MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

There's new talk in the town when it comes to colostrum and feeding baby calves. Michael Koester joins Kiley Allan. He's the Director of Sales for US Operations over at TechMix. They have a new product called TechMix Avenger. He tells us about the company itself and why TechMix Avenger fits so nicely in their portfolio.

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For Nick Randle, World Dairy Expo is more than a place to conduct business. Although he's the Senior Marketing Lead for Dairy Productivity and Milk Quality at Zoetis, his roots go much deeper than the booth itself and the business they conduct within it. Nicholas begins our conversation by telling Kiley Allan about the new space Zoetis has at World Dairy Expo.

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The name of the first modern dairy farm in Cambodia is Kirisu Farm, translated that means "Mountain of Heaven." For Ziv Sar, it's just that: his very own slice of heaven. He's originally from an area of Israel that many people know because of the high-quality dairy farms. After he managed farms in the area and got used to a lot of high-quality work. He then accepted the challenge of managing the first dairy farm in Cambodia. He tells Kiley Allan about the operation he now runs after picking up the phone and saying yes to a challenge he's very grateful for.

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During the pandemic farms learned how much consumers wanted to buy directly from them.  That sentiment continues today in consumer buying patterns.  Now the issue is delivering on that sale.  Kiley Allan investigates the processing deserts that dot the state of Wisconsin.  Areas where farms are ready and willing to sell their goods, but when it comes to livestock - there's no processor.   Kelly Maynard, Cooperative Development Specialist for UW Center for Cooperatives, says that farmers and processors are getting creative about how to bridge the gap.  For example, Maynard says to avoid the high cost and public opposition associated with, specifically, "kill floors", groups like Meatsmith Co-op are utilizing Mobile Slaughter Units to process animals humanely directly on farms.  

Wisconsin should enjoy a pretty nice stretch of warm, dry weather according to Stu Muck.  Even overnight lows aren't going to be a concern for the next few days.

At least 100 auctions to handle before the end of the calendar year.  That's the workload ahead for the Steffes Group.  Ashley Huhn tells Pam Jahnke that their fall catalog is about to go to print and will be circulated across North America.  Paid for by the Steffes Group.

Wisconsin farmers are lagging behind on the harvest.  With just 8 percent of the corn off and 11% of soybeans harvested, the state's behind its five year average.  Other states are running into similar problems.  John Heinberg, market advisor with Total Farm Marketing in West Bend says all eyes are still on Iowa.  Not only is the harvest running behind, the quality of the crop is suspect.  Heinberg says growers need to advise their crop insurance managers if they think there will be quality issues or face consequences when that grain moves out of storage.

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It's a crop we don't see in Wisconsin unless it's on a pizza.  Olives!  Bob Bosold learns that Spain produces roughly 45-50% of the globes olive oil. He visits an olive operation in Andalusia between Cordoba and Madrid.  The mill functions with 7,000 olive trees producing the fruit that keeps them going.  This is a family operated farm.  He learns that the harvest will begin this week.

Weather in Wisconsin should help the harvest advance.  Stu Muck says nothing by sunshine and dry weather dominates the forecast.

A dairy farmer and veterinarian from Indonesia had a career altering experience after attending World Dairy Expo.  Kiley Allan finds out about it from Dr. Deddy Kurniawan.  He's a Project Lead with the US-Indonesia Dairy Partnership.  He describes the current situation in Indonesia dairy where the average farm has 3 milking dairy cows.  Kurniawan says that's part of what must change if Indonesian dairy is going to feed their population.

USDA says it will now review all farmer funded checkoff programs and how funds are being investigated.  Pam Jahnke gets some detail from USDA Undersecretary Dudley Hoskins.  He oversees Marketing and Regulatory Programs.  

A Manitowoc County native was named World Dairy Expo's Industry Person of the Year.  Larry Lee finds out about the passion behind Corey Geiger's career.  He says it all began with showing his first calf on the home farm.

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A group of Wisconsin students gets a firsthand look at the dairy industry during a visit to World Dairy Expo in Madison. While one already has experience showing dairy cattle, another is discovering the world of dairy for the first time.

And with help from their chaperone, the Howards Grove kids explore the cattle barns, learn about different breeds, try dairy products, and check out machinery while gaining an understanding about the hard work and opportunities within agriculture. 

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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Dane County Executive Melissa Agard, along with World Dairy Expo General Manager Laura Herschleb and Alliant Energy Center Executive Director Kevin Scheibler, announce plans to move forward with a $200 million redevelopment of the Alliant Energy Center grounds. The three leaders holding a news conference during World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin, to share new details.

The project could include major updates to the Coliseum, additional mixed-use development, and a larger exhibition hall -- important upgrades as the show continues to grow.

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A new one-on-one interview with the director of Wisconsin's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory is providing an update on epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) after the virus was recently detected in dairy cattle in Waukesha County.

Teri Barr catches up with Keith Poulsen at World Dairy Expo to learn -- though the finding is unusual in cattle -- why there is little reason for Wisconsin farmers or consumers to be alarmed.

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Like many other people, Mary Olsen's focus in the agriculture industry is, of course, the community of people that surround it. She's the manager of the Dane County Pork Producers concession stand. Kiley Allan found her at World Dairy Expo working the stand with a group of volunteers.

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A staple for many folks at the World Dairy Expo is a trip to the GEA ice cream stand. Sue Begg joins Kiley Allan. She's the Marketing Communications Manager at GEA Farm Technologies and, maybe more importantly to a lot of World Dairy Expo attendees, she's also in charge of planning, managing and executing everything involved with the GEA ice cream stand. She tells Kiley Allan about all the intricate details she coordinates.

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