MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

The Margan family farm in Grant County, Wisconsin, has a rich history spanning over a century. Purchased by Paul's father in 1924 from his grandfather, the 120-acre farm originally featured a log cabin, a granary, and a chicken house. In 1935, the log cabin was replaced with a new house. The farm operated as a dairy farm, with Paul's mother raising chickens and maintaining large gardens, while hay...

the issue of affordable and accessible housing in both rural and urban communities in Wisconsin. The person Pam will be interviewing is Darrin Wasniewski (WAZ-new-SKI), whose title is Senior Associate State Director-Community Outreach for AARP Wisconsin. The conversation about affordable and accessible housing is sweeping across the state of Wisconsin.  From rural communities to urban city centers...

Pictured: Racine County farmer Kevin Malchine The Environmental Protection Agency has finalized its Herbicide Strategy. This is the plan the agency will use to decide if any restrictions should be added to product labels when registering or renewing an herbicide. These restrictions are “mitigation measures” to stop spray drift or erosion. The farmer would have to do these things in order to use th...

We’ve got happy campers at both the gas and diesel pump as the price per gallon continues to push lower. Patrick De Haan joins us. He’s the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy where they track fuel prices across the country. De Haan says the national average for gas prices has declined for six straight weeks. Some areas of Wisconsin see below $3 per gallon for gas. Statewide average is $3.06, f...

The Wisconsin Grocers Association recently welcomed Mike Semmann as its new President and CEO. With a long-standing background in trade associations and a deep connection to the grocery industry, Semmann brings a fresh perspective and renewed energy to the organization.  Semmann visits with Charitee Seebecker about some of the initial goals he's got, and the importance of the grocery industry’s re...

Wisconsin corn grower, Shane Goplin, just returned from the summer meeting of the U.S. Grains Council in Salt Lake, Utah.  The goal of the gathering was to continue to find new ways to access international markets for U.S. produced grain.  Bob Bosold talks to Goplin about what take-aways he heard. The Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival was a success over the weekend at the Jefferson County Fair Par...

A farm family in Delta Junction, Alaska, has taken on the personal challenge of trying to help the state combat food security.  Bryce Wrigley and his son, Milo, have created the Alaska Flour Company to maximize their 1,700 acres of small grains and cover crops they grow.  Initially it began as a flour milling operation, but has evolved into a packaged goods and bakery operation too.  Bryce explain...

The effort to reform the outdated milk pricing model has been going on for a number of years, and now deadlines are approaching -- a signal we’re making progress. Chuck Nicholson joins us in-studio to talk about where we stand on the timeline for the Federal Milk Marketing Order reform process. Chuck is an associate professor and dairy economist at UW-Madison. He reminds dairy producers, there’s a...

As the back-to-school season unfolds, Wisconsin's grocery stores are witnessing distinct trends among consumers. According to Mike Semmann, President & CEO of the Wisconsin Grocers Association, the two words that are top of mind for shoppers this year are "value" and "flexibility." "Consumers are extremely focused on value this year, much more so than we've seen in past years," Semmann remarke...

Even though the dairy sheep program at the Spooner Agricultural Research Station came to a close in 2016, dairy sheep producers in Wisconsin are still working to improve genetics to grow sheep dairy and processing capacity across the U.S. Mariana Marques de Almeida at Ms. J & Co. is one example. She is truly a woman of all trades – co-founder of the business, an animal scientist, a cheesemaker...

The Johnson Family Farm out of Jackson County has been working hard for 107 years. Ray and Bill Johnson share some of the history of this farm and some of the memories they have from working and growing up on the farm. Whether it be hot summer days or playing basketball in the hay shed, these brothers say that they would not change their experiences on the farm for anything.  See omnystudio.com/li...

If you can recall old Christmas movies, imagine Santa’s curly white beard. That was likely made from Leicester Longwool fleece. The Leicester Longwools are a rare, heritage breed of sheep. This year, they took center stage at the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival with their card grading event. Aby Breed chaired the event. She says this evaluation is important for breeders to learn how to keep th...

Bruce Peterson explains the over 150 years of history of Fair Oaks Farm in Fon du Lac County. He says that surviving through the 80's and watching the community come together to help each other after terrible events are some of the fondest memories that he has. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rick Zemlicka’s family sesquicentennial farm in Iowa County, has been a cornerstone of his heritage since his great-great-grandfather purchased the original 80 acres in 1874. Arriving from Bohemia with his parents in 1860, his ancestor expanded the farm to 320 acres over the years. The original farmstead included basic buildings and facilities for a modest mixed operation with cows, pigs, chickens...

With the fall semester starting, UW-River Falls’ College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES) is ready for another year of hands-on education, shaping the next generation of agricultural leaders. Even though enrollment hasn’t changed much, CAFES Dean Mike Orth shares that interest in important agriculture programs is picking up. "Our companion animal science program, which is re...

Just as growers are getting their equipment ready for the harvest season, so are implement dealers and service providers. Ryan O’Flanigan, store manager at Sloan Implement’s Monroe location, says his team is ready to rock and roll with a full staff, a full lot, and a full stock of parts. Sloan Implement also supports Farm Rescue, a nonprofit that helps farm families in need when disaster strikes....

The Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival is coming up and there is no shortage of things to experience there. Stephanie Hoff talks to Hedge Becker, the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival coordinator, who explains the excitement around the festival whether it be the fiber art, producer education seminars, or baby lambs. The UW- River Falls Ag Program is holding strong with the numbers with some surpris...

Progress seems slow on connecting all corners of Wisconsin to high speed internet access.  Stephanie Hoff gets an update from Brittany Beyer.   She’s an Extension specialist in community economic development out of Rhinelander. She has been on the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access since it started in 2020, chairing the task force for the first two years. At the end of July, Wisconsin got a...

Hemp is a newer industry that is seeing an increase in not only high cannabinoid demand, but also as a source for fiber and grain. Phillip Alberti, a research program manager at the University of Wisconsin Madison, talks about the trials that they are conducting that can help hemp reach its full potential. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin’s agricultural pilots can finally take a breath as the application season comes to a close. Curtis Meister is among them. Curtis is the president of Reabe Spraying Service in Plover and the president of the Wisconsin Agricultural Aviation Association. He gives us a bird’s-eye view of what the growing season looked like in the Central Sands. He even describes what it’s like to be an agric...

Effective Nov. 5, newly applied cattle official ID tags will need to have both a visual and an electronic component. This means any time you need an official ID tag, it'll have to be an 840 RFID tag. DATCP has a limited supply available to help producers offset costs. https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/OfficialID.aspx Tressa Lacy, president of the Wisconsin Cattlemen's Association says s...

Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation President Brad Olson reminds us that another round of Agricultural Road Improvement dollars are available. FMMO decisions have yet to be finalized. And regional policy meetings are underway. Mid-West Farm Report and the Wisconsin Association of Fairs are teaming up to collect your fair story. You could win $500. Submit your story today at midwestfarmreport.com. Wit...

Megan Moucha and her grandfather worked on the Century Farm application together. Unfortunately, her grandpa passed before they accepted the award. But he was there in spirit -- and in a frame (pictured). Megan tells Mid-West Farm Report about her family's Bohemian heritage that led them to Cadott in Chippewa County. Megan, the fifth generation, says the farm continues to grow crops. She's working...

Ron Patten is the fourth generation on his family's Sesquicentennial Farm that is 152 years old this year. He says since the beginning, when his ancestors cleared the land and built a home, the farm had been a team effort. Even in close quarters, family members have been pitching in since the beginning to continue the farming tradition in Boyd, located in Chippewa County. Today, the family has dec...

North Crawford School District is making strides in enhancing the quality and sustainability of its school meals by incorporating locally sourced ingredients. The initiative began as a response to the disruptions in the food supply chain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a significant shortage of food in grocery stores and schools alike. During the pandemic, the federal government intr...