Wisconsin Bankers Association President and CEO Rose Oswald Poels breaks down the latest Economic Conditions Survey.

The WBA's latest survey of 70 Wisconsin bank CEOs show 68 percent of respondents rated Wisconsin’s current economic health as “excellent” or “good.”

While most respondents (95 percent) do not foresee inflation worsening, 44 percent predict that the economy will weaken over the next six months. Forty-seven percent say it will stay about the same over the next six months.

The news is more optimistic than the same time last year when three-quarters of respondents predicted the economy would weaken over the next six months.

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Imagine having input pricing information, lending options, and more all in one place where you can compare what is best for you and your operation. Well that’s where the Farmer Business Network (FBN) comes in. Charles Baron, the co-founder of the Farmer Business Network, says their integrated technology, market access, and data-driven solutions empower farmers with transparency, control, and enhanced profitability in their operations. 

"At FBN, our mission is rooted in addressing the challenges faced by farmers, notably the lack of market information and opaque pricing structures," explains Baron. "We aim to provide a comprehensive platform where farmers can access inputs, lending options, analytics, grain sales, premium programs, and more, fostering a thriving community."

FBN’s 24/7 transparent pricing model allows farmers to make informed decisions while purchasing inputs like chemicals, seeds, and animal health products. This transparency empowers them to secure competitive rates and ensure swift delivery, minimizing complexities traditionally associated with agricultural purchasing.

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Wisconsin's Farmland Preservation program is getting an overhaul after decades of neglect.  Stephanie Hoff talks with administrators about what's changing, and farmers that are ready to apply.

A new survey out from UW-Madison and UW-River Falls points to irregular trends in how dairy farms are approaching farm labor management across the state.  Although the survey results were small, the division was noticeable.  Dane County is trying to deal with farm labor issues on their own.  Pam Jahnke talks to Joe Parisi, Dane County Executive Director, about their $8 million plan to address housing and language barriers.

A third grade teacher from Fennimore has been named the Outstanding Ag in the Classroom teacher for 2023, and she claimed the award without even really noticing what she was doing.  Charitee Seebecker gets the interesting story from Beth Schaefer, director of the Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom program.

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The holiday's drive a lot of business, and that's not all through presents.  Charitee Seebecker talks to Shahla Werner, Plant protection manager for DATCP, about pests they're on the lookout for in holiday decorations. One of the biggest pest's christmas tree growers should be on the lookout for is the elongate hemlock scale
That's an exotic scale insect that prefers hemlock, spruce and fir but will also feed on cedar, pine. She says this is the first year that they had a quarantine and DATCP has a regulation to prevent infected trees from being brought into WI.

It's a bird - it's a plane - no it's a drone and you're probably going to see more of them flying in 2024.  Stephanie Hoff visits with Finn Johnson with Madison Area Drone Service about how they're using drone's today and what farmers might think about if they want to fly their own.

John Heinberg, market advisor with Total Farm Marketing joins Pam Jahnke to talk about the holiday influences on market trends.

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It’s been a challenging year for pork. But the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is actively engaging in international trade matters, advocating for fair market access and addressing challenges affecting pork producers worldwide to help with this. Maria Zieba, Vice President of International Affairs for the National Pork Producers Council, shed light on the current tariff landscape and what their strategic priorities are for the coming year. 

“In China, pork and pork products still face a 25 percent duty, significantly impacting the export of muscle cuts,” says Zieba. “While the trade primarily involves variety meats, NPPC emphasizes the necessity of diversification in product offerings, expressing concern about the continued imposition of tariffs affecting producers.

Meanwhile, attention is directed towards the Philippines, with efforts focused on influencing a potential tariff reduction by year-end, aiming to sustain market accessibility.

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Representative Derrick Van Orden from Wisconsin’s third district is wrapping up his first year in Congress where he serves on the House Agriculture Committee. He says his to-do list for 2024 focuses on passing the Farm Bill and pushing the executive branch to expand and enforce trade deals. But before we talk about what’s coming down the pipeline in the House Ag Committee, Congressman Van Orden reflects on his first year in office and some of the wins that have come out of D.C. for Wisconsin farmers. 

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Carbon credits are an evolving market as more players get involved and as demand continues to rise. So how do you make sure that you’re making the right decision when or if you decide to enter the carbon market on your farm? Here to offer some perspective is Travis Kraft, director of sales for Indigo Ag in the carbon credit space, an area they got involved in a few years ago. We talk about the current landscape of carbon from how the market has already changed in a few years to how policy is developing around carbon credits. He reminds you to ask yourself some important questions before getting involved in carbon markets, such as knowing where the money flows. And he says right now, growers are in a good position where the demand for carbon credits is high, but the supply is low right now as farms contemplate whether it's a good idea to jump in or not.

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The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Master of Science in Design plus Innovation (MD+I) is an interdisciplinary, accelerated masters program where students design, develop and implement innovative products or services to solve a problem. This year their focus is on bees and the role they play on Wisconsin's ecosystem and food security. Trudy Watt, the academic director of the program, says the students’ projects will be ready to be implemented come May. She explains more about the process these students go through.

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As the agricultural community reflects on the past year, 2023 emerges as a period marked by dry weather conditions across the corn belt and raising concerns about crop yields. However, despite the lack of moisture, the soybean harvest has surprised many with impressive yields. Brad Van Kooten, seed treatment category leader at Pioneer says advancements in seed treatments played a big factor in that. He explains more about how the year went and the different treatments they offer.

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The Sheep Shearing School is happening now at the UW Sheep Unit in Arlington. The Sheep Unit is a part of the Arlington Agricultural Research Station. It consists of 50 acres and two main barns. The barns house 300 head of mature ewes and their lambs. And this week, they’re getting a haircut by about 20 students.

Josh Huber is one of the instructors at the annual Sheep Shearing School. He’s the third generation at Huber Sheep Shearing out of the Wisconsin Dells. It’s truly an art form that’s been passed down through generations, and he’s happy to share this tradition with people interested in the sheep industry.

He’s happy with the class size. They fill up every year. If you’re interested in attending, stay in touch with the UW Sheep Unit on the next course: https://andysci.wisc.edu/about-us/facilities/sheep-unit/ 

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