I'm guessing when you think of biofuels you don't think of boats.  Well that could be changing!  Jill Welke found out how biofuels are making its way into boats through marine ethanol.  Adrian Tolson, Chair of the International Bunker Industry Association and owner of 2050 Marine energy is optimistic about ethanol use in ships. Tolson says maritime decarbonisation and exploring the potential role of ethanol as an alternative marine fuel is an exciting proposition. He also says there are steps necessary to make it happen. Those steps needed involve fuel producers, technology providers, shipowners, ports, and policymakers.

Hot and sticky describes the way we begin September.  Stu Muck also explains where the rainfall in the forecast is likely land.

When a farm or family experience an auction, or a land sale, they're faced with some tax questions.  How can they manage this sudden surge in income?  Can they use it to build for the future?  Ashly Huhn from the Steffes Group explains the tools they make available to help that transition happen.  Paid for by Steffes Group.

Three Wisconsin Jersey operators captured national attention at the American Jersey Convention in Springfield, MO.  Pam Jahnke congratulates Jazzy Jersey's in Lodi, Glacier Ridge Dairy in Milton and All-Lynn Jersey in Reedsburg.

So the markets have plenty of topics for conversation today!  The latest crop progress report is out getting reaction.  EPA has just ruled that some small and mid-sized refiners are getting a pass on biofuels blends.  What's that doing to trade.  Plus the beef import issue hits front and center today.  John Heinberg, market advisor with Total Farm Marketing in West Bend tackles them all.

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With fertilizer costs as high as they are, it's important for the growers using those inputs to know exactly what they do. Bob Bosold learns a little something about nitrogen from Dr. Steven Hall.  Hall is the lab’s Principal Investigator and is an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences at UW-Madison. He explains to Bob Bosold the principals of nitrogen fertilizer and why Wisconsin farmers sometimes find it difficult to keep in place.

The heat returns to Wisconsin as we roll into September.  It also brings with it some rain events. Stu Muck gets us started with the week outlook.

There's plenty of questions circling the issue of imported beef bound for Wisconsin.  Producers are worried it will upset their already struggling "rebuild" of the U.S. beef industry.  Consumers have questions about the quality of this beef coming in and where it will end up.  Teri Barr brings it all together in a conversation with Darren VonRuden, President of the WI Farmers Union.

While consumers wonder about the beef at the grocery store, parents wonder if beef will be offered at the school lunch program.  Constraints on what food can be offered and at what price point are just a few of the challenges that Caitlin Harrison sees.  She's the director of food and nutrition services at Elmbrook School District west of Milwaukee.  She says given the federal reimbursement levels they're facing, they have about $1-2 per tray to actually spend on food.  Kiley Allen gets more details on what ends up on those trays and why.

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Farmers are more than a little frustrated that they still don't have a farm bill.  Farm Bill 2.0 still has signs of life according to Mike Stranz, VP of Policy for the National Farmers Union (and a WI native).  Stranz says it's going to be a big challenge to try and maneuver through the obstacles that have stalled this bill, not the least of which is allocation of SNAP - supplemental nutrition assistance program.

Beautiful weather for whatever you want to do this weekend.  Stu Muck says you should prepare for a little increase in heat beginning next week.

Cleaning out the combine before you move to the next field is important for weed control next year.  Dan Smith, UW-Madison Extension Outreach Specialist tells Pam Jahnke that taking 30 minutes to blow out weed seeds before you move to the next field is a big deal.  Smith says it's also worth money to ask your custom operator to do the same before they come in, or move on.

We continue to recognize our century farm families.  Today, sharing the Bohn family story.  Their farm in southeast WI had an interesting twist according to Lynn Bohn, one of the great grand daughters.   From family stories, it was told that they found an 80-acre farm on the south side of West Bend, but her great grandma was hesitant to acquire it. From additional research, they found that the farm had been owned by Carl and Katherine Schloemer but had been passed on to their son, Edward. He; his brother, Louis; and their sister, Marie or Mary, as she was also known, lived on the farm when, on December 31, 1913, Marie died from tuberculosis, allegedly going away for treatment but ultimately dying at home. On January 30, 1914, the farm was sold to Frank Day, a real estate salesman who bought and sold many properties in Washington County. The Bohn family became interested in the property on the corner of Hwy. P and Rusco Road. However, Great Grandma Bohn did not want the property purchased given TB had been in the house. At that time, people thought they could catch TB from a house that had a person sick with TB inside the house.  Just an example of how business decisions could be influenced years ago.  Century and sesquicentennial farm stories are shared courtesy of Compeer Financial.

Wisconsin is expected to harvest between 65-68,000 acres of potatoes and it has already started.  Kiley Allan gets an update from Heidi Alsum-Randall, CFO of Alsum Farms in Freisland.  She says weather is cooperating right now.  All the potatoes they're harvesting are being immediately washed and bagged for the fresh market.  Their strategy will change as the season unfolds.  Alsum' will plan to store a big part of their 2026 crop well into the spring of 2027.

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President and CEO Rose Oswald Poels with the Wisconsin Bankers Association discusses the current stress in the agriculture economy with Mid-West Farm Report's Larry Lee.

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300,000 tons of imported ground beef will enter the U.S. during the next 90-days, starting September 1. But, Wisconsin farmers have questions ranging from food safety -- to what happens after the temporary plan ends. Teri Barr talks with Vernon County farmer Darin Von Ruden to learn why there are concerns about the beef following recent health issues from other imported foods, and if the inspection process will really work.   

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What started as a farm where his father raised beef and pigs has become a 130-cow dairy powered by robotic milking technology, and a vision for the next generation.

Jason Baroun expanded the operation after taking over his family's farm, purchasing the neighboring dairy, bringing the property together. Today, Baroun handles much of the farm’s fieldwork and equipment work while continuing the family tradition of keeping the operation in his family's hands.

His father passed away in 2007, so he never saw the transformation. But Baroun believes he would be impressed that the family has not only maintained the farm, but continued to improve it.

Now, his own son is showing interest in carrying it forward.

For this farmer, that's the real measure of success. A farm isn't truly preserving its legacy if it can't give the next generation a reason to believe in its future.

Find more of our farm family stories on our website: midwestfarmreport.com

Presented by Compeer Financial.

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A Washington County farm has survived wars, the Great Depression and generations of change — all while staying in the same family for more than a century. 

The Bohn family farm near West Bend has a history dating back to 1914, when George “Ben” and Veronica Bohn purchased an 80-acre farm on the corner of Highway P and Rusco Road. The farm transitioned over the years, from horses to tractors, added electricity and plumbing, and produced dairy cattle, chickens, crops and even hemp during World War II. Today, some of the land is being rented to others, but the entire property remains in the Bohn family -- Lynne Bohn, Davette Hrabak, Judith Hayton, and Maryann Bohn. They are marking 112 years of family ownership and earning their Century Farm recognition together.

You can find more Century and Sesquicentennial farm stories by visiting MidwestFarmReport.com, brought to you courtesy of Compeer Financial.

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The Woock family has adapted to changing times while keeping its farm in the family for more than 150 years. Every generation has helped carry the tradition forward -- from farming with horses and milking cows by hand to using self-steering tractors and raising beef cattle.

Today, four generations of the family are still part of Woock Acres, including the grandfather, his son, grandson, and now a newborn great-granddaughter. This makes the 150-year milestone both a special family honor and a hopeful look toward the future. 

Find more of our family farm stories on our website: midwestfarmreport.com

Presented by Compeer Financial.

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While neither Deirdre Birmingham nor her husband grew up in agriculture, they both had the common interest of growing a farm business. Her degrees in agriculture and an opportunity to purchase farmland in the Driftless area gave birth to The Cider Farm. She dives into the unique philosophy they have on making cider.

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Brian Kuhl defines a hazard as anything that could ultimately injure or potentially kill an individual. Alternatively, he says it can also be something that interrupts our way of business or our ability to get business done. He's the president and chief executive officer of the Progressive Agriculture Foundation, an organization that's key focus is to provide educational resources to keep children in rural America safe. With that in mind, Brian gives Kiley Allan a rundown of some of the most common everyday hazards on a farm.

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