MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

 For farmers "down under" the growing season is opposite of what we're experiencing in Wisconsin.  The challenges, however, remain some of the same.  Bob Bosold visits with Australian grain grower, Peter Black, about how he approaches his crops and markets and what's different compared to Wisconsin. Heat returns in this week's forecast.  Stu Muck breaks it down and includes the...

The third time really is the charm for the Clinton family from Bear Creek.  Their farm, Clinton Farm, is getting ready to host the state's largest outdoor ag event for a third time!  Pam Jahnke visits with patriarch, Jim Clinton, about the dedication the family's given to hosting the show dating back to 1978.  In 2003 the farm again hosted the 25th anniversary show, and now in 2025...

Aug. 1 is the deadline for the end of a tariff pause, and uncertainty is clouding the agricultural markets. Assistant Professor Jeffrey Hadachek joins us in-studio from the UW-Madison Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics. Today, we’re talking trade and economic outlooks as we get into the second half of 2025. Despite ongoing uncertainty around trade, farmer sentiment is overall o...

When you think of the county fair, you might picture carnival rides, fried food, and blue ribbons. But what about bringing home a freezer full of local meat? When you head to the county fair this summer, you can support young producers and stock up on meat at the same time. Andy Geiss joins us, third generation of Geiss Meat Service in Merrill and president of the Wisconsin Association of Meat Pro...

There’s a livestock sale going on now, but it’s not your typical animals on the auction block. The Bureau of Land Management within the U.S. Department of the Interior is hosting its Online Corral auction featuring wild horses and donkeys.  Stephanie Hoff learns about it from Jason Lutterman from the National Wild Horse and Burro Program. The online sale is July 14-21. O...

There's more to that scoop of ice cream on a cone or in a dish.  Aubrey Schlimgen finds out about the secret ingredient one Wisconsin ice cream maker uses to woo consumers into their next flavor. She talks with Ken Norton, Director of Retail Operations-Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Co. in Madison.  The company started in 1962 started as a chocolate shop with ice cream, then shifted to...

This year has seen an increase in storms, but not all of these storms are on earth. Geomagnetic storms have been running rampant in space and may be affecting agriculture. Shawn Dahl, the Service Coordinator at the Space Weather Prediction Center shares some of the effects these storms have on agriculture here in the US and some insight in work they are doing to help mitigate their effects for far...

Ken Norton serves as the Director of Retail Operations with Chocolate Shoppe Ice cream Co. and has been with the company 5 years. He had his own business and retired, then fell in love with Chocolate Shoppe and their brand. The company started in 1962 Chuck Sr. Deadman and his wife had a Chocolate shop with ice cream, then shifted to just ice cream. Nowadays you can still find him checking in dail...

For the first time, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College is offering Commercial Driver’s License training. The session began in early June with a CDL Prep Course. The students transitioned to hands-on training later in the month before taking their state exam on June 28. Business and Industry Services at Southwest Tech, partnered with Gilbertson and his company, to offer the training on cam...

Developing a new variety of alfalfa doesn't happen overnight. Dave Witte is the Project Manager at Forage Genetics International. He explains the development process. "We start with about 300,000 plants in our breeding nurseries. We spend four or five years monitoring those plants, putting a lot of stress on those plants." He also explains the elements FGI takes into consideration during developme...

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! It's drones & Artificial Intelligence (AI)! Julia Guerra, Solutions Architect and licensed drone pilot at FlyGuys, shares what's new in agricultural drone use. An Executive Order that made it easier to fly drones opened more opportunities for farmers. Drones are capturing data that allows for real-time feedback on soil, moisture, topography and more ways to inc...

In the more than four decades since Wisconsin’s first soy checkoff program launched, growers often wonder where, when, why and how checkoff resources are directed toward funding research, creating value-added uses and increasing market access.   The Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board (WSMB) is inviting growers from across the state to get a closer look this summer by applying to particip...

Erika Rodbell is a Forage Research Agronomist with Forage Genetics International. She works out of the location in Nampa, ID. She talks about the difference in alfalfa varieties in different regions in the US. "So in Wisconsin, you have the opposite water problem that we have in the West....those are two very distinct extremes that alfalfa has to be bred to withstand. They have to withstand w...

Farmers can expect some continuity and a few key benefits when it comes to their federal income taxes this year. One of the most notable updates is that income tax brackets and standard deductions will stay largely the same, thanks to a budget extension passed by Congress, explains Extension Farm Management Specialist Kelly Wilfert. The rates, originally adjusted in 2018, were set to sunset in 202...

What do t-shirts, cheese auctions, and cow care have in common? They’re all part of the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin’s presence at this year’s Wisconsin State Fair! In this month's Checking In With Dairy Checkoff, we’re digging into the many ways DFW is supporting youth, educating fairgoers, and celebrating the state’s world-class dairy industry with board member Jody M...

I scream, you scream… and now, you can scream for lavender ice cream at Country Lavender and Orchard in Kiel, Wisconsin! We’re back with another episode celebrating Wisconsin’s specialty crop growers. Today we’re heading to a farm that smells like summer and feels like serenity. Sandy Buchholz and her husband, John, started Country Lavender and Orchard in 2017 with a...

Geomagnetic storms have been occurring with more frequency this year, and it could be causing problems for production agriculture in unlikely areas.  Ben Jarboe discusses it with Shawn Dahl, the service coordinator at the space weather prediction center.  He says some of the effects these storms have on agriculture here in the US causes damage passersby may not s...

Mark Renz is a professor and extension specialist, focusing in alfalfa and pasture weed management. He gives us a look at how the wet spring has allowed for weed issues to advance quickly. He says scouting is key right now, and notes herbicide carryover is becoming more problematic to top quality alfalfa management and keeping record of what herbicide goes where is key. See omnystudio.com/listener...

Choosing to go to college can be one of the greatest investments in your life or your kid's life but may also be the most costly. Chelsea Wunnicke with the state of Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions, College Savings Department, says that recently they learned more about how agriculture is different from other industries and how Edvest 529 helps families to save early on to make a big...

Tom Miller, one of the original Miltrim Farms in Athens, has focused his attention away from dairy operations to tractor collecting.  Miller says although he may farm with John Deere, he's "colorblind" to brand and is collecting them all.  Miller's collection ranges from 2 cylinder engines to the actual implements that they used to pull.  Miller says he works with local ar...

The state budget is complete, but really not finished.  Pam Jahnke finds out how crafting this state budget took a turn when the federal "Big Beautiful Bill" was being crafted at the same time. State Senator Pat Testin is vice chair of the Joint Finance Committee.  He also serves as chair of the Senate Agriculture and Revenue Committee.  He tells Jahnke that there were conversa...

Wisconsin crop fields have been largely free of major insect outbreaks so far this season, but entomologists warn that could change as heat and moisture levels rise. Krista Hamilton with the DATCP Pest Survey Program says the second half of summer brings a new set of insect threats. Scouting in late July and early August should focus on rootworm beetles, second-generation armyworms, and corn earwo...

Dr. Amy Radunz. a stocker cattle producer from Pierce County and Beef Cattle Technical Specialist for Purina. With decades of experience and a deep-rooted passion for the beef industry, Radunz has made a lasting impact both in and beyond Wisconsin. Her influence spans from state-level leadership to national representation.  Radunz currently serves as President of the Wisconsin Beef Council an...

There’s a livestock sale next week, but it’s not your typical animals on the auction block. The federal government is hosting its regular wild horse and donkey auction, but this go around, there will be a pick-up location and adoption event here in Wisconsin. The Bureau of Land Management within the U.S. Department of the Interior puts on these Online Corral auctions. The sale starts t...

When it comes to passing the farm down to the next generation, capital gains taxes can pack a punch. Farmland that's appreciated over decades could trigger a hefty tax bill if it's sold or transferred without the right planning. That’s why understanding capital gains is a key part of farm succession. Extension Farm Management Specialist Kelly Wilfert says agriculture welcomed a provision in...