MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

In an effort to preserve Wisconsin’s farmland for future generations, the state's Farmland Preservation Program has undergone a substantial update. The program, which serves as a crucial tool for farmers to protect their land, has received revisions aimed at enhancing its effectiveness and ensuring its alignment with evolving agricultural needs. Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protect...

"Love is in the air. You know what that means—it's time to dust off those cheesy pickup lines and get ready for Valentine's Day as it approaches faster than cupid's arrow ! But before you panic-buy a giant teddy bear or a heart-shaped box of chocolates, let's take a moment to appreciate the unsung heroes of this romantic holiday: florists. Have you ever wondered how florists prepare for the surge...

What do 49ers fans, Chiefs fans, and Swifties all have in common? They'll likely be eating wings on Super Bowl Sunday!  According to the National Chicken Council’s 2024 Wing Report, Americans will devour 1.45 billion wings while watching Kansas City and San Francisco battle for the championship trophy. “Football is great. Wings are great. But they’re even better together,” said Council spokesman T...

Wisconsin's dairy industry isn't the only one suffering with lower prices.  Cow numbers are decreasing and the amount of milk per cow is remaining stable. Despite stable milk production per cow, innovative feeding and breeding strategies led to an 11% increase in butterfat per cow. Managing through all these trends will take sharp managers.  Charitee Seebecker talks with UW-Extension Dairy Economi...

Good soil practices are paying financial dividends for farmers in some states in the upper Midwest, and Wisconsin may soon join in.  Bob Bosold talks to Jack Cornell with the United Soybean Board about Farmers for Soil Health.  He explains their model and the companies that are already buying in, literally. Even small plots of ground can be incredibly productive.  Pam Jahnke visits with Sarah Bres...

Keeping a farm or homestead in the family for more than 100 or 150 years is truly a great accomplishment and that’s something that the Wisconsin State Fair wants to recognize through their Century and Sesquicentennial Farm and Home Award. To qualify for the award, families are required to provide proof of continuous family ownership of a property in the state of Wisconsin for either the last 100 o...

There’s a new bill in Congress that aims to support domestic hardwood products, and Wisconsin manufacturers are hopeful it will pass through. The bill would create a Hardwood Products Access and Development Program. This program would give grants to fund research to show consumers the health and environmental benefits of hardwood products, such as flooring and cabinets. Kretz Lumber Company in Ant...

Wisconsin Farmers Union is asking the state to expand BadgerCare by accepting federal Medicaid expansion dollars. With the expansion, they say they can reach more farmers, such as Dylan Bruce. He and his wife operate Circadian Organics and Driftless Seed in Ferryville. He’s also president of his Vernon and Crawford County WFU chapter. Because farming is such a unique business, he doesn’t qualify f...

Brandi Grayson is the CEO of Urban Triage in Madison. With help from USDA and donors, Urban Triage has programming to support Black Wisconsin farmers as they strive to build financially stable, wealth-building farm businesses. Urban Triage says its agriculture programming at the Farley Center has become its most popular service and has been successful in generating new businesses. See omnystudio.c...

GrassWorks has been a driving force in promoting sustainable grazing practices. In 2023, the organization welcomed a new executive director and intensified their efforts in educating farmers. Their annual GrassWorks Grazing conference is happening now through February 3rd. President, Kevin Mahalko gives an overview of how this past year went for them and the exciting things ahead. See omnystudio.c...

The agricultural industry has been confronted with historically low cattle numbers, indicating a potential challenge in beef supplies for the foreseeable future. But what does this mean for farmers?  Jeff Swenson, Department of Agriculture Livestock and Meat Specialist provides some insight into how much of an impact this will have. "While these may be low numbers, it's important to remember that...

From the Northern end of the world's longest barn, Jill Welke brings us a story with the Flower Hill Institute, a nonprofit that provides outreach and technical assistance to small meat and poultry processors under the direction of USDA. Jeff Swenson, DATCP livestock and meat specialist and author of the Wisconsin livestock report, reflects on the numbers in USDA's Cattle Report that reported hist...

Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation is asking the state for permission to offer its own health care plan to members. Rachel Harmann has testified in support of Farm Bureau health coverage. She and her family own Lakeshore Land and Livestock in Door County. She says if passed, this unique health plan would provide relief for families that have to choose between growing the farm business or staying hom...

Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation is pushing a bill that would allow the organization to provide members with a health coverage plan option. Executive Director of Governmental Relations Jason Mugnaini says they aim to reach growers with unique and affordable health insurance that they wouldn’t already be eligible for. Seven other state Farm Bureaus currently operate in this model. The bill asks the...

The Grassworks Grazing Conference kicks off today. CIAS Researcher Sarah Lloyd says heifer grazing is a viable enterprise, especially on Wisconsin's landscape. It's also attractive to a younger demographic looking to get into agriculture. It'll be foggy on your way to the FFA Alumni Convention, Grassworks, and Corn-Soy Expo. Watch out for freezing fog - it may get slick. WFBF's Ag Day at the Capit...

Wisconsin Farm Bureau members gathered at Ag Day At the Capital to learn more about issues impacting Wisconsin agriculture and meet with their state legislators. Wisconsin Farm Bureau president Brad Olson talks about the impact this event has on Wisconsin agriculture. But first he tells us more about how he got involved in the organization.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our holiday celebrations may be in the rear view mirror, but in China, they're just getting ready for their big event. You can bet that even on the other side of the world, Wisconsin agriculture is a part of the celebration.  Jackie Fett executive director of the Ginseng Board of Wisconsin says the Chinese New Year is an important time of year for Wisconsin ginseng growers, because the world-renow...

UW-Madison continues to expand the state’s mesonet – the system of weather and soil monitoring stations throughout Wisconsin. This system is named Wisconet. It will provide more than one dozen measurements every five minutes across every county in Wisconsin. UW-Madison Prof. Dan Vimont with the State Climatology Office gives us an update on the installation progress. Learn more about it: https://w...

Wisconsin Farmers Union is renovating a historic building in downtown Chippewa Falls. It’ll not only be their new headquarters, but a community space. The 128 W. River Street building is adjacent to the Spring Street building that has housed WFU’s headquarters since the 1940s. WFU purchased the 45,000-square-foot building a few years ago. The organization plans to turn the stately brick building i...

No Joke Dairy is just that - no joke.  Two brothers exited the dairy industry after the family herd was dispersed, but two years later returned.  Today, No Joke Dairy is back milking cows, running crop acres, and getting ready to host the state's largest outdoor agriculture event, Wisconsin Farm Technology Days.  Pam Jahnke visits with Matt and Sam Redetzke about the path that brought them back to...

What's ahead for production agriculture in 2024?  Bob Bosold visits with Univ. of Missouri Ag Economist, Dr. Scott Brown about the geopolitical changes that can rock commodity prices overnight.  He also frames work on the  Farm Bill and the long term outlook for farmers. Dairy farmers in Kiel, Wisconsin wanted to make sure their student athletes had access to chocolate milk to recharge after their...

How do you choose what community you want to live in? Maybe it’s job availability, housing markets, or wages even.  What's drawing you to that community? And what assets does it have that other communities may not? These are the questions that UW-Madison researchers are asking in a new rural livability project. Matt Kures, Uw-Extension Distinguished Community Economic Development Specialist and Re...

In the U.S., Wisconsin ranks in the top 10 for turkey production, and in the top 20 states for chicken and egg production. So when the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza came around in 2022, Wisconsin felt the pressure. Fast forward to today, broiler and egg production is thriving compared to the last few years, according to the numbers from USDA. Extension Specialist Brenda Boetel says the good ne...

Whether you’re certified organic, using organic practices on your regenerative farm, or considering the switch to organic, the Organic Farming Conference is for you. At the 35th anniversary of the event, you’ll find the people, partners, and skill-building opportunities to help your farm business thrive. Marbleseed Executive Director Lori Stern gives us a preview.  See omnystudio.com/listener for...

The idea for the video game "Mooving Cows" happened because of feedback from Wisconsin dairy producers, explains Jennifer Van Os, assistant professor and extension specialist in the UW–Madison Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences. For more than five years, Van Os tells Pam Jahnke that  she heard from producers about their needs for better training options for milkers and other staff members on...