture survey and what elected officials will be looking at when putting the 2023 farm bill together.  UW-Madison Agronomy Professor, Bill Tracy, says Wisconsin shouldn't have to rely on a few regions of the U.S. for its produce. With extreme weather events such as drought and fires in California, the p...

Just like it is a busy time for kids going back to school, it's also a busy time for retailers everywhere. Mark Farnsworth, Retail Sales Supervisor for Rhodes Bake-N-Serv , talks about how he got into his retail role and how he works to make sure all of their customers feel like they are a part of the Rhodes family. He also shares stories of growing up in the bakery business, and how that feeling...

If you’re finding yourself overwhelmed and busy yet still trying to provide some good meals for your family to come together,  Rhodes BakeNServ has some excellent recipes for you.  Give a listen to all the ways you use any of the Rhodes BakeNServ products in your busy lifestyle with Amy Hall, the Social Media Coordinator with Rhodes.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sammie Brantner of DEKALB, talks about what Smart Corn is and how soon it will be on the market.  Smart Corn provides added protection, accessibility, and greater yield potential. With feed ingredient prices climbing Drew Johnson, an independent dairy consultant in Western Wisconsin, shares some of the smart swaps and moves he’s seen farmers make. From adjusting ration inclusions based on falling...

Food waste, food access and food insecurity are all complex issues. Chef Dave Heide of Little John’s Kitchens is taking on those issues, and more on multiple levels. Chef Heide has founded Little John’s Kitchens to funnel excess food from farms and stores and people who want to learn cooking skills, into healthy meals that are “made with love”. He shares more about his “Pay What You Can” restauran...

Instances of cyber-attacks, ID theft and cyber crimes continue to rise. Last year, the FBI had a record number of complaints with potential losses reaching nearly $7 billion, explains Jen Pino-Gallagher of M3 Insurance. The good news is that more people are becoming aware of their risk, including the agriculture sector. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Shelby Ellison, UW-Madison Assistant Professor in the Department of Horticulture, has looked into using hemp for paper, clothing, the value of using it in cattle feed, for bricks, insulation, and much more. In 10 Wisconsin counties, forestry is the No. 1 employer. Any mill closures or change in markets has a major impact on the economy and the statewide forest industry. Stephanie talks with Ch...

With feed ingredient prices climbing Drew Johnson, an independent dairy consultant in Western Wisconsin, shares some of the smart swaps and moves he’s seen farmers make. From adjusting ration inclusions based on falling protein prices, updates on some of the possible byproducts out there, and plans for spring planting, he shares what he sees as the best options to better manage feed inputs.  See o...

Will interest rates keep rising? Tim Schneider, the senior vice president of ag lending at Nicolet Bank, says the verdict is mixed. The sense is that the Federal Reserve won't be as aggressive in raising rates through the end of the year, and then it will stabilize. Some say inflation will be restrained and interest rates will fall in 2023. Either way, it's influencing purchasing habits. UW Sheep...

Eric Meudt with the Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative says fall is a critical time for lamb -- grilling season, tailgating and a range of religious holidays increase lamb demand. However, lamb is seeing growing demand in its 'off season' as well -- the spring months leading up to Easter. Producers are working to meet that spring market lamb demand by lambing in the fall. More than three-quarter...