MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

Milk cooling is one of the biggest energy users on a dairy. Inefficient systems force compressors to run longer and harder, driving up energy costs.  That's a message that resonated with Jordan Matthews from Rosy Lane Holsteins in Watertown.  This dairy operation milks about 1,600 cows across two sites.  The Watertown (Main Farm) site houses all calving operations, high-production c...

Railroads have long been a staple for Wisconsin agriculture and 2026 is no exception. Brad Peot is the commercial sales manager with WATCO railroad.   Watco is a full-service supply chain solutions company. They provide rail, transloading, terminal and port, and logistics services. The company is privately owned and headquartered in Pittsburg, Kansas.  Ben Jarboe learns that right n...

Every voice counts when it comes to speaking up for agriculture.  Kim Bremmer is the current President of American Agri-Women, and also serves as Executive Director of Venture Dairy Co-op.  Bremmer also holds board positions with the American Dairy Coalition and the Farm Bureau. Her  career is rooted in a childhood on a dairy farm and a degree in dairy scien...

At the intersection of cutting-edge science and agricultural industry improvement is a company called C-Lock. Don Zimmerman is the Precision Livestock Advisor with the company. Boasting accurate data that easily translates to action steps for producers, he explains some of the company’s technology that producers can easily integrate into their operations. See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...

Attention high school juniors: Are you ready to take your seat at the table? The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is looking for the next generation of leaders to join the Wisconsin Agriculture Youth Council. The deadline to apply is March 31. Stephanie Hoff visits with two council graduates today about how this program is a backstage pass to the world of ag policy and care...

We talk a lot about the art and expertise required to make quality cheese, but that's not the only dairy products we craft from Wisconsin milk. Other products like butter and yogurt take a similar level of attention to detail. Don Tribby is the account manager and business director at International Flavor and Fragrance, and he has been professionally judging dairy products for 20 years. He explain...

We often talk about the hard data that drives modern agriculture, but what about the everyday observations of a farmer in the field? Pairing those together could prevent $150 an acre from washing away in the spring thaw. Steve Hoffman is the president of InDepth Agronomy. As an independent crop consultant, he works with a lot of farmer-led watershed groups to set up on-farm research plots and demo...

With concern over High Path Avian Influenza(HPAI) persisting in Wisconsin, Senator Pat Testin is partnering with other lawmakers to eliminate one element that might cause spread.   Under current law, the Natural Resources Board may sell lands and structures owned by the state that are under the jurisdiction of the Department of Natural Resources when the board determines that the lands a...

There's a partnership unique to Wisconsin, that's all about Wisconsin.  Let's do a little deeper dive on how the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation actually helped to start Rural Mutual Insurance! Pam Jahnke is joined by Jenny Martin, Rural Mutual Insurance, Director of Marketing and Mandy Ganser, WFBF, Director of Member Relations.  They explain how farmers need for insurance fueled the b...

According to Lee Schulz, Chief Economist with Ever. Ag, 2023 was the worst year ever in pork production. How do markets look three years later in 2026? He tells us about the healthy balance of supply and demand in the marketplace. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Maintaining a record system for all of Wisconsin's livestock is no small feat, but the Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium (WLIC) is up to the task. Every three years, WLIC contacts everybody who's actively in the system to renew their registration, and in 2025, the organization did just that. Julie Sweeney is the Executive Director. She tells us about the success they saw during the ren...

Miltrim Farms in Athens, Wisconsin, is a family operation that has grown from its 1988 roots into a powerhouse milking 3,000 cows. David Trimner tells Stephanie Hoff about how they use technology and conservation research to promote sustainability, including measuring carbon through the Professional Dairy Producers' Your Farm, Your Footprint program. After all, carbon seems to be becoming the next...

A recent waiver from DATCP eliminates PRRS and PEDv testing before transportation of swine across the state of Wisconsin. Jeff Morris, the Extension Swine Outreach Specialist, explains the logistics of the waiver. He explains the impact of PRRS and PEDv on the swine industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Farm and Industry Short Course has a new leader.  Mary Holle is the new program director at UW-River Falls Farm and Industry Short Course.  Mary and her husband operate a 480-acre farm in Baldwin, Wisconsin, where they manage a herd of 50 registered Holsteins. She tells Stephanie Hoff about the 16-week course which is specifically designed for the "slow season," running&nbs...

The cartels that have been making news in Mexico are impacting more than just local neighborhoods.  Bob Bosold visits with a group of Mexican cattle producers in attendance at the WI Cattlemen's Associaton winter convention.  They explain that doing business in Mexico has become very dangerous, even for farmers!  Now the group is looking at ways to transport their business into the...

Dairying takes a lot of skill from herd management to mechanics. For Matthew Fischer, the future of his family farm in Owen depends on a different skill set: leadership. Right now, Matthew is balancing his goal to expand the family business, Henar Acres Dairy, with his career as an educational leadership consultant for the agricultural fraternity, Alpha Gamma Rho. But even as a professional in the...

Wisconsin's Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is keeping a close eye on highly pathogenic avian influenza. Dr. Heather Roney is the program veterinarian with DATCP's Division of Animal Health. She tells us the current state of the disease in Wisconsin poultry flocks and dairy herds. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether she's talking to a crowd of people or working behind the scenes for agriculture, Kim Bremmer can wear any number of hats. The recently elected president of American Agri-Women tells us about her agriculture advocacy journey. She mentions that with busy schedules, we must find the communication avenues we are most interested in and invest our time there. See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...

Temperatures are warming up and open water season is here for some. Trevor from OPS Experiences gives a look at how ice fishing went in the southeastern part of the state and some considerations for the early spring season. Host Ben Jarboe and him also talk about cheating in fishing tournaments and what it does to the fisheries. Stephen Manke the General Manager at Don's Marine in Lodi shares some...

A recent USDA report reveals a stark generational divide in agriculture. Of the nearly 350 million acres of rented farmland nationwide, less than 12 percent is owned by anyone under the age of 55. Our guest today says that farmland access and farm transition are two sides of the same coin. Stephanie Hoff visits with Shelly Rothman, executive director of the Foxhead Regenerative Agriculture Project...

Wolf numbers in Wisconsin continue to grow, increasing concern from livestock owners on depradation.  Jill Welke finds out how Bob Mitchell is working to deal with the conflict.  Mitchell is a member of the WI Cattlemen's Association and also sits on the DNR Wolf Advisory Board.  He explains the science behind how the state looks to manage the wolf population. High wind advisories a...

As Wisconsin’s potato growers get ready for spring planting, they’re also looking toward their trade associations to promote policy that works for growers, not against them. Mike Wenkel is the COO of the National Potato Council. He tells Stephanie Hoff about his hefty to-do list ahead of the growing season. He’s watching that nutrition definitions are pro-potato; he’s navig...

Inspiring young minds about their future role in agriculture and food production is part of the motivation behind the World Food Prize.   Kara Henderlight is the Student Outreach Coordinator for CALS that's coordinating their outreach for the World Food Prize and Wisconsin Youth Institute.  She explains what it is and why youth should give it a look. Windy!  Dangerously wi...

Marathon county is excited to host the "Alice in Dairyland" finals for the first time in decades.  The county has been part of the educational experience for the current Alice, Sarah Hagenow, for the past year.  Pam Jahnke sits down to visit with Julie Bohr, finance committee chair for Marathon county, and Hagenow about what's unique they have to offer. Windy and wet.  Those two wor...

For the Immel Family, the Fond Du Lac County fair is more than just a fair. For 4 generations, the family has served in numerous coordination roles and find great enjoyment in giving to the community that helped to shape their passions. Pat and her grandson Saywer tell us how their fair story began. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.