MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

In a year marked by a lot of uncertainties, many Wisconsin farmers are wondering what’s next. Behind the scenes, agricultural lenders are working closely with producers—not just to manage risk, but to help guide long-term success. One of those voices is Nicholas Felder, vice chair of the ag bankers section board, who’s seeing both concern and quiet confidence among his clients in...

From your favorite restaurant to dinner tables around the world, a key Wisconsin facility quietly helps deliver cheese to your plate. But when a fire temporarily shut down operations, it posed a major challenge. Now, that plant is bouncing back stronger than ever. Sarah Schmidt, Vice President of Marketing for AMPI, is sharing the story of how they overcame the setback at their Portage plant and w...

The Wisconsin Beef Council is crisscrossing the state in the month of May, promoting beef and the recipes that are making it great! Kaitlyn Kesler, Director of Communication & Outreach for the Wisconsin Beef Council tells Pam Jahnke that their annual "Best Beef Burger" campaign has been overwhelmed with entries!  Here's your Elite 8: Elite 8: 11:11 Burgers & Beignets - Fond du Lac Bra...

Spring is the time for horse owners to reevaluate their vaccine regimens. Diseases are out there that threaten your prized animals, but they're preventable. Dr. Heather Roney is a veterinarian and epidemiologist with the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection's Division of Animal Health, overseeing state equine programs. She walks us through the health risks your horse may...

Organic Valley has selected agricultural veteran and community advocate Shawna Nelson as the cooperative’s fourth CEO, effective March 28. She’s also the cooperative’s first female CEO. Over almost 20 years within the co-op, she has grown from intern to CEO, contributing significantly to Organic Valley’s growth. Born and raised in the Driftless Area, Nelson started her care...

On April 15th AgrAbility of Wisconsin and the National Farm Medicine Center, will be hosting an outreach summite to educate agencies on what's available resource-wise through the group.  Melissa Ploeckelman, outreach specialist with the National Farm Medicine Center. explains the itinerary to Jill Welke. Fog this morning, but improving temperatures on the horizon according to Stu Muck. How fa...

The Midwest Horse Fair returns to the Alliant Energy Center in Madison this weekend.  Ben Jarboe visits with show manager, Terri Giannati, about how engagement looks this year.  The event is the biggest gathering of equine enthusiasts in the nation, and focuses on education instead of the "show" element. Rain is rolling back to Wisconsin.  Stu Muck says it's not going to be a lot, b...

From heartbreak to harvest—one Minnesota woman has turned unexpected tragedy into something truly beautiful. For Liz Fiedler, what began as a simple roadside flower stand during the pandemic has blossomed into a thriving farm and floral business. She joins Pam Jahnke to share how digging into the soil helped her heal, and how she’s built a business rooted in resilience, beauty, and a d...

The 2025 Wisconsin Honey Queen is Emily Sydow from Sun Prairie. Currently a student at UW-Madison, majoring in Agricultural and Applied Economics, she shares how beekeepers placing their hives on her family's farm first sparked her love for the industry. She shares more information about the farm she grew up on and the animals they kept. She also says that she hopes to one day work in the capitol...

April is Earth Month which means Wisconsin residents are encouraged to get out and do something good for the environment. Alice In Dairyland, Halei Heinzel, shares some fun facts about sustainable agriculture efforts within the state. She also says that on Arbor Day, which is April 25th, she will be planting a tree in Crawford County to support sustainability efforts. See omnystudio.com/listener f...

As Wisconsin’s agriculture faces both challenges and opportunities, one state senator is stepping up to help shape policies that support farmers across the state. Senator Patrick Testin, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Revenue, has a background that blends both politics and agriculture. He’s been actively working to ensure Wisconsin's farming community thrives, advoc...

REAP Food Group calls the termination of the Local Food For Schools and Child Care program a “major blow” to Wisconsin. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is cutting two programs that provided about $1 billion in funding to schools and food banks to buy directly from local farms. That includes about $660 million this year for the Local Food for Schools program. Allison Pfaff Harris, Fa...

The Wisconsin Beef Improvement Association's 68th Annual Bull Test Sale featured 68 bulls averaging $5,358. This year's sale was “record-breaking” for the WBIA. The sale average was the highest it has ever been, surpassing the previous sale average record from 2022, with an average sale price over $500 higher than last year. The sale was via DVAuction online and live auction at UW-Plat...

For many in Wisconsin Dairy Farming is a way of life. But recent times have shown a labor shortage making it harder for these farmers to produce. One school in Green Bay heard this call for help and implemented the only pure dairy science program in the nation. Wendy Vandenboom, a dairy science instructor and Veterinarian with the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College shares the story of how local...

Wisconsin has been working hard to close the gap between the demand for rural doctors and the actual number there are. This all starts with where medical students get placed for their residency. Lori Rodefeld the Director of the Wisconsin Collaborative for Rural GME shares an update on the effort to provide more healthcare for rural Wisconsin. She says that as part of this effort, Wisconsin is hom...

Wisconsin's livestock market has been topsy turvy with incredible prices for any beef cattle. Curt Larson, President and CEO of the Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Association, talks to Jill Welke about the marketing cycle they've witnessed at sale barns. He also projects what he's anticipating for livestock movement and prices going forward in 2025. Sunshine returns to the forecast today, acco...

Springtime is busy for the equine veterinarians on staff at IronGate Clinic in Madison. Howard Ketover is one of them. He serves farms, hobbyists, and boarding facilities across Dane County and beyond. He says he puts a lot of miles on in the spring because horses and their owners are in a key transition period. It’s time to move from a less active winter season to a more physical summer rou...

Sustainability is everywhere, especially in Wisconsin’s dairy industry! Sustainability in one form or another has been practiced by Wisconsin dairy farmers for generations, including working with their land to keep their soil rich and healthy to dairy cows being natural recyclers. Jeff Betley is a member of the board of directors for Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin .  He's the third generati...

The Midwest Horse Fair is at the end of this week and there will be lots to see and do for the fair goers. Terri Giannetti the Executive Director of the fair shares some of the highlights for what can be expected including famous horses. She also says that Amber Marshall from the hit show Heartland will be at the fair hosting clinics and fan meet and greets. The fair will include around 800 horses...

Market trends, industry developments, emerging risks – this is what agribusinesses are focused on every day that their insurance providers are also monitoring. Here to give us a snapshot of what insurance companies are analyzing are Ben DuCharme and Jen Pino-Gallagher of M3 Insurance. Ben is a client executive and Jen is the director of Agriculture, Food and Business. They cover topics aroun...

This weekend, Girl Scout troops will explore the world of agriculture. John Haag is a dairy farmer out of Dane, Wisconsin. He milks about 115 cows with his family. They’ve been hosting Girl Scout troops on the farm for the past five years, helping these girls earn their dairy patch. About 40 troops will rotate around different presenters -- women who work in the field of agriculture: agronom...

It’s time to renew your premise ID. If you have livestock – maybe you’re milking 3,000 cows or maybe you’ve just started a chicken flock in your backyard with three birds. Registering your premise with the Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium is the law. WLIC manages these premise registrations for the state. If there’s an animal disease outbreak, it allows t...

Wisconsin's already witnessed a few wildfires that have torched rural acres.  The threat for fire on the farm needs to be taken seriously too.  Not only is property at risk, but family and employees need protection.  Ben Jarboe gets some tips from Jerry Minor, retired fire chief with the Pittsville FD.  He suggests that farm devise an emergency response plan if a fire occurs.&n...

New producers continue to enter the sheep community, but common beginner mistakes can become serious issues for the flock down the road. Caroline Ihde is a small ruminant outreach specialist with Iowa State University and the UW-Madison Division of Extension. She has the details on how to keep your flock safe and productive. But first, she says it’s been exciting to see new families or retir...

Whether you're lambing or kidding this spring, keep in mind that you’ll need to relook at your nutrition regimen for new mamas. Caroline Ihde is a small ruminant outreach specialist with both Iowa State University and the UW-Madison Division of Extension. She says nutrition is commonly overlooked this time of year. Here’s what you need to remember. See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...