MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

Scott Stump, has been appointed to the National FFA’s National Work Readiness Council. What does that mean for our future farmers? Jill Welke has the story. This is the first year in history that games will be played on artificial turf and not natural grass at the duck pond for the Madison Mallards. Will Kenne, Director of Operations of the Madison Mallards explains what his duties look like now c...

Broadband expansion continues across the state of Wisconsin, but many feel it's happening at a snails pace.  Stephanie Hoff gets the straight story from Garin Mayer, CEO of Vernon Communications Cooperative. He says in the past six years, they’ve gotten nearly $14 million in grants to bring high-speed internet to roughly 4,000 locations. Wisconsin's Local Food Purchase Assistance program has annou...

Only the third female Master Cheesemaker graduated in the class of 2024.  Accomplishing this feat has taken Sarah Greisbach over a decade.  Charitee Seebecker captures her story. It took a 12 hour marathon session to allow the House of Representatives to mark up their version of the Farm Bill. Congressman Tracy Mann (R-KS) was surprised by how many people were observing the session. Ashley Huhn fr...

The 2024 planting season has proven to be exceptionally challenging for farmers across the Midwest due to inconsistent and heavy rainfall, reminiscent of the tumultuous spring of 2019. "Everybody did get rained on, but it was spotty," says Todd Schaumberg, agronomist for Tilth Agronomy. "Some areas received very, very heavy amounts, while others experienced just heavy bouts, but not as much. Conse...

Julia Lenz and Parker Litterick, Wisconsin FFA vice presidents, join Aubrey Schlimgen in-studio to reflect on their year in office and what to expect at the 95th annual State FFA Convention June 10-13 at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. Lenz says the FFA is handing out roughly triple the amount of Blue Jacket Legacy Endowments than years prior. Litterick says the convention will also display...

We’re heading into hoop houses in east central Wisconsin to get acquainted with a farm family that produces, in their words, green magic. We’re talking about sugar peas. They are fresh, they are green, they are delicious. Sullivan Family Farm in Manitowoc is growing peas among other specialty crops to live a healthy lifestyle and give back to the community. Ryan Sullivan and his wife are the first...

If you're wondering what direction the economy is going, or if we're in "good" shape or not, listen in on this conversation with Bill Moore, Chief Risk Officer with Compeer Financial. Economic policies are being discussed and re-discussed in D.C. and across the nation's Heartland.  Moore is watching inflation and interest rates.  He explains to Pam Jahnke why those two components are critical infl...

Growers better be asking themselves some important questions.  After the rain, where's my nitrogen?  After the rain, how far down is that herbicide?  Steve Bailie, Branch Manager with Helena Agri in Monroe, WI, says his team is working on finding those answers right now. Bailie says a lot depends on HOW much rain farm fields received and whether or not there was a stabilizer in place. How far did...

Having a good game plan before you're rolling with spring planting will pay big dividends. Steve Bailie, Branch Manager in Monroe, WI with Helena Agri is already monitoring insect pressure - well ahead of normal! Bailie relies on his staff to mobilize and troubleshoot with clients on any early spring challenge they're facing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities Conference May 30-31 features presentations and technical programming to help small towns create environments where entrepreneurs can thrive. It includes information on agricultural entrepreneurship or "agri-preneurs". Kyle Vesperman is one of the featured panelists. His family's Century farm in Lancaster has journeyed from row crops to fresh produce to a...

When you think about Wisconsin cash crops - tulips aren't likely on the list.  Jody and Aaron Wilhelm in Fall Creek have decided to try and make it a cash crop.  Bob Bosold talks to Jody Wilhelm about the path that brought them into tulip production and how they're planning to market the cut flowers and bulbs. The Indy 500 race may have been rain delayed, but at the end - there was still a jug of...

Two Wisconsin wedding barn/event owners are suing the state over a pending law that reclassifies them as "public".  Pam Jahnke visits with Lucas Vebber, deputy attorney for the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL).  He explains the suit they're bringing versus the state. U.S. Ag Secretary, Tom Vilsack, visited Wisconsin on Thursday.  He had a chance to visit the Dairy Dreams operation in...

Two Wisconsin farmers are hoping to make their farm more accessible to the public. Shawn Kuhn and Tommy Stauffer are co-owners of Vitruvian Farms in McFarland. They grow a variety of greens and mushrooms. “We got interested in farming while we were in college together and basically just learned that there’s a lot of problems with the food system,” Kuhn said. “We decided we wanted to be a part of c...

Wisconsin’s very first dairy breakfast for the year is coming to Green County on Saturday May 25. The Mid-West Farm Report had a chance to visit Nimtz Dairy farm in Monticello, the host of this year’s breakfast. Jeff Nimtz, owner of the farm, shares more about what guests can expect but first he tells us about the history of their farm. The breakfast is Saturday May 25 from 6am-10am. Adults are $1...

What started as an employee appreciation cookout at Metcalfe’s Market has now become the largest brat and music festival in the world featuring thousands and thousands of Johnsonville brats, among other food and family entertainment. Brat Fest is going on Friday through Sunday at Willow Island at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. Michael Alexander joins us in-studio. He’s the entertainment dir...

Wisconsin's seen several visitors from the U.S. Department of Agriculture lately.  Jill Welke caught up with USDA Under Secretary, Alexis Taylor, discussing specialty crops in Wisconsin and what they're doing to help keep them competitive in a global market. Cicadas have returned to Wisconsin.  UW-Extension Entomologist, PJ Leisch, explains the hatch process for the noisy insects. Technology plays...

Peonies.  Beautiful flowers that are turning into a business model for Michele Ovan of Beaver Dam.  Stephanie Hoff visits with her about the challenges of establishing the crop, recent weather issues, and the big audiences her fields are expected to attract soon. Ashley Huhn from the Steffes Group joins Pam Jahnke to discuss a dairy dispersal sale coming up in Sun Prairie, paid for by Steffes Grou...

Just like the colleges and schools that are wrapping up with graduations, the Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Program has another round of graduates. While we have over 1200 licensed cheesemakers in Wisconsin, for those seeking to reach the pinnacle of their craft, the Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker certification is the ultimate achievement as Wisconsin is the only place outside of Switzerland with thi...

The way things used to be – cows were milked twice a day, morning and night. Milking technology has since developed where the cow can decide when and how often she wants to be milked. What does milking frequency mean for milk production? That’s what the UW Dairy Innovation Hub has been exploring. Erin Kammann joins us. She’s a Madison native – educated at UW-Platteville before earning a master's d...

Welcome back as we introduce you to the bounty of specialty crops that Wisconsin has to offer and the families who produce them. Ovans Peony Farm in Beaver Dam is one of the sweetest-smelling farms you'll visit. Here you’ll find more than 100 varieties of peonies. Michelle Ovans takes some time with us as she prepares for the Wisconsin Arts & Peony Festival. This is in Beaver Dam June 7-9. Ova...

Instead of multiple tractors driving through farm fields, you may start to see multiple drones. The Federal Aviation Administration or FAA has planted the seeds for multiple large drones to be flown over fields or drone swarms. Preston Rice is the co-founder of Madison Area Drone Service, which specializes in agricultural drones. He says this rule change for agriculture can bring benefits to the i...

"Midwest nice" now translates to how you pilot your drone. Preston Rice is the co-founder of Madison Area Drone Service. MADS sells and services drone products, specializing in agricultural drones. Rice says as the industry grows, so does the importance of safe and polite flying. He says even though the rules and regulations say you can fly pretty much wherever you want doesn’t mean you should. Se...

As the driving season picks up between Memorial Day and Labor Day, ethanol producers remind you that you can buy E15 at the pump this summer. Howard Boppart joins us, grain merchandiser with Marquis Energy out of Necedah. He says the news that E15 will be allowed year-round in Wisconsin from here on out is great not just for corn and ethanol producers, but anyone filling up the gas tank. See omnys...

When you think about NASA, the first images that probably come to mind are astronauts floating in space, rockets launching into the sky, or distant planets waiting to be explored. However, NASA's contributions extend far beyond the realms of space. In fact, they play a crucial role in supporting farmers here on Earth every day. Through advanced satellite technology and data analysis, NASA provides...

An agriculture educator from New Richmond has been named Teacher of the Year 2025.  Bob Bosold visits with ag education veteran, Rachel Sauvola, about her teaching philosophy. The Rural Main Street Index went negative again in the month of April.  Dr. Ernie Goss from Creighton University explains what the index is telling us about current economic conditions. Eat, sleep, drink - sound simple, but...