MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

Corey William Janke is celebrating 150 years of his family farming the same land near Bear Creek, in the Union Township of Waupaca County. The fifth-generation farmer reflects on how it has evolved from steam-powered equipment and a family sawmill to a modern beef operation, which he started in 2018 after the dairy cows left the farm.

Janke says his goal now is to maintain the land and continue raising cattle, while highlighting the importance of family, longtime friendships, and the community that has helped build and sustain the farm for five generations. 

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

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Amanda Latham and Pam dive into the complexities of the weather patterns we've been seeing. They talk drought and expectations for the upcoming el niño.

Wisconsin saw rain through the night and into the morning. Ag meteorologist Stu Muck expects things to dry out as the week progresses.

Pam and Ashley Huhn with the Steffes Group discuss the importance of utilizing local opportunities and knowledgeable sellers. Paid for by Steffes Group.

Larry Lee and Doug Rebout discuss an exciting announcement for Wisconsin farmers. On Monday, CHS announced they will break ground on Wisconsin's first soybean processing facility. The plant is expected to process 80 million bushels of soybeans annually.

John Heinberg's attention is also focused on the announcement from CHS. A highly anticipated USDA report after the ProFarmer Tour and global dynamics continue to impact grain markets.

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Door County organic livestock farmer Josh Mechaelsen discusses why he’s traveling to Washington, D.C. with a group of Wisconsin farmers -- to meet directly with lawmakers. 

Teri Barr talks with the Baileys Harbor man about being a beginning farmer who moved to Wisconsin from Iowa, and his firsthand perspective on the challenges facing today’s farmers. He talks about the need for a new Farm Bill, changing farm policy to better support diverse and beginning farmers, and how having farmers personally share their stories with lawmakers can make a difference.

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Doug Rebout with the Wisconsin Soybean Association reacts to the annoucement by CHS that construction will begin soon on the Evansville, Wisconsin soybean crush plant.

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Bob Bosold and Jake Sailer discuss the complexities that come with processing your own meat.

Cooler temperatures are making their appearance this week. Stu Muck is keeping an eye on rain that could impact harvest activities.

Larry Lee and Jackie McCarville talk about a few of the dos and don'ts of land lease agreements.

Last week's most listened to story was "Third Grade Teacher Brings Wisconsin Agriculture to Life in Her Classroom."

 
Pam sits down with our friends at Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. Jeff Betley dives into the many activities you can immerse yourself in at World Dairy Expo. Paid for by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.

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Two years ago, Dr. Rodrigo Werle (Brazilian native) escorted a group of Wisconsin farmers and agribusiness leaders through the major farming areas of Brazil.  They're going again in January 2027.

If you want to see the true size and scale of Brazilian agriculture, listen to the information Dr. Werle shares with Pam Jahnke.

If you'd like to get a glimpse of what the 2025 experience was like, please take a few minutes to watch this short trip recap:
https://youtu.be/bshBl5L3DS8?is=f-lSErUa6h-HAvXC

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If you want to start a conversation with any farmer - start talking about the weather.

Farmers and farm families are accustomed to routine conversations like that. We'll talk about the weather forecasts, crop yields, fertilizer costs, herd challenges and harvest timelines. These discussions are comfortable, predictable, and familiar.

Mental health, depression, and personal well-being are usually not a part of that comfort zone of conversation. The Mid-West Farm Report Network and Rural Mutual Insurance, are reminding our valuable farming community that physical farm safety and mental wellness go hand in hand.

Jeff Ditzenberger, founder of TUGS (Talk, Understanding, Growing, Supporting) based in Monroe, emphasizes how the landscape of agricultural mental health has shifted over the past decade. Ditzenberger tells Pam Jahnke that while talking about mental wellness was once considered taboo, the conversations today are becoming more frequent, honest, and intense.

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When we think about farm safety, we usually think about the physical hazards of the job. Today, we take a dive deeper into the human side of farm safety.  Pam Jahnke sat down with Dorothy Harms, co-founder of the Farmer Angel Network, to discuss her personal journey creating the network.  How evolving culture of rural mental wellness, is changing and how local grassroots initiatives are making a difference.

For Dorothy Harms, the turning point came after losing her dairy farmer husband to suicide after thei herd dispersal, and then the tragic loss of a close friend and farming neighbor to suicide.

What started as informal gatherings over soup and sandwiches, drawing 40 to 60 people at a time, proved that rural neighbors were hungry for support, connection, and solutions. Out of that shared grief, the Farmer Angel Network was born.

This series made possible by Rural Mutual Insurance.

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World Dairy Expo brings the global dairy community to Madison each fall to celebrate exceptional cattle, discover new ideas and experience the pride that defines dairy farming. Joining us today is Wisconsin dairy farmer and World Dairy Expo cattle exhibitor, Jeff Betley.. Jeff not only sits on the board for Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, his family also exhibits cattle at World Dairy Expo.

Pam Jahnke explores the layers of opportunity that World Dairy Expo offers Wisconsin's dairy industry.  Betley highlights the global interactions that happen from the trade show floor to the straw strewn ally's of the barns.

Betley's also quick to highlight the educational opportunities available at World Dairy Expo.  He's amazed at the amount of free fluid milk enjoyed during the show, the educational tours offered to area school kids, the career possibilities highlighted in the trade show and the practical skills honed in the show ally.

World Dairy Expo returns to the Alliant Energy Center complex and the New Holland Pavilions September 29 through October 2. 

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