According from the Quarter 3 FDIC numbers, year-over-year lending has increased in all categories, including farm lending. Rose Oswald Poels is the president and CEO of the Wisconsin Bankers Association. She breaks down what these numbers tell us about the health of Wisconsin banks and why it matters to farmers.

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According to Dr. Arden Andersen farmers are at some of the greatest risk to develop illnesses and this is due to a multitude of reasons. Dr. Andersen uses his knowledge of being a physician and agricultural consultant to dive deeper into why our producers that feed the world are at such a high risk.

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This year brought on a lot of challenges for farmers and that kept the Wisconsin farm bureau busy trying to protect its members from the many repercussions that followed. Here to share some of their most recent policy work is Jason Mugnaini. He is the Executive Director of Governmental Relations, and some of this recent work included changes to ARIP.

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Despite volatility in the voluntary carbon market, carbon sequestration remains a financial opportunity for farmers, according to Clay Craighton, agronomist and regional sales manager for Agoro Carbon Alliance.

In an interview with Mid-West Farm Report, Craighton highlights a major new agreement as proof of the commodity's viability. Agoro Carbon recently secured a flagship carbon credit agreement with tech giant Microsoft.

"They decided to purchase 2.6 million tons of carbon from us over the next 12 years," he says. "So it's a pretty exciting, pretty flagship opportunity."

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Wisconsin hemp growers are facing going out of business if state leaders don't take action to protect them.  Part of the comprehensive compromise bill that got the federal government open again contained language that would shut down the nation's hemp industry by this time next year.  State Senator Pat Testin recognizes the value in the industry and has crafted legislation that would, hopefully, allow the growers and manufacturers to continue.  Pam Jahnke finds out about those efforts, and his recent meeting with WI Ag Secretary, Randy Romanski, over proposed fee increases that would impact the state's livestock industry.

Winter weather advisory out for most of Wisconsin beginning this afternoon.  Stu Muck explains what the next system is bringing in and what we should expect.

Dairy is struggling and it's an odd time of the year for that statement to be true.  Stephanie Hoff talks with Kim Heiman, manager at Nasonville Dairy in Marshfield.  Nasonville focuses a lot of attention on "commodity cheese" which can be marketed through the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.  He explains how that market's been impacted and what 2026 quarter one looks like.

USDA announced a $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance program on Monday.  Pam Jahnke explains the released details and what WI farms will qualify for payments.  She also announces the election results from the 106th annual business meeting of the WI Farm Bureau Federation.  Brad Olsen has been re-elected WFBF President, and Brian Preder has been elected Rural Mutual Insurance President.

Markets are flat in reaction to the USDA aid announced yesterday.  John Heinberg, market advisor with Total Farm Marketing in West Bend joins Pam Jahnke to discuss.  He also notes that today we'll get the December World Ag Supply report.  Although not usually a newsmaker - traders may be looking for information.

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Soybean growers are still anxious about international trade, especially with China.  Bob Bosold finds out what the path forward looks like from the president of the American Soybean Association, Caleb Ragland.  Ragland says they're optimistic that the Trump Administration will continue to pressure China to live up to its agreements.  He also makes the point that American farmers are only looking to work on a level playing field with other farmers around the world.

Lots of clouds to start off your work week.  Stu Muck says that there's another Alberta clipper targeting Wisconsin later this week that will bring much lower temperatures, and maybe some snow, back to the state starting as soon as Tuesday.

International travel isn't something that every Alice in Dairyland has a chance to do.  Sarah Hagenow, Wisconsin's current Alice, just returned from a trade trip to China with the WI Ginseng Growers. Kiley Allan finds out how the show went, and what Hagenow learned observing the business transacted.Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin in conjunction with the Center for Dairy Research released new information about consumer cheese trends for 2026.  Pam Jahnke reports that the top 5 trends include:  authenticity, protein, texture, health and sustainability as top priorities when consumers are shopping for cheese.

Wisconsin's vast variety of specialty cheeses make it a sensation during the holiday entertainment season.  Pam Jahnke visits with Pepin County dairy producer Jonathon Hallock.  He sits on the board of directors for DFW, and shares his personal experiences sharing the flavors that make Wisconsin dairy great.  He also helps consumers find the "Proudly Wisconsin" badge wherever they're shopping - especially outside the state.  Paid for by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.

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Names can be deceptive when it comes to charitable organizations.  What you think they do, they may not.  Kiley Allan finds out about what to look for from Hannah Thompson-Weeman, President and CEO of Animal Agriculture Alliance.  She says that animal rights extremist groups that oppose raising animals for food are seeing financial growth.  The money they're bringing in is reaching $865 million.  That is almost a 10% increase in one year.  Funding comes from consumers lured in by sad animal commercials, as well as powerful private foundations.  She says to responsibly donate - give directly to your animal shelter to make sure your gift is properly used.

Wisconsin weather conditions are going to start to change this evening.  Stu Muck says some will see snow, others a mix of freezing precipitation.

It's the final wrap up with Helena Agri.  Steve Bailie, branch manager for the Monroe location of Helena Agri talks with Pam Jahnke about the information generated from the harvest and how they're using it to make wise investments on inputs for 2026.  Paid for by Helena Agri.

UW-Madison Extension is creating a new 3-day short course for people interested in beekeeping.  Pam Jahnke reports that the course will be Feb. 13-15 and cover everything from hive health to marketing of products.  She also highlights a new report out from Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin that sharpens our vision of what consumers will be looking for in 2026.  The research was conducted in cooperation with the Center for Dairy Research and shows the following cheese related trends.  Consumers are looking for:
    #1 - Sustainability
    #2 - Health
    #3 - Texture
    #4 - Protein    #5 - Authenticitywisconsindairy.org/cheesetrends

It's a part of almost every day's activities.  Buying something online.  Even the most savvy shopper needs to exercise caution when it comes to those purchases. Michelle Reinen, Administrator of the Division of Trade and Consumer Protection tells him that in 2024 the FTC received over 380,000 fraud reports and Wisconsin had 5,000 of those shoppers.  DATCP says that online shopping is the #1 source of consumer fraud complaints.  Consumers should verify if a website or platform is safe by looking for "HTTPS" and a padlock icon. 

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Recent policy changes are providing hope for farmers grappling with high fertilizer costs, particularly for phosphate. The removal of tariffs on phosphate imports is expected to ease pricing, though global demand remains high. 

"We're seeing that already," says Ben Pratt, vice president of public affairs at The Mosaic Company, adding that potash prices, supplied largely by Canada, are already affordable for growers.

Ross Bender, director of product development and a Wisconsin farmer, shares his personal experience.

"The margins on my farm are tight. And what I'm trying to think about is how I can make sure that I'm supplying the crop with the nutrition it needs within the budget that I have?"

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The American Coalition for Ethanol is actively engaging the EPA on the Renewable Fuel Standard, seeking final volumes and the reallocation of waived gallons to prevent demand destruction for ethanol producers and farmers. Katie Muckenhirn, vice president of public affairs, says ACE is also pushing Congress to pass the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act to secure year-round E15 access across all states, which is vital for utilizing the nation's record corn crop. Additionally, the industry is focused on realizing the immense market potential of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), especially with the extension of the Clean Fuel Production Tax Credit (45Z).

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The National Pork Producers Council is engaged in multiple battles across the U.S., citing key concerns over labor, trade, and the impact of the current administration's "Make America Healthy Again" initiative.

A major concern is the proliferation of state-level animal housing regulations, led by California’s Proposition 12, which mandates specific space requirements for breeding pigs and other animals. It's influencing laws in other states like Oklahoma and Massachusetts. 

Lucy Russell, NPPC's director of producer engagement, says the organization is pushing for a legislative fix in the next Farm Bill to prevent a costly patchwork of conflicting regulations.

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