MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

Insurance. It’s something you may not think about until you have to use it. Insurance for county fairs is a bit different than the insurance you have for your home or life. Andrew Vandepopulier of Haas & Wilkerson Insurance specializes in helping people understand just what their insurance policy really means. Since the pandemic there have been many changes to these policies that fair personne...

The warm and dry month of December gave farmers time to empty their manure storage for the winter. However, that doesn't mean you're in the clear through spring. Kevin Erb joins us, a conservation and nutrient management specialist with the Division of Extension. He recommends checking over your storage facility at least once a week to stay ahead of any maintenance issues. He says you don’t want t...

Wisconsin banks are signaling caution as we get started in a new year, but these bankers are still a lot more optimistic than they were ahead of 2023. Every six months, the Wisconsin Bankers Association surveys Wisconsin bank CEOs on economic conditions. Last year at this time, three-quarters of the respondents predicted the economy would worsen. Today, that number is less than half. WBA President...

  It may be hard to think of warm summer days and flashing carnival lights while facing snow and freezing temperatures, but members of the fair community recently gathered in Wisconsin Dells for the annual Wisconsin Association of Fairs Convention. Jo Reynolds, International Association of Fairs and Expo chair says, "It's challenging to compare pre-COVID times to now, but what we're witnessing is...

Wisconsin Farmers Union members will get together in Madison on Wednesday for the Farm and Rural Lobby Day at the State Capitol. Before meeting with their lawmakers, Farmers Union will brief its members on the policy priorities set at the annual meeting in December. The topics range across seven categories ranging from rural economy issues to on-farm environmental work. Michelle Ramirez-White is t...

Truck and tractor pulls continue to grow in popularity for people of all ages. Tom Berg, Wisconsin regional director for the national tractor pullers association says that the younger generation and women are beginning to become more involved in the sport as well. He shares insight into just what it takes to be involved. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether it's finally getting that blue ribbon or enjoying too many carnival rides, we all have memories of the fair. Matt Immel of Fond du Lac was one of the top 5 winners in this year’s everybody has a fair story contest. He tells us more about his family’s connection to the fair. You can read more entries here: https://www.midwestfarmreport.com/2024/01/08/blank-wins-fair-story-contest/   See omn...

Applications for the cover crop rebate program are open now. You can get a $5 per acre rebate on your summer 2024 crop insurance premium for every acre enrolled in the program. Susan Mockert is the conservation grants unit supervisor at the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. This is just the second year of cover crop rebate program, but she says it's already proving to be po...

Join UW-Madison Division of Extension specialists as they lead discussions and activities during an upcoming farm succession workshop series. The ‘Cultivating Your Farm’s Future’ series will provide tools and resources for farmers who want to start their succession plans. Succession Specialist Joy Kirkpatrick is helping lead the series. She says attendees will explore the three-step process of pla...

Sharlene Swedlund, the 2023 Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs has officially wrapped up her year after traveling just over 30,000 miles across the state. Swedlund reflects back on what this past year has meant to her. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Doug Monson, a managing partner for the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board, visits with Pam Jahnke about developing details for the Wisconsin Corn Soy Expo , Feb. 1-2 in Wisconsin Dells.  Monson also reminds soybean growers about some of the business benefits they reveal during the expo too.  The annual business meeting that takes place during the expo allows producers to hear updates on where thei...

The business of being an auctioneer has gone through radical changes in the past two decades.  Riley Kahl has watched and witnessed it all.  He's the current president of the WI Auctioneers Association.  He joins Pam Jahnke to talk about their upcoming convention and how they're helping members tap into the technology that's become a big part of auctioneers success. Wisconsin has selected its new...

Federal Milk Marketing Orders are still under review by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Even in the Midwest, there's differing opinions about what direction future guidance should go.  Jill Welke talks to Dr. Marin Bozek, dairy economist from the University of Minnesota about the direction he's encouraging, and why it makes sense for dairy producers and dairy processors. Ashley Huhn is back in...

When he arrived in Wisconsin, he had no experience with corn!  Dr. Joe Lauer, UW-Extension Corn Specialist, retired from the post at the end of 2023 after 30 years of networking and research to serve Wisconsin corn growers. Lauer made the move to UW-Madison after spending nine year at the University of Wyoming working on about 24 different crops - but NOT corn.  That's one of the stories Lauer sha...

Kelsey Henderson, 21, representing the Racine County Fair, was crowned the 2024 Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs. The daughter of Craig and Sue Henderson of Kenosha, Wis., Henderson is currently studying Agricultural Business at Iowa State University and beginning in 2025, she is expected to take a full-time role at John Deere as a Marketing and Customer Support Development Program Representative. H...

The ongoing El Niño event in the Pacific Ocean, particularly off the coast of South America, is causing record-setting warm winters in Wisconsin, leading to lower snowfall totals and drier conditions. Shane Hubbard, research scientist at the Space Science and Engineering Center at UW-Madison, is closely monitoring the situation as this El Niño event is considered one of the strongest in history. "...

Water quality trading is a strategy the state put in place to reduce phosphorous going into lakes and rivers. Wisconsin DNR gives permits to wastewater facilities and private industries establishing how much phosphorus they can allow into the environment. Water quality trading allows these permit holders to pay landowners and farmers upstream to install practices to keep the water clean. Chris Mur...

The Wisconsin Association of Fairs is celebrating its 100th year of promoting and supporting fairs across the state. This marks a century of growth and shared knowledge among fair enthusiasts. Jayme Buttke, Wisconsin Association of Fairs Executive Director highlights the key moments that helped get the fair industry to where it is today and what’s ahead for the future. Over time, the convention ha...

Research that high-oleic soybeans can add value to the dairy farm’s feed ration is driving interest in states that haven’t traditionally grown high-oleic beans, says Adam Krull of Pioneer. He says in the past few years, the nutrition team has noticed more interest in Plenish soybeans, Pioneer's brand of high-oleic soybeans, among farms in dairy country beyond the traditional Corn Belt. Krull walks...

UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Dean Glenda Gillaspy reflects on her first three semesters on campus. She says the two most common issues that come to her desk from stakeholders are decreasing enrollment trends and the status of production agriculture education on campus. CALS has seen growing enrollment over the past two years, and Gillaspy argues production agriculture remai...

2024 could be an exciting year for Wisconsin agriculture with the new transportation opportunities provided through the Port of Milwaukee.  Pam Jahnke made a visit to the site where The DeLong Company has invested millions to get Wisconsin agricultural products rolling worldwide.  She talks with The Delong Company's export specialist, Brandon Bickham, about the hot spots for Wisconsin goods, and h...

The cost and availability of propane didn't take the spotlight in 2023 with such a warm fall. This is making propane prices favorable, according to Michael Newland, the director of agriculture business development at the Propane Education Research Council. He says inventories are at their highest levels in the last 5 years. When it comes to implementing something new on the farm, do you look at wh...

Navigating Your Ag Business: From Stress to Success combines online self-paced learning with live online group meetings. The course started on Jan.1, but you can still register before the first meeting on Feb. 2. The learning continues through March, says Division of Extension Specialist Joy Kirkpatrick. By the end of the course, you'll be able to prioritize your unique stressors; select which fin...

University of Nebraska Economist Cory Walters says in the Farm Bill debate, crop insurance is going to stay, but who should get the money is a question. Beyond the policy picture, Walters tells Bob Bosold that China and Russia are wild cards when it comes to international grain supply and demand. Between the holidays and finances, this time of year is stressful for people. It doesn’t help that in...

Auctioneering is a rewarding career for Jenny Gehl of Bravo Benefit Auctions in North Prairie. Jenny grew up in an auctioneering family, often working alongside her parents when she wasn't in school. While she thought she was going to get away from the family business in college, she couldn't help but come back home to help run the lunch wagon or work the ring. When she realized she couldn't shake...