Jan Prins a dairy broker from EverAg talks about how National and International happenings are affecting the markets. He says the Iran conflict is affecting butter the most due to inability to transport products through the Strait of Hormuz.

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Good Friday may have acted as a distraction from policy attention at the governor's mansion.

Wisconsin Senator Pat Testin, chair of the Senate Agriculture and Revenue Committee, says that Good Friday was a bad day for livestock operations in the state.  Governor Tony Evers decided to veto legislation that would have put a freeze on proposed fee increases proposed by the WI Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.  These annual fee increases range from 205% to nearly 1,700%!  The livestock, marketing and trucking industry had collaborated with DATCP to find some common ground, but it wasn't enough for the governor.

On a positive note, it looks like there will be some state funding made available for farmers, land owners, and municipalities dealing with the fallout of PFAS contamination.  Testin says many of the impacted parties may have been unaware of the PFAS risk when practices were put into place.  This money would be targeted at clean up of impacted areas.  At this moment, the PFAS funding mechanism is waiting for the governor's signature.

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If you're from Wisconsin, chances are good that you've enjoyed a June Dairy celebration somewhere in the course of your life.  Organizing the volunteers and all the educational opportunities is one mission supported by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.

Mitch Kappelman is a fifth generation dairy operator that sits on DFW's board of directors.  He represents dairy operators in Manitowoc and Calumet counties.  Kappelman reminds us that there's more to June Dairy month then just the food and friendship.  These face-to-face events allow Wisconsin dairy to tell its story.  Kappelman says the care of our dairy animals and the dedication to preserving land and water resources is something he does everyday.  However, sharing that story with consumers isn't something that happens everyday.

Kappleman notes that 99% of all Wisconsin dairy operations are family owned and operated.  That's not a story that consumers pick up just driving by.  The work farms do with conservation practices to keep soil in place and maintain water quality are also stories not seen from a distance.  That's why Kappelman believes these June Dairy experiences are one way to have meaningful exchanges with visitors.

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You can travel thousands of miles and see different terrain, but still find yourself in a conversation that feels like "home".  Pam Jahnke shares some comments from Rhys Lougher from Ty Tanglwyst dairy in Wales.  Lougher, his brother and father operate the dairy.  It includes not only providing milk to the general public, but also top end genetics to area dairy farms that may be rebuilding after suffering losses from bovine tuberculosis.  Ty Tanglwyst was one of the agriculture stops on the recent farm tour of England and Wales.

We've got some hit and miss chances at sunshine this week.  Stu Muck says today the wind will catch your attention.

Turning tragedy into something positive isn't easy.  Carol Anderson, program director with Rural Minds, says that's how their organization started.  After losing a family member in a farm suicide the family decided to focus energy on mental health challenges in rural communities.  Ben Jarboe visits with Anderson about the stigma they're trying to break in rural communities surrounding mental health.  Anderson says many people raised on a farm or in a rural community are taught to keep mental health challenges to themselves.  They're trying to break that stigma without duplicating services already being provided by others.

Wisconsin DNR will be accepting applications for the next class of conservation wardens.  Pam Jahnke also reports that two industry leaders will be inducted into the WI Meat Industry Hall of Fame this Thursday.  Dr. Dan Schafer and Steve Van Laanen.

Spring planting is just around the corner and so is lawn and garden work.  Knowing what weather you'll be dealing with is critical.  That weather forecast you depend on, depends on you!  Kiley Allan visits with Richard Janke a Citizen Scientist that volunteers with the National Weather Service as a rainfall reporter.  He explains that he's been doing this for the past 4 years.  Janke says the process is simple and he finds reward in how his information plays a role in the bigger forecast that NWS releases.

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Hog production in the Nevada desert.  Really?  Yep!  Bob Bosold's on the trail of a hog operation outside of Las Vegas that actually uses some of the food remnants from the hotel/casino industry to feed its hogs.

Rain, rain and more rain for Good Friday and the weekend.  Stu Muck also says the winds will remain strong until at least Sunday.

A lakeside community in Green Lake County decided it wanted to play an active role in documenting weather events impacting their community.  Ben Jarboe finds out about it with volunteer Jim Goyette.  He got involved through the Green Lake Association and other citizen science programs like Water Action Volunteers.Participants collect rainfall data that contributes to historical records and more accurate weather forecasting. Monitoring precipitation is especially important for agriculture, water quality, and maintaining aquifers and streams. Goyette chose his rain gauge location based on provided guidelines, placing it in an open area away from obstructions. Proper placement helps ensure accurate readings, even though weather can vary significantly over short distances.

• His rainfall data closely matches a neighbor’s digital weather system, confirming reliable measurements. Participation is simple and takes about 15 minutes per day, making it easy to fit into daily routines. Measuring snowfall requires a bit more effort, including melting snow to calculate water content. The program is a great entry point for people interested in environmental stewardship and citizen science.

Meanwhile, the Wisconsin Beef Council's announced its "Elite Eight" burger contestants.  These top eight feature a 100% beef burger that will now be evaluated by a slate of judges to advance to the next bracket.  Pam Jahnke runs down the names and locations.  More details on each are available at beeftips.com.

If you haven't secured that cherished chocolate Easter bunny for the weekend, prepare for a surprise.  Stephanie Hoff reports that top notch chocolate is a little pricey, in part, because of the war in Iran.  Billy Roberts, Sr Analyst of Food & Beverage with CoBank's Knowledge Exchange Division, says that cocoa hit a high of nearly $10,000/ton in 2023 to the current $3,000/ton now.  Still, at escalated prices consumers continue to buy high grade chocolate for other reasons.  He explains.

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The Wisconsin Beef Council sponsored the Best Beef Entrée award at the recent Wisconsin ProStart Invitational, inspiring the next generation of culinary leaders. Brady Weiland, a beef and dairy producer from Columbus, tells us about the experience as a judge, and tasting the creative ways that students prepared decadent beef dishes. He also gives us a firsthand look at why representing the dairy perspective on the state checkoff board is vital for the entire beef industry's success.

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 There's a Wisconsin specialty crop that captures the attention from people around the world. Ginseng is a root crop that thrives in our fresh climate here in Wisconsin. We're joined by 78th Alice in Dairyland, Sarah Hagenow, to tell us more about the crop.

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 I scream, you scream, we all scream for 50 years of Cedar Crest Ice Cream. Marketing Manager at Cedar Crest Ice Cream, Shannon Simon, celebrates the anniversary by taking us back to the beginning and tells us about the company's history that is as rich as the ice cream they serve.

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We are right in the thick of the spring confectionery season, but if you’ve noticed your favorite Easter basket treats look a little different this year, or cost a little more, you're not alone. 

Billy Roberts, Senior Analyst of Food and Beverage with CoBank’s Knowledge Exchange Division, tells Stephanie Hoff that in a world of volatile cocoa prices, the candy aisle landscape is changing. 

Faced with years of extreme cocoa price volatility, major chocolate manufacturers are increasingly leaning into non-chocolate alternatives, such as gummies and nut-filled confections, to protect their bottom lines.

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One of Wisconsin's most well known dairy businesses is celebrating a big milestone in 2026. Kiley Allan gets the review of the last 50 years of Cedar Crest Ice Cream with Shannon Simon, their Marketing Manager.

Rain is here and looks to hang around for the next couple of days according to ag meteorologist Stu Muck. He also says to watch out for ice during travels.

This April rain provides a good chance to be a volunteer weather observer for CoCoRaHS. Stephanie Hoff gets the details on how easy it is to be a weather observer from Cynnara Montag.

Jan Prins a dairy broker from EverAg joins the show after a day of mostly higher dairy prices to talk with Ben Jarboe about how National and International happenings are affecting the markets. He says the Iran conflict is affecting butter the most.

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