MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

The current landscape of diesel and fuel markets is presenting unique challenges, especially for our nation's farmers. The tightness in supply and demand for diesel fuel has become a key concern, with several major refineries remaining offline due to the impacts of COVID-19. Additionally, some refineries have converted to renewable diesel, reducing the overall availability of traditional diesel fu...

Wisconsin Bankers Association President and CEO Rose Oswald Poels breaks down the latest Economic Conditions Survey. The WBA's latest survey of 70 Wisconsin bank CEOs show 68 percent of respondents rated Wisconsin’s current economic health as “excellent” or “good.” While most respondents (95 percent) do not foresee inflation worsening, 44 percent predict that the economy will weaken over the next...

Imagine having input pricing information, lending options, and more all in one place where you can compare what is best for you and your operation. Well that’s where the Farmer Business Network (FBN) comes in. Charles Baron, the co-founder of the Farmer Business Network, says their integrated technology, market access, and data-driven solutions empower farmers with transparency, control, and enhan...

Wisconsin's Farmland Preservation program is getting an overhaul after decades of neglect.  Stephanie Hoff talks with administrators about what's changing, and farmers that are ready to apply. A new survey out from UW-Madison and UW-River Falls points to irregular trends in how dairy farms are approaching farm labor management across the state.  Although the survey results were small, the division...

The holiday's drive a lot of business, and that's not all through presents.  Charitee Seebecker talks to Shahla Werner, Plant protection manager for DATCP, about pests they're on the lookout for in holiday decorations. One of the biggest pest's christmas tree growers should be on the lookout for is the elongate hemlock scale That's an exotic scale insect that prefers hemlock, spruce and fir but wi...

It’s been a challenging year for pork. But the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is actively engaging in international trade matters, advocating for fair market access and addressing challenges affecting pork producers worldwide to help with this. Maria Zieba, Vice President of International Affairs for the National Pork Producers Council, shed light on the current tariff landscape and what t...

Representative Derrick Van Orden from Wisconsin’s third district is wrapping up his first year in Congress where he serves on the House Agriculture Committee. He says his to-do list for 2024 focuses on passing the Farm Bill and pushing the executive branch to expand and enforce trade deals. But before we talk about what’s coming down the pipeline in the House Ag Committee, Congressman Van Orden re...

Carbon credits are an evolving market as more players get involved and as demand continues to rise. So how do you make sure that you’re making the right decision when or if you decide to enter the carbon market on your farm? Here to offer some perspective is Travis Kraft, director of sales for Indigo Ag in the carbon credit space, an area they got involved in a few years ago. We talk about the cur...

The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Master of Science in Design plus Innovation (MD+I) is an interdisciplinary, accelerated masters program where students design, develop and implement innovative products or services to solve a problem. This year their focus is on bees and the role they play on Wisconsin's ecosystem and food security. Trudy Watt, the academic director of the program, says the st...

As the agricultural community reflects on the past year, 2023 emerges as a period marked by dry weather conditions across the corn belt and raising concerns about crop yields. However, despite the lack of moisture, the soybean harvest has surprised many with impressive yields. Brad Van Kooten, seed treatment category leader at Pioneer says advancements in seed treatments played a big factor in tha...

The Sheep Shearing School is happening now at the UW Sheep Unit in Arlington. The Sheep Unit is a part of the Arlington Agricultural Research Station. It consists of 50 acres and two main barns. The barns house 300 head of mature ewes and their lambs. And this week, they’re getting a haircut by about 20 students. Josh Huber is one of the instructors at the annual Sheep Shearing School. He’s the th...

You probably already know her! Anna Maenner is now the Wisconsin Farm Technology Days general manager, but she's been involved with the show for decades. In other news, the event is now a nonprofit, which Maenner says will help them use funds to fulfill their mission rather than worry about money in the bank. U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin is helping push a bill that aims to lower fertilizer prices. The...

Data. It’s everywhere. It’s how we make educated decisions, how we learn about what’s working or not, and even what the latest trends are. But for farmers, data is about knowing how to optimize their yields, enhance sustainability, and streamline their operation. “Today, farmers are increasingly turning to on-farm research methods to optimize their yields, enhance sustainability, and streamline op...

Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom, recently announced Emily Kamps as the winner of the Outstanding Teacher Award for 2023. This accolade celebrates educators who exemplify extraordinary dedication to instilling agricultural knowledge within their classrooms. The award doesn't solely honor exceptional agriculture teachers but recognizes educators going the extra mile to incorporate agricultura...

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin has teamed up with Iowa’s Senators to introduce a bill that aims to lower input prices for farmers, specifically fertilizer. It’s called the Fertilizer Research Act, and it would essentially lay the groundwork for future fertilizer policy. The bill would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to conduct a study on competition and trends in the fertilizer market to deter...

The 93rd Wisconsin Farmers Union convention packed in a lot of business activity.  Jill Welke talks with WFU President, Darin VonRuden, about the Farm Bill extension, ongoing revision of federal milk orders, and their exciting developments in Chippewa Falls where they're ready to open their new headquarters that includes apartments and retail space. The recent Wisconsin Water & Soil Health Con...

What do you consider to be normal digestive health? Is that even a word you’d use to describe an animal’s health? Well Dr. Steve Lerner, senior scientific and business advisor at Chr. Hansen says normal in animals is their ability to achieve their full genetic potential. He explains more about how probiotics help animals reach this normal state. He says, "The pinnacle for any producer is a herd wh...

Nick Schweizer, senior marketing lead for BASF, says unfortunately, headwinds will continue for growers in 2024. He predicts continued slumps in prices while inputs stay elevated. He says weed resistance is also an issue. The good news is that BASF has services in place to help growers weather the storm. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the wake of a monumental loss, Discovery Farms continues to honor the legacy of previous director, Eric Cooley, a trailblazer in on-farm water quality research. Lindsey Hartfiel, the new Discovery Farms director, says the future of Discovery Farms is bright thanks to Eric's legacy. She explains how they plan to continue his research and what’s in store for 2024. See omnystudio.com/listener for...

Self employed people like farmers have struggled to find affordable health care for their family and employees.  It's an issue that has been brought up by the Wisconsin Farm Bureau.  Stephanie Hoff gets a policy direction update with Jason Mugniani, senior government affairs coordinator with WFBF. Ashley Huhn from the Steffes Group gives Pam Jahnke a weekly update on the auctions completed and wha...

You never know what mother nature is going to bring. 2023 was a bizarre year when it came to the dry weather conditions and the surprising crop yields. But there are some takeaways from this year that should help you decide what type of crop protection products you should think about for the 2024 growing season. This is according to Ron Geis, market development specialist with Corteva. He offers u...

Even if companies are not getting directly involved in carbon markets – it’s on their radar. Growmark saw interest in carbon credits hike in 2021. That was their sign to start getting acquainted with carbon markets. Lance Ruppert joins us, he’s the manager of strategic market development for Growmark. He says agriculture is in a neat position going forward as carbon type programs and markets devel...

Tracy and Genie Malterer, a dynamic mother-daughter duo, have made waves in the local beekeeping community with their two-decade-long passion for nurturing bees and harvesting honey. Their journey, initiated by a simple desire to enhance vegetable production in their garden, has blossomed into a flourishing hobbyist beekeeping enterprise, managing between 10 to 15 hives together. Tracy explains mo...

Animal agriculture is always changing, but the passion that veterinarians generally have for animals is never dimming. Dr. Nate Haas with BioVet is an example of a veterinarian that loves to keep learning and experiencing all kinds of animal care, in different geographies!  Haas sits down with Pam Jahnke to talk a little about his background and why he's comfortable and happy as a part of the BioV...

Do you have binders of yield data, field observations, and more on your shelf that may even be decades old? Well if so-you’re not alone. Many farmers have data sitting around that could be pretty useful if they knew how to actually analyze it. Kendal Quandahl, precision field team manager at Case IH says that problem is just the thing they aim to fix with their new technology. She explains more ab...