MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

When national food supply chains broke during the COVID-19 pandemic, the government came up with the Local Food for Schools program. It directed money to help schools buy food from local farms. Wisconsin schools were supposed to get another $9 million this year, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture canceled the program. Today we’re talking with Ashwaubenon School District Nutrition Coordin...

Founder Darren Redding and Co-chair Dan Guden invite you to the Classic Green Reunion June 12-14 at the Washington County Fair Park & Conference Center in West Bend. This family-friendly event will feature over 1,000 tractors, implements, engines, toys, and memorabilia exhibits. Admission will include access to the exhibits, working demonstrations, seminars, kids’ activities, and a daily...

Hill Valley Dairy, a family-run cheese company from East Troy, Wisconsin, is bringing its farm-to-table experience to Milwaukee with their newest cheese bar.​  Charitee Seebecker asks "what’s a cheese bar​"? ​ Cheesemaker Ron Henningfield shares how their cheese bar offers a unique space for people to gather, learn, and enjoy high-quality, locally made cheese​. Another windy day today a...

Weather can change in the blink of an eye here in Wisconsin and farmers want to mitigate losses from it wherever they can. After a wet spring last year, it has farmers thinking about tiling their fields. Ryan Thurk with Thurk Tiling LLC out of Fremont shares some recent trends that he has seen within the industry as well as some tips when one is thinking about getting tiling done in their fields....

Wisconsin soybean growers have a lot on their minds as they approach spring planting.  Equipment's been set.  Supplies have been reserved.  Weather is always the unplayed card. Jonathan Gibbs from Fox Lake is the president of the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board .  He chats with Pam Jahnke about how he mentally prepares for spring planting.  Gibbs knows it may require lon...

Drones have become a valuable part of production agriculture and agribusiness.  Bob Bosold visits with Jeremy Williams from American Drone.  He's headquartered in Wausau and says they're using the technology in many different ways from evaluating nutrient levels in crops to monitoring insect pressures. Wild winds will make getting around Wisconsin difficult today.  Stu Muck describe...

Hungry farm show goers are snacking on nearly 500 baked potatoes 1,300 servings of fries from the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers stand at the WPS Farm Show this week in Oshkosh. The hands that put it all together belong to the Potato Auxiliary. This auxiliary started 50 years ago as a group of essentially farm wives that has continued to be a valuable asset in promoting Wisconsin potatoes....

Bill Halfmann, UW-Extension Beef Outreach Specialist joins Jill Wielke to talk about beef nutrition and tips to better manage your cattle at different points in the year, especially with this unpredictable spring weather. Stu Muck says sloppy weather is ahead. We have snow in the radar with a winter weather advisory for some counties today as well as rain possibility. Gov. Tony Evers directed anot...

Wisconsin Farm Bureau President Brad Olson farms in northern Polk County, an area where he's noticing a patchwork of cumbersome local ordinances targeting farms. He says the organization wants lawmakers to uphold statewide compliance metrics that respect modern agriculture and the 'Right to Farm.' See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many farm families lack an affordable health insurance option, so they need to rely on off-farm jobs for coverage or go without. Medicare can help some, but many farmers still find plans unaffordable. The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation wants state approval for its own health plan model to bring a cost-effective alternative to these families. Sally Turpin is a member of the Juneau County Farm Bur...

The Wisconsin Farm Bureau works hard to advocate for the farmers in Wisconsin and their top issues. Tyler Winzlaff the Director of National Affairs with the Wisconsin Farm Bureau shares the top priorities they are pushing for at the national level. These include getting a new farm bill passed, delisting wolves, trade, an extension on the tax cut and jobs act, and immigration. He gives an update on...

Ever. Ag Principal Mike North says one of the reasons the Class III milk price is hindered is due to unknowns regarding retaliatory tariffs, notably with Canada and Mexico. In addition, milk production is rising. North emphasizes the need for producers to sign up for the Dairy Margin Coverage program. The deadline is March 31. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Farmer-led Watershed Grant Program has been a huge success in Wisconsin. The program includes research for more sustainable farming which includes cover crops, prevention of nutrient leeching, and safer waterways. Brian Brown a farmer out of Paoli shares an update on how the program he works closely with has been spreading awareness of sustainable agricultural practices as well as new research...

A new organization is working to ensure rural Wisconsin thrives. The Rural Policy Institute is a coalition of agricultural and rural organizations. Executive Director Bob Welch says it's not an advocacy group, but a research organization. It starts with defining rural. A warm-up is coming your way along with showers. Stu Muck relies on weather observers through the National Weather Service. You co...

In 2005, Jackie Allenbrand founded P.H.A.R.M. Dog USA to help farmers with disabilities or illnesses. The program's name stands for "Pets Helping Agriculture in Rural Missouri," and in 2012, Allenbrand added "USA" to reflect its national reach. "I started the program after hearing a farmer's story about his dog helping him manage cattle," Allenbrand said. "That inspired me to research ways trained...

Pest survey specialists at DATCP collect and manage data on plant pests, including insects, that threaten agricultural production and pose trade barriers. Data is collected through field-based sampling and from networks of cooperators across Wisconsin. The program conducts long-term historical pest surveys, while continually adapting and developing new surveys in response to emerging threats, expl...

Wisconsin's flagship university is a research powerhouse, and it relies on federal money to maintain that status. UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin tells Mid-West Farm Report that funding stoppages are evolving. She says freezes could have ripple effects in the community, particularly in science and agriculture. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Renewable energy has been a hot topic the last few years, especially with farmers and their land. Graham Christensen is a family farmer out of Nebraska who is also the president of a company that develops solar energy systems. He gives a different perspective on renewable energy to put minds at ease. Christensen also gives insight on the things to watch out for when signing contracts with large re...

We’re looking forward to Wisconsin’s Ag Day at the Capitol tomorrow hosted by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation and co-sponsored by several other farm advocacy groups ranging from dairy to specialty crops. But farmers have not been idle when it comes to meeting with lawmakers. Recently, biofuels took center stage when about 35 corn and soybean growers were at the state Capitol to ad...

Dan Basse has a chart he's watching that reflects what's happening globally with tariffs and retaliatory tariffs.  It's pretty busy these days.  Basse is the founder and president of AgResource.  During the Professional Dairy Producers business conference he shared the direction he sees some commodities going in light of these influences.  He explains what he thinks is coming t...

Dairy hasn't felt the impacts of tariffs yet - but it likely will.  That's the conclusion of Dr. Leonard Polzin, dairy economist at UW-River Falls and state UW-Extension Dairy Economist.  Polzin talks to Bob Bosold about specific areas that might be targeted, and how Wisconsin's labeling on specialty cheeses might impact some of those tariffs. Wisconsin will look prettier today, but wind...

The University of Wisconsin System is asking for $7 million in the state biennial budget to continue support for the Dairy Innovation Hub. The Hub started in 2019, supporting dairy research at three UW campuses: Madison, Platteville, and River Falls. UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin tells Mid-West Farm Report why the Dairy Innovation Hub is a priority for the campus. Dollars in the state bud...

As spring planting season nears, Wisconsin farmers face rising stress levels. Concerns about finances, unpredictable weather, and labor shortages can weigh heavily on their minds. Fortunately, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection offers resources like the Wisconsin Farmer Wellness Program to provide vital support. "There are so many different elements that can br...

Between the authoring of a state budget and other law-writing business going on in the State Capitol, farm lobby groups are busy. Chad Zuleger is the director of government affairs with the Dairy Business Association. He pulls out some examples of what DBA wants to see support for in the state budget. It includes $150 million for the Agricultural Road Improvement program and support for farmer-led...

A new organization is working to ensure rural Wisconsin thrives. The Rural Policy Institute (RPI) was formed in July 2024 as a nonprofit, non-partisan coalition of agricultural and rural organizations. Its goal is to research and develop policies that promote generational prosperity in rural communities. "Rural Wisconsin has unique challenges, and we're here to help policymakers understand those,"...