Expanding renewable liquid fuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel, and increasing trade negotiations, are top priorities for CHS. CHS is one of the largest agricultural cooperatives in the country. Will Stafford is the director of federal affairs with CHS. He says these are items outside the Farm Bill that the cooperative is pushing in the new year. Meanwhile, the 2023 Farm Bill’s deadline has been extended to September of 2024. Will says the extension gives the cooperative a buffer to make sure the legislation is done right.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Growth Energy, an advocacy organization coined as the voice for American biofuel, continues its focus on matters that have been an issue for years, such as expanding the Renewable Fuel Standard with the EPA. The organization is also getting involved in some more nuanced issues, such as carbon scores with the U.S. Treasury. In-house, Growth Energy has launched a new logo and a new brand, but they continue to do what they always have been doing – expanding America’s bioeconomy. Joe Kakesh is the general counsel at Growth Energy. He tells us about the new look.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As a third generation beekeeper from Rhinelander, Chris Hansen knows what it takes to care for bees and market honey. He explains how he has evolved into more of the commercial side of beekeeping by creating beekeeping equipment based on the needs of his peers.

He says, "if you’re even remotely interested in becoming a beekeeper, take the leap and do it. You’ll be part of a community that supports you and helps better the environment."

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Varsity Meats is the retail brand at the Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery building on the west end of campus. The state of the art building is about three years old now, and is home for not only students and faculty, but the meat processing industry. We visit with Dillon Walker, he’s the meat plant operations manager. He says he’s optimistic about growing the Varsity Meats brand across Madison. They currently serve a niche market, but are slowly growing. They're also seeing growing interest among students in meat processing.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Honey Acres has redefined the landscape of honey production by creating value-added products. The journey began with a five-generation legacy of beekeeping that traveled continents from Armenia to the West Coast of the United States. 

Narek Gabriellian, the Chief Executive Officer at Honey Acres, says, “My father became the master beekeeper for an operation on the West Coast, overseeing the growth of colonies from 5,000 to 12,000 in just a few years.” 

"Honey Acres was primarily bottling honey, facing tough competition from imported varieties," Gabriellian explains. "We realized the need for innovation, transitioning from jarred honey as a commodity to crafting value-added products."

This transformation led to the creation of their signature Dark Chocolate Honey Patties, a blend of pure honey, chocolate, and peppermint oil. Overcoming challenges through automation, this innovation breathed new life into the business, anchoring it in Wisconsin's rich honey heritage.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the global population growing and available land shrinking, new and creative approaches are trying to solve how to feed all those people.  Jill Welke dives in with Robbie DoMinico of Freight Farms.  Their concept creates food producing systems around the world from freight containers.  They also include technology that helps focus on sustainability throughout the process.

Technology is something that plenty of Wisconsin farm fields will become increasingly familiar with in 2024.  Stephanie Hoff talks to Finn Johnson, agricultural business development manager at Madison Area Drone Service.  He says the busy season for drones is typically now. After the rush of the harvest, growers sit down to explore how a drone might make their lives easier for the following growing season. Because of the licensure and recommended practice time, Johnson says make your decision now so that you're ready to operate your new drone by spring. Some of the solutions that drones bring to the farm: cover crop seeding without damage and precision fungicide applications. 

Dairy prices broke through critical support areas on Wednesday and that's bad news for the first quarter of 2024.  Katie Burgess, broker analyst with EverAg explains why the breakthroughs happened, and what needs to change in 2024. The primary drivers are soft global demand for dairy - and a new Texas cheese plant that's come online diverting milk towards cheese versus butter and powder production.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Soil health practices like no-till and cover crops can play a large role on your water quality. But when exactly does nitrogen and phosphorus tend to leave a field? And when or what should you be doing when it becomes a problem? 

“The months of January through March, occasionally extending into April, witness significant surface runoff,” explains Amber Radatz, Extension Ag Water Quality Program Manager. “This is primarily propelled by snow melts or rain on frozen ground, restricting soil infiltration. Additionally, late spring runoff, observed in April or May, is triggered by intense storms or saturated soil from consecutive rainfalls.”

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With 2023 wrapping up, farmers are focusing on their plans for the 2024 season. But in order to manage the uncertainties ahead, they need a key plan of action. Leon Hunter, East Heartland agronomy manager for Syngenta says a holistic approach can help farmers tackle disease challenges and optimize their ROI for long-term success. 

He says, "Having a plan not only ensures budgetary preparedness but also allows growers to consider the multifaceted aspects of pest management, like the use of fungicides, strategically optimizing resources for maximum yield,"

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As farmers gear up for 2024, they’re focusing on addressing persistent challenges like corn rootworms and other pests. Enter Ethos Elite. Matthew Pye, biological subject matter expert with FMC says Ethos Elite is their latest innovation in insecticide bio-fungicide, which can be a game changer for corn growers. He explains more about how they’re working to reshape crop protection for 2024.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The current landscape of diesel and fuel markets is presenting unique challenges, especially for our nation's farmers. The tightness in supply and demand for diesel fuel has become a key concern, with several major refineries remaining offline due to the impacts of COVID-19. Additionally, some refineries have converted to renewable diesel, reducing the overall availability of traditional diesel fuel.

"CHS owns two refineries, and we get up every day, working as hard as we can to maximize every gallon of diesel that we're getting out of those two assets to help with this issue,” says Erin Wroge, Senior Product Manager for CHS Refined Fuels.

She adds that farmers are advised to engage in strategic conversations with their diesel fuel suppliers to optimize fuel purchasing and ensure they have an adequate supply when needed.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.