MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

At the Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors annual convention in Middleton, two industry leaders were inducted into the 2025 Meat Industry Hall of Fame: Fritz Usinger of Fred Usinger, Inc., a 144-year-old family meat business in Milwaukee, and Dan Sutherland of Johnsonville, who has held various roles since 1982. Sutherland, a third-generation member of the Milwaukee Stockyards, shared insight...

The spring bird migration has begun here in Wisconsin, but unfortunately our homes could be one of the most dangerous obstacles for our feathered friends. Windows pose a huge threat to our avian counterparts and Lisa Gaumnitz the coordinator of Save Our Songbirds shares some proactive ways you can prevent these collisions that take the lives of 3.5 billion birds a year. She also shares some other...

Supporting Emergency Medical Services, healthy eating, and a healthy environment are on the priority list for Assembly Agriculture Committee Vice Chair Rep. Clint Moses. He also chairs the Committee on Health, Aging and Long-Term Care. Moses grew up on a dairy farm and was raised by an agriculture teacher. He currently raises beef cattle. So, with roots in the agriculture community, he’s bee...

When you head to your attorney’s office, it’s best to have your plan together so that you can be efficient with the time you’re paying for. Unfortunately, not every farm family has a plan when it comes to a farm succession. Justin Randall is an associate attorney at Hooper Law Office, heading up the area of farm succession planning. He walks us through some dos and don'ts when yo...

Once ridden by Chinese Emperors and world leaders, the Akhal-Teke has a rich history. Now there are less than 5,000 of them remaining in the world. Danielle Splaine a member of the Akhal-Teke Association of America joins Ben Jarboe and shares the history of these horses as well as the characteristics they have that led them to being the horse of choice for the once-great leaders. The wet weather i...

Farms have a wide range of assets and activities that require specialized coverage. When you're worrying about the home, personal property, AND farm buildings, equipment, and livestock, some liabilities can get overlooked. We're talking about some of those items today with Rural Mutual Insurance Agent Barbi Manter in Northwest Wisconsin. She works with a diverse portfolio of farm businesses from d...

Bob Bosold brings us a conversation with a New Zealand dairy farmer, Chris Adams, at Bright View Farms at the "bottom of the world." Dairy has taken over sheep as their largest industry. This month's DFW Checkoff Chat has Charitee Seebecker visiting with Gary Kohn. Even though June is a few months away, dairy marketers and farmers are preparing for June Dairy Month. A June dairy breakfast --...

Expanding and bettering healthcare in rural America is top of mind for many in the U.S., including businesses. Bob Madsen, Vice President of Rural Vitality with Compeer Financial, shares some recent projects they are working on to support rural areas. One of the more recent projects is helping fund a $25.75 million renovation of the Midwest Medical Center in Galena, Illinois. They are also going t...

Some wet weather is moving through the state this weekend. Ag meteorologist Stu Muck says some of these may be severe. Farm Director Pam Jahnke has a conversation with Brian Luck, a biological systems engineer with UW-Madison Extension, about some updates on the changes to the custom operator survey. Luck says the research will now be fully done by UW- Extension. This morning also involves some ed...

Ellen Schutt has stepped into a new role as Executive Director of the Wisconsin FFA Foundation. She grew up on her family’s farm in Darien, Wisconsin, where they still raise cattle and crops today. “I loved FFA growing up,” Schutt said. “I was our chapter Sentinel and competed in many different events.” After high school, she attended UW-Madison and joined the Collegi...

As we hit the quarter-century mark in agriculture and ag lending, there’s a tale of two economies unfolding. According to Dr. David Kohl from Virginia Tech’s Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics, the U.S. economy is holding strong, but the global economy is facing headwinds. Stu Muck tells us what rainfall could look like around the state this evening and into the Easter wee...

A trusted tool that helps Wisconsin farmers make smart financial decisions is getting a fresh start in 2025. The Wisconsin Custom Rate Survey, which shows the average prices charged for farming services across the state, is now being handled directly by the University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension. “This survey gives farmers the power of information,” said Brian Luck...

As we hit the quarter-century mark in agriculture and ag lending, there’s a tale of two economies unfolding. According to Dr. David Kohl, Professor Emeritus in Virginia Tech’s Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics, the U.S. economy is currently holding strong — but the global economy is facing headwinds. “We have a bifurcated world economy,” Kohl said. &ldqu...

Dairy farmers take cow comfort to the next level because they know that if they take care of the cows, the cows take care of them. Today, we’re exploring one of the many ways dairy farmers prioritize animal welfare. Nick Knaapen is a sales manager for Bioret Agri. He says on many farms, the cows sleep more comfortably than their farmers do thanks to animal welfare technology. Nick essentiall...

Once ridden by Chinese Emperors and world leaders, the Akhal-Teke has a rich history. Now there are less than 5,000 of them remaining in the world. Danielle Splaine a member of the Akhal-Teke Association of America shares the history of these horses as well as the characteristics they have that led them to being the horse of choice for the once-great leaders. This horse for Turkmenistan has a long...

A comfortable cow is a productive cow. When animals are your livelihood, keeping them happy is a part of the job. Today we’re exploring one of the many ways dairy farmers prioritize animal welfare. Austin Brozak owns Quadra Step Hoof Care near Madison, providing foot baths and hoof trimming for dairies. He says hoof care for a cow is kind of like scheduling a pedicure! Learn more: https://qu...

The work continues to prevent the highly pathogenic avian influenza from disrupting dairy herds. Several states have had the virus infiltrate dairies, but Wisconsin is not one of them. The goal of state health officials is to keep it that way. Dr. Heather Roney is a veterinarian and epidemiologist with the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection's Division of Animal Health,...

When animals are your livelihood, keeping them happy and comfortable is a part of the job. Today we’re exploring one of the many ways dairy farmers prioritize animal welfare to keep the farm profitable and productive. Jeff Glass joins us from Best Footing Concrete and Grooving out of Strum. His job is to ensure cows don’t slip on wet concrete or hurt their feet on surfaces that are too...

Senator Patrick Testin has taken the reins of the Wisconsin Senate Committee for Agriculture and Revenue.  Although not from a farming background, Testin says he's always had a healthy appreciation for Wisconsin agriculture and rural life, and already has some priorities he wants addressed.  He tells Pam Jahnke about his path to the position, and how he's already focused attention on see...

A program called the "Local Food for Schools' started during the pandemic but is coming up short on funds today.  Stephanie Hoff finds that Wisconsin schools were supposed to get $9 million this year, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture canceled the program. REAP Food Group calls the termination a “major blow” to Wisconsin. REAP Farm to School Director Allison Pfaff Harris says...

Farmers across Wisconsin are no strangers to navigating uncertainty—from changing weather to fluctuating markets. But what does that mean for their financial future? We checked in with Jeff Wilke- Chair of the ag bankers section board to get an inside look at how the lending landscape is shifting in his neck of the woods in Northeast Wisconsin and what it means for farmers planning their nex...

Lawmakers are trying to get all hands on deck on what they are calling the largest energy reform package that the state has seen in decades. It's called the Wisconsin Energy Reform Act (WERA). It includes a farmland preservation component. Assembly Agriculture Chair Travis Tranel led the effort to include whether or not a large-scale renewable energy project should be sited on productive farmland....

If you find yourself daydreaming about living in the countryside, growing tulips, and having a farmstand… well, you’re not alone. It’s not something that only happens in the movies, but it takes more work than the movies let on. Welcome back as we highlight specialty crops across Wisconsin and the growers who make it happen. Today we’re visiting with Erin Avila-Vissers at...

Temple Grandin is a staple in US agriculture, well known for her work on the humane harvest of livestock, as well as the better understanding of the behavior of animals. Recently Temple was in Madison where she spoke about her about the work she has done throughout her life as well as current issues that she is seeing within the animal agriculture industry. She says that if you get down and see wh...

The maple syrup season is drawing to a close.  Always dependent on the weather, this year's season ended up a little shorter than Cedric Boettcher had hoped.  He's a fourth generation maple syrup operator in Cadott who explains the diversity of the industry to Bob Bosold. Warmer today, with sunshine this weekend.  Stu Muck holds out weather hope on a Friday. Ag suppliers are getting...