MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

When it comes to caring for crops, a lot of curveballs are thrown farmers' way. Courtney Schriver, the Key Account Manager of Plant Health at Novonesis, says the problem solving is not throwing the kitchen sink at the field. He breaks down Novonesis's prescriptive approach to solving problems. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this edition of the Mid-West Farm Report Ride Along, we head to northern Illinois to visit the Syngenta Seeds Research & Development Innovation Center.  The question?  How big of a problem is corn rootworm(CRW) for farmers today?  What new technology's being developed to address that problem? Pam Jahnke is joined by Syngenta Corn Product Manager, Matt Dolch.  Dolch began...

Wisconsin will be making its debut as host to more than a thousand snowshoe enthusiasts from across the globe when a world champion snowshoe race meets in Calumet County later this month. The World Snowshoe Championships, U.S. Nationals Snowshoe Championships, and Open Championships will be held on Dec. 18-21 at the Ariens Nordic Center in Brillion, and organizers are excited about bringing the co...

"Servant heart" - by definition it generally means having a deep, selfless desire to help and put others' needs before your own, motivated by love, humility, and a willingness to serve without expecting rewards, recognition, or something in return.  That ultimately is what led Victor Magnus , a Rural Mutual agent from Wautoma, to his current position helping his community. Magnus explains his...

Soon Santa will be taking to the skies with his eight magical reindeer to deliver presents to all the kids, but what does this care look like out of the season? Jeff Phillips, the owner of Reindeer Games out of Erin, Wisconsin gives a look at why these animals are so unique and what care looks like for them south of the North Pole. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since 2022 Ukraine has been locked into a war with Russia changing a lot of their daily lives. This includes within their agricultural operations. Mike McNeill the president of Ag Advisory limited, has spent time in Ukraine to help them change their practices so they can continue producing. He gives a look into how the conflict has impacted their ability to farm and what some of the changes to pra...

The ongoing trade and tariff disputes are impacting Wisconsin's agricultural sector, with farmers reporting negative economic returns. Tyler Wenzlaff, director of national affairs for the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, says the costs associated with tariffs are hitting producers from multiple directions. "It increases the cost of our inputs, it increases the cost of our machinery, and it increa...

Brad Olson, president of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation and a farmer in northern Polk County, is raising the alarm over a growing trend of local ordinances that stand to hurt the state's agriculture industry. These regulations, often appearing in a patchwork across communities in the western and northwestern portions of the state, are framed as environmental protection but end up blocking fa...

2025 was a pretty good year for most county fairs in Wisconsin.  Jayme Buttke, executive secretary of the WI Association of Fairs, joins Pam Jahnke for a brief wrap-up.  One major project that the state undertook this year was an economic impact study.  What does a county fair mean financially to the county and the state?  Buttke says they'll be sharing that information with me...

Farmers have a lot on their minds when it comes to state policy.  Jill Welke gets some of the rationale behind their agenda from Trine Spindler, a dairy farmer from Marathon county.  She says the development of solar arrays and data centers are some of the new items they wanted monitored and measured by state legislation.  They're also continuing to look for improvement an...

Stephanie Hoff sits down with Alice in Dairyland Sara Hagenow, the official ambassador for Wisconsin's dairy industry, to talk about the state's proudest tradition: butter. Hagenow explains that Wisconsin butter’s superior richness and flavor come from high-quality cream produced by local farms with lush grasslands and dedicated farmers. Beyond its unbeatable taste for baking and cooking, ch...

The International Fresh Produces Association hopes to increase access and consumption of fruits and vegetables through the momentum of MAHA. Molly Van Lieu, Vice President of Nutrition & Health at International Fresh Produce Association, breaks down the market opportunities and the reaction expected by the industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global demand for US red meat is strong, according to Joe Schuele. He’s is the Senior Vice President of Communication for the US Meat Export Federation. He gives us insight to the demand for US meat in foreign markets. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According from the Quarter 3 FDIC numbers, year-over-year lending has increased in all categories, including farm lending. Rose Oswald Poels is the president and CEO of the Wisconsin Bankers Association. She breaks down what these numbers tell us about the health of Wisconsin banks and why it matters to farmers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to Dr. Arden Andersen farmers are at some of the greatest risk to develop illnesses and this is due to a multitude of reasons. Dr. Andersen uses his knowledge of being a physician and agricultural consultant to dive deeper into why our producers that feed the world are at such a high risk. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year brought on a lot of challenges for farmers and that kept the Wisconsin farm bureau busy trying to protect its members from the many repercussions that followed. Here to share some of their most recent policy work is Jason Mugnaini. He is the Executive Director of Governmental Relations, and some of this recent work included changes to ARIP. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

Despite volatility in the voluntary carbon market, carbon sequestration remains a financial opportunity for farmers, according to Clay Craighton, agronomist and regional sales manager for Agoro Carbon Alliance. In an interview with Mid-West Farm Report, Craighton highlights a major new agreement as proof of the commodity's viability. Agoro Carbon recently secured a flagship carbon credit agreement...

Wisconsin hemp growers are facing going out of business if state leaders don't take action to protect them.  Part of the comprehensive compromise bill that got the federal government open again contained language that would shut down the nation's hemp industry by this time next year.  State Senator Pat Testin recognizes the value in the industry and has crafted legislation that would, ho...

Soybean growers are still anxious about international trade, especially with China.  Bob Bosold finds out what the path forward looks like from the president of the American Soybean Association, Caleb Ragland.  Ragland says they're optimistic that the Trump Administration will continue to pressure China to live up to its agreements.  He also makes the point that American farmers are...

Names can be deceptive when it comes to charitable organizations.  What you think they do, they may not.  Kiley Allan finds out about what to look for from Hannah Thompson-Weeman, President and CEO of Animal Agriculture Alliance.  She says that animal rights extremist groups that oppose raising animals for food are seeing financial growth.  The money they're bringing in is...

Recent policy changes are providing hope for farmers grappling with high fertilizer costs, particularly for phosphate. The removal of tariffs on phosphate imports is expected to ease pricing, though global demand remains high.  "We're seeing that already," says Ben Pratt, vice president of public affairs at The Mosaic Company, adding that potash prices, supplied largely by Canada, are already...

The American Coalition for Ethanol is actively engaging the EPA on the Renewable Fuel Standard, seeking final volumes and the reallocation of waived gallons to prevent demand destruction for ethanol producers and farmers. Katie Muckenhirn, vice president of public affairs, says ACE is also pushing Congress to pass the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act to secure year-round E15 access...

The National Pork Producers Council is engaged in multiple battles across the U.S., citing key concerns over labor, trade, and the impact of the current administration's "Make America Healthy Again" initiative. A major concern is the proliferation of state-level animal housing regulations, led by California’s Proposition 12, which mandates specific space requirements for breeding pigs and ot...

The U.S. dairy industry is experiencing lower-than-usual commodity cheese prices, but one producer is betting on long-term growth driven by consumer demand for protein and significant industry investment. The current market is seeing prices dip despite the typical holiday season rally. Kim Heiman of Nasonville Dairy in Marshfield says the effect was exacerbated by the government shutdown, whe...

The holidays are upon us and grocery carts are filling up with all the essentials for baking, cooking, and entertaining. One big winner this time of year? Dairy. Today, we’re talking about how dairy sales grow in November and December, and what Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin is doing at retail to support our local farmers. Jonathon Hallock is a Board Director with Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin repr...