MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

B. Kurt Dairy, a first-generation dairy farm passionate about educating people about food and farming, is hosting the Iowa County Dairy Breakfast. Enjoy a locally-sourced breakfast from 6:30-10:30 a.m. that includes pancakes, eggs, sausage, milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream. After breakfast, check out the kids' area, petting zoo, live music, a farm tour, and more. No parking on the farm - park a...

The school year is coming to a close and many students are graduating. A big question for them is where are the jobs? Tammy Jensen the President of agriCAREERS gives some insight and tips for these recent graduates. She says currently the service sector in agriculture is in high demand for workers. Jensen believes the reason for the shortage is that people feel the jobs are not glamorous and would...

John Heinberg, a market advisor with Total Farm Marketing takes a closer look at the tariff discussion that transpired over the weekend.  Wall Street is rallying while commodities are focused on weather. He says the weather should be good to start the growing season. Cattle on Feed report came out Friday verifying what most already know. Cattle are scarce. See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...

The fifth annual Wisconsin Arts & Peony Festival will be here June 13-15 in Beaver Dam, and this year, it’s attracting an international audience. Today, we’re catching up with Michelle Ovans of Ovans Peony Farm in Beaver Dam - the state’s largest fresh-cut peony farm. Michelle cares for more than 1,600 peony plants representing about 100 varieties. Her farm is on display duri...

Wisconsin planting season is working towards the end, and it is about time to focus on the growing season. Kurt Lahr a regional products specialist with CHS shares how the state is looking early on. He also shares some considerations to think about as we move through the summer. He says some farmers have not been able to put on their pre-emergent herbicides so they will need to reconfigure their s...

Farming is a risky job, but you can reduce risk with careful handling of chemicals. Danger is going to depend on how harmful the pesticide, etc. is and how long you’re exposed to it. The effects of farm chemicals can happen within minutes or over years. Limit the risk with common-sense solutions. Jordan Kampa, interim program manager with the pesticide applicator training program with t...

  New World Screwworm is making headlines and also making U.S. beef producers very nervous.  With budget cuts everywhere in the federal budget, they're worried about what inspection hole might be vulnerable to the pest getting into the U.S.  Jill Welke uncovers what we don't know about the pest and how to eradicate it with Sigrid Johannes from the National Cattlemen's Beef Associati...

Beginning June 1, dairy producers and processors will see noticeable changes to the way milk is priced.  After years of discussion and debate, finally the Federal Milk Marketing Orders have seen some revision.  In Wisconsin, that could mean some lower prices initially.  Leonard Polzin, UW-Extension Dairy Markets and Policy Outreach Specialist, has done all the modeling for the new o...

Green Barn Farm Market is celebrating one of its best asparagus seasons yet, with high-quality harvests and strong demand across Wisconsin. Founded in 1992 by Heather Brandt and her husband, the farm began on just 10 acres. Today, it has grown to over 100 acres, supporting both retail and wholesale operations. Brandt explained, “We started picking asparagus about 25 years ago, and it’s...

What started as an employee appreciation cookout at Metcalfe’s Market has now become the largest brat and music festival in the world, featuring thousands and thousands of Johnsonville brats. Event organizer Tim Metcalfe says the menu also includes sweet corn, ice cream, and carnival food, among other things. Roughly 1,900 volunteers will raise $100,000 for various charities by working at Br...

According to Ag meteorologist Stu Muck this Memorial Day weekend should bring some slightly warmer temps and sunlight to make it great grilling weather.  With Memorial Day coming up, grilling is on the top of minds for many. Ben Jarboe talks with Bennett Fraboni of Fraboni’s Italian Specialties to see how their family meat shop prepares for the grilling season, and how natural casings f...

Apple blossoms are booming at Atoms to Apples! We caught up with Rami Aburomia, owner of this certified organic orchard just south of Mount Horeb, where he says it’s shaping up to be one of the best bloom in years. His five-acre orchard is home to 65 apple varieties—plus pears, plums, and even the occasional peach when the weather cooperates. He says with bees buzzing and trees thrivin...

The state Joint Finance Committee has wrapped up its road show around Wisconsin. These hearings were some of the first steps in forming a state budget for the biennium. Joining us in-studio to talk about what may or may not make it into the budget for farmers is Jason Mugniani. Jason is the executive director of government relations with the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. He outlines three them...

We can expect a Make America Healthy Again report to come out this week focused on tackling chronic disease, and it’s got the ears of the agriculture industry. This Washington Watch news update is brought to you by the Wisconsin Soybean Association, dedicated to ensuring policies are in place for the future of soybean farmers. The International Fresh Produce Association was among several far...

Farm advocacy groups continue to beat the drum on farm labor in Washington, D.C. Rebeckah Adcock is the vice president of U.S. government relations at the International Fresh Produce Association. IFPA represents the entire supply chain of fresh produce. Modernizing farm labor is a top priority for her on Capitol Hill. And make no mistake – she says America’s Dairyland is an important p...

We can expect a Make America Healthy Again report to come out later this week focused on tackling chronic disease, and it’s got the ears of the agriculture industry. This morning, we’re catching up with Sigrid Johannes. She’s the senior director of government affairs with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Sigrid says she’s got her eyes on a few moving parts....

In the previous administration, NRCS offices were already short of staff. Now, we're hearing that further staff cuts are underway as the administration works to "rightsize" the government. Does NRCS have the staff to provide the service needed to administer programs? Chief Aubrey Bettencourt argues that investments in broadband and technology will help streamline NRCS, retain employees, and make t...

Lara Moody is the executive director of the Institute for Feed Education and Research, a charity that works on behalf of the feed industry. One of their responsibilities is determining what’s trending in the livestock feed space. Moody tells Mid-West Farm Report what's becoming available in the agricultural byproduct supply chain that meets the nutrition requirements for farm animals and fur...

After nearly 100 days of traveling the country and visiting with farmers nationwide, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins released the first set of policy proposals under her newly launched Make Agriculture Great Again Initiative. Before the announcement, she sat down with farm broadcasters in Washington D.C., including Mid-West Farm Report, and responded to questions around tariffs and staff cuts...

This weekend the final race of the triple crown unfolds in New York and the Belmont Stakes.  Once those trained athletes have raced, and bred, what's next?  For some - retirement.  Bob Bosold visits with Tom Beatty, a volunteer at a farm called "Old Friends".  It's the retirement home for over 300 horses in Georgetown, KY, that may have raced in one place or another, or are jus...

The annual Morel Mushroom Festival in Muscoda happens this weekend.  Ben Jarboe talks to community coordinator, Kim Seifert, about why the community rallies around this small fungus. Severe weather took a toll in places like New Richmond and Dodge County last night.  Stu Muck recaps the situation, and tells us what to expect through the weekend. Our final candidate for the Alice in Dairy...

The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection announced the implementation of the mandatory National Milk Testing Strategy, required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. This comprehensive program aims to bolster highly pathogenic avian influenza surveillance of the nation’s dairy cattle herds, ensuring swift action to identify and...

Wisconsin soybean growers are asking questions of the consumers that are using their goods.  Matt Wagenson, Wisconsin soybean grower who sits on the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board, says a new survey they've conducted to gain insights into what opinions consumers have. Wagenson says that the opinion of the consumers varies dependent on age.  He notes that older survey respondents gener...

If you have ever been a dog owner you probably noticed that your furry companion uses their nose to get them in trouble by sniffing out animals in the yard, food in the garbage, and many other things you have never noticed. The USDA is using their powerful noses to make sure agriculture in the US stays safe. Carrie Thomas a deputy Director with USDA APHIS shares some examples of how our furry frie...

Today we’re getting an update on what producers need to know about the waterways – either permanent or temporary – that run through their land. Mary-Thomas Hart is the chief counsel with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.  This Washington Watch news update is brought to you by the Wisconsin Soybean Association, dedicated to ensuring policies are in place for th...