MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

The 78th Alice in Dairyland finals made history over the weekend.  It was the first time that Crawford county hosted the event, and it was the first time that sisters became a part of Wisconsin's agriculture ambassador tradition.  24 year old Sarah Hagenow of Poynette was selected from the field of 6 candidates.  Kaitlyn Kessler visits with the newly crowned woman about her goals an...

The EPA’s herbicide and new insecticide strategies dictate if, how, and when a farmer can use these chemicals on their farm. Any time a crop protection product gets reviewed or renewed, the EPA can determine if "mitigation measures" need to happen on the farm in order for the grower to use it. Today, we hear from Maryland crop farmer Lyndsey Thompson about how the new strategies have impacte...

Budget reconciliation isn't new, but it hasn't ever been used to reshape core farm bill programs. The House Agriculture Committee passed its budget reconciliation this week and wants to have it up for a House vote before Memorial Day, says Tyler Wenzlaff, Director of National Affairs with the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. He says there were key provisions for farmers that they're excited about...

Trempealeau County’s Addison Connolly has been working hard behind the scenes to turn a childhood interest into an international opportunity. Her dedication, drive, and deep bond with her dog have led her to one of the biggest moments of her young career—earning a spot on Team USA for the Junior Open Agility World Championship in Portugal.  Her agility partner is Cooper, a black a...

Weather is often one of the biggest uncertainties for farmers across the U.S. throughout the growing season. With many recent years of drought and in Wisconsin’s case some spring flooding the USDA works to make sure that producers know what to expect year in and year out. Brad Rippey an Agricultural Meteorologist for the USDA Chief Economist's office is one of the original authors of the U.S...

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. How are current trade tensions influencing livestock and pet feed? We talk about it with Mallory Gaines. She’s the director of global affairs with the American Feed Industry Association, watching feed ingredients and pet food...

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. Today we’re talking about lab-grown meat with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. Sigrid Johannes is the senior director of government affairs with NCBA. She tells Mid-West Farm Report how the association ha...

We always knew that dairy was good for your bones. The UW Dairy Innovation Hub is taking it a step further to look at how some underused byproducts of dairy food production can be a game changer for bone health as you age. Mitchell Armstrong is a PhD student at UW-Madison, figuring out how to bring more value to the dairy industry and human nutrition.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Since its inception in 1982, the Muscoda Morel Mushroom Festival has been a staple for the community. Kimberly Seifert a committee member for the festival says that they have an action packed 3-day event planned. She says that this year will have tractor pulls, free ice cream, and of course lots of mushrooms. Located an hour west of Madison the festival aims to be a great time for people of all ag...

Halei Heinzel is getting ready to learn who the next Alice in Dairyland will be.  The final phases of interviews begin today in Crawford County.  Jill Welke talks with Heinzel about her year-long experience and what memories she'll be taking away when she departs officially in July. Severe weather is on the way for a good chunk of Wisconsin today.  Stu Muck draws the lines where hea...

Wisconsin’s Environmental Mesonet, Wisconet for short, is a statewide network of weather and soil monitoring stations launched in 2023 by the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Researchers use the network to fill weather data gaps and develop new web-based tools for the public. Chris Vagasky, Wisconet manager in the UW–Madison Department of Plant and Agroecosystems Sciences, shows...

A new training program is in the works that could change how conservation staff and farmers work together. DATCP’s Nutrient Management Outreach Specialist, Andrea Topper, has been helping to create a program that bridges the gap between conservation and agriculture. While it’s still being finalized, this program will combine online learning with hands-on field experiences to give conse...

With lots of recent changes in the agriculture world the American Farm Bureau is working hard to make sure they get what is best for the farmers. One of the issues that is top of mind for them is getting the funding for the sustainable farming programs. Courtney Briggs the Senior Director of Government Affairs with AFBF says that many farmers depend on this money as they deal with high inputs and...

When the weather warms up, so do the grills in Wisconsin. Knowing this meat shops have to make sure they have the right supply to meet the demand. Bennett Fraboni, a co-owner of Fraboni's Italian Specialties along with his parents and siblings, says that when the season arrives, they up their stock of brats. He says in the beginning of the season they increase their fresh pork supply by 10% to 15%...

Geoff Cooper is the CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association. He says he wants to see support for flex-fuel vehicles and a clear path forward on tax credits for Sustainable Aviation Fuel production. He says airplanes are running on SAF right now, and they want more of it. Cooper says renewable fuel has a champion in the Trump administration -- Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has been a bio...

It's important to know where you're going, but it's also important to know where you've been.  At a time when beef is selling for near historical levels in many markets, Terry Quam, Secretary/Treasurer of The Cattlemen's Beef Board and Wisconsin beef producer, wants to refresh memories on why the beef checkoff program has been so critical. Quam, who owns and operates Marda Angus in Lodi along...

State regulations miles away could ultimately impact the price you pay for groceries. Proposition 12 is a California law that sets specific housing requirements for certain farm animals, including egg-laying hens, sows, and calves raised for veal. And if you want to sell in California, you must follow those rules, too. The National Pork Producers Council wants to reverse Prop 12 and stop other sta...

When many people think of NASA, they just think about looking at stars, planets, and black holes, but they do a lot of work to help agriculture in the United States. Karen St. Germain is the Director of the Earth Science Division at NASA, and she says they work closely with the USDA to better agriculture. Currently they have satellites that watch the weather, measure crop health, read soil moistur...

A state-of-the-art sawmill is the crown jewel at the North Central Technical College’s Antigo campus. It’s not just the timber industry and the students who are excited about it, but also the instructors. Logan Wells is the wood science program director at NTC. He says the new sawmill has generated a lot of buzz because it’s going to ultimately support Wisconsin’s strong fo...

Carl Flaig of Flaig Family Farm in Rudolph finds value in selling his beef and produce at farmers' markets, including the Dane County Farmers Market in Madison. It's the largest producer-only farmers' market in the country. Carl's aquaponics system and cattle ranch brings fresh produce, fish filets, and beef year-round to Wisconsin consumers, restaurants, and retailers. He says it's a major asset...

May is Mental Health Month.  Ben Jarboe finds out what the Farm Credit System is doing to make resources available for farmers and their families. Christy Seyfert, the President and CEO of the Farm Credit Council in Washington D.C. tells him they recognize the unique struggles that farmers and their families may be facing. Yes, there is a chance of rain in the forecast.  Pretty good timi...

At the University of Wisconsin–Stout, the campus greenhouse is much more than a place to grow plants. “It’s a research space. It’s a teaching space,” says Dr. Keith Gilland, Associate Professor of Biology and Greenhouse Manager. “Students can do independent projects, and we support classes in biology and environmental science.” In fact, the greenhouse has...

When it comes to growing Wisconsin agriculture, international trade plays a key role. That’s why Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Secretary Randy Romanski is working to expand markets across the globe — especially in regions where demand is growing fast. Romanski recently returned from a trade mission to Thailand and Indonesia. He says this trip is jus...

This year, try and take a little deeper dive into discovering Wisconsin dairy.  June dairy events dot the state begin as soon as the end of May!  That's part of the discovery process, but not the end.  Erika Schade, Community and School Manager for Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin speaks with Pam Jahnke about some of the elements that farmers hope visitors will pursue during June dairy mo...

"Make America Healthy Again," led by RFK Jr., has been creating some pushback to common pesticides and herbicides used by farmers. Lee Zeldin, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, shares his stance on the issue. He says that EPA will "follow the science" to make its rulings on the use of chemicals. Zeldin compared it to the recent fluoride study that they conducted. This Washi...