A comfortable cow is a productive cow. When animals are your livelihood, keeping them happy is a part of the job. Today we’re exploring one of the many ways dairy farmers prioritize animal welfare. Austin Brozak owns Quadra Step Hoof Care near Madison, providing foot baths and hoof trimming for dairies. He says hoof care for a cow is kind of like scheduling a pedicure!

Learn more: https://quadrastephoofcare.com/

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The work continues to prevent the highly pathogenic avian influenza from disrupting dairy herds. Several states have had the virus infiltrate dairies, but Wisconsin is not one of them. The goal of state health officials is to keep it that way. Dr. Heather Roney is a veterinarian and epidemiologist with the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection's Division of Animal Health, overseeing state cattle programs. She says Wisconsin's dairy industry is different from the other top dairy-producing states that have struggled with the virus -- we're not bringing in a lot of lactating cows. This benefits our dairy industry in preventing the spread of HPAI/H5N1. Wisconsin is currently under two federal orders and one state order regarding lactating dairy cattle testing. Roney says even dairy farmers who are not required to test their milk are volunteering to test and being proactive.

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When animals are your livelihood, keeping them happy and comfortable is a part of the job. Today we’re exploring one of the many ways dairy farmers prioritize animal welfare to keep the farm profitable and productive. Jeff Glass joins us from Best Footing Concrete and Grooving out of Strum. His job is to ensure cows don’t slip on wet concrete or hurt their feet on surfaces that are too rough. He says barn floors encounter a lot of wear and tear, water, and manure, so slipping is common if there’s no traction.

Learn more: https://www.bestfootingconcretegrooving.com/

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Senator Patrick Testin has taken the reins of the Wisconsin Senate Committee for Agriculture and Revenue.  Although not from a farming background, Testin says he's always had a healthy appreciation for Wisconsin agriculture and rural life, and already has some priorities he wants addressed.  He tells Pam Jahnke about his path to the position, and how he's already focused attention on seed potato production in the state and continuing a grazing pilot program that helps new farmers investigate that option.

Wind continues to be the dominant element of Wisconsin weather today according to Stu Muck.More policy is being developed at the state capitol focused on rural Wisconsin. 

Stephanie Hoff catches up with Rep. Travis Tranel, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Agriculture.  One item that's been getting a lot of attention is locating solar arrays on valuable farmland.  Tranel says he's working to find some policy guidelines that will work to protect that farmland.

Wisconsin's DNR is soliciting applications for their Wolf Advisory Committee.  Pam Jahnke reports that the DNR is specifically filling spots from 5 different stakeholder groups, and expects members to attend all meetings, come prepared and be willing to collaborate.

John Heinberg, market advisor with Total Farm Marketing out of West Bend, joins Pam Jahnke.  The U.S. corn market has remained resilient to all the global discussion of tariffs.  Heinberg says China focusing all its buying power on places outside of the U.S. has actually driven other global buyers TO the U.S. market.  He also notes that you can't ignore the progress that's been made on soybean harvest in South America and that the market is screaming "do not plant beans".

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A program called the "Local Food for Schools' started during the pandemic but is coming up short on funds today.  Stephanie Hoff finds that Wisconsin schools were supposed to get $9 million this year, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture canceled the program. REAP Food Group calls the termination a “major blow” to Wisconsin. REAP Farm to School Director Allison Pfaff Harris says the demand is there to justify continuing the federal program or implementing a new state-run initiative to help schools acquire local food without breaking the bank. The Ashwaubenon School District is an example of who will feel the cut. Nutrition Coordinator Kaitlin Tauriainen says she won’t stop trying to bring local food into the menu, but it’s going to be harder. Kaitlin is also the president of the School Nutrition Association of Wisconsin. She says nutritionists are under a lot of pressure to plan menus while also following many regulations and pinching pennies. The Local Food for Schools dollars helped ease the burden.

Windy weather returns to Wisconsin today.  Stu Muck says temps will stay in the mid-50's, but the wind will change how it feels.

Normally in spring, farmers are feeling optimistic about the growing season.  Ag lenders are saying that trend has changed this year.  Charitee Seebecker spoke with Nicholas Felder at the WI Ag Lenders Spring Conference in WI Dells.  Felder is an ag banker from Lancaster who says the entire sector is pessimistic.  Felder says lenders are reevaluating their portfolios and taking a closer look at the value of land, cattle and equipment.

Sustainability is turning into premiums for some Wisconsin dairy farms.  With Earth Day on the calendar April 22nd, Jeff Betley, Pulaski dairy farmer and board member of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, tells Pam Jahnke about some of the practices they're using that help the environment, and tell a story to today's consumers.  Paid for by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.

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Farmers across Wisconsin are no strangers to navigating uncertainty—from changing weather to fluctuating markets. But what does that mean for their financial future? We checked in with Jeff Wilke- Chair of the ag bankers section board to get an inside look at how the lending landscape is shifting in his neck of the woods in Northeast Wisconsin and what it means for farmers planning their next move.

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Lawmakers are trying to get all hands on deck on what they are calling the largest energy reform package that the state has seen in decades. It's called the Wisconsin Energy Reform Act (WERA). It includes a farmland preservation component. Assembly Agriculture Chair Travis Tranel led the effort to include whether or not a large-scale renewable energy project should be sited on productive farmland. 

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If you find yourself daydreaming about living in the countryside, growing tulips, and having a farmstand… well, you’re not alone. It’s not something that only happens in the movies, but it takes more work than the movies let on. Welcome back as we highlight specialty crops across Wisconsin and the growers who make it happen. Today we’re visiting with Erin Avila-Vissers at Four Acres Flowers in DeForest. She turned this dream into a reality, even though the rest of her family was a little apprehensive at first. After planting 1,000 tulips by hand over the past few years, her dream of being a full-time flower farmer is only getting closer. This podcast series is brought to you by Specialty Crop Block Grant 23-10. Learn more at gowiagtourism.com.

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Temple Grandin is a staple in US agriculture, well known for her work on the humane harvest of livestock, as well as the better understanding of the behavior of animals. Recently Temple was in Madison where she spoke about her about the work she has done throughout her life as well as current issues that she is seeing within the animal agriculture industry. She says that if you get down and see what an animal sees then you can better understand their behaviors. One of the biggest issues Dr. Grandin is currently seeing is the breeding of unhealthy animals. She feels it is unethical to breed animals with health issues, knowing that the offspring may also have the issues. 

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The maple syrup season is drawing to a close.  Always dependent on the weather, this year's season ended up a little shorter than Cedric Boettcher had hoped.  He's a fourth generation maple syrup operator in Cadott who explains the diversity of the industry to Bob Bosold.

Warmer today, with sunshine this weekend.  Stu Muck holds out weather hope on a Friday.

Ag suppliers are getting product in place, and out the door these days.  Pam Jahnke talks to Steve Bailie, market manager at the Monroe location for Helena Agri.  He says they're pretreating seed right now, and focused on gathering any information that will help minimize risk on a field-by-field basis, to save money.  Paid for by Helena Agri.

Two meat industry legends were inducted into the Wisconsin Meat Industry Hall of Fame on Thursday night.  Dan Sutherland who started his career at Johnsonville in 1982, and Fritz Usinger who is the fourth generation of the Fred Usinger, Inc. company - known as Usinger brats.  Both share what they think their legacy is to the industry with Pam Jahnke.

Likewise, plans are ramping up for the 78th annual "Alice in Dairyland" finale.  Hosted for the first time by Crawford County, committee member and former "Alice", Kaitlyn Kesler, tells Pam Jahnke about what they're doing to prepare.  She believes that Crawford county will draw good sized crowds for their events since people may have never experienced the piece of paradise before.

If I say "Girl Scout" I'm guessing you'll immediately think of the flavor of cookie you prefer.  That's expected since cookie sales are a hallmark of the Girl Scouts.  Today some of those young women are working on a badge with a different distinction.  A Wisconsin agriculture badge.  Stephanie Hoff explains that what started as a badge focused exclusively on dairy has now branched out to involve all Wisconsin agriculture.  Dane County dairy producer, John Haag, has helped with that and shares the story.

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