According to the latest informal Wisconsin­ Farm Bureau Marketbasket survey, the total cost of 12 food items used to host a summer cookout for 10 totaled $66.72, down 4.2 percent from last year’s state average.

The same survey conducted on the national level by American Farm Bureau totaled $67.73 which is 3 percent lower than last year’s national average.

Wisconsin’s $66.72 survey price is more than a dollar less than AFBF’s survey of the same food items. While the cost of a summer cookout remains less than $7 per person, it is the still the second-highest total since the survey’s inception which peaked in 2022 due to supply chain disruptions, inflation and the ongoing war in Ukraine, explains WFBF Public Relations Executive Director Amy Eckelberg.

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Young exhibitors at the Brown County Fair are partnering with students with special needs and giving them the chance to show a pig. Bay Port FFA is running the Special Drive at this year's Brown County Fair. This is a pig show which gives students with special needs the opportunity to show a pig after an afternoon of mentorship from current fair exhibitors. This event will take place on Aug. 18 from 3-5:15 p.m. in the North Show Barn and Swine Barn at the Brown County Fairgrounds in DePere. Register: https://howard-suamicoschools.revtrak.net/bp/bp-ffa/#/f/bp-ffa-brown-county-fair-special-drive-pig-show

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Alsum Produce is one of the largest producers of potatoes and other produce in the state. This year they are celebrating 50 years of being in business. Part of Alsum's celebration will include a two day community celebration with a number of events. Christine Lindner, Alsum Produce Marketing Manager, shares what folks interested in attending have to look forward to. 

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As we wrap up June Dairy Month, let's go to a modern dairy farm. In Luxemburg, Wisconsin, Paul Cornette is not only investing in innovation in the barn, but in soil health as well. Paul operates Cornette Dairy with his brother. He’s one of the founders of Peninsula Pride Farms, a farmer-led watershed protection group in northeast Wisconsin. Some of the highlights of the effort include preventing 100,000 lbs of phosphorus from entering the waterways. Paul tells Mid-West Farm Report about the farm's sustainability progress, but first gives us a history on the multi-generational farm.

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There's no better way to get a first-hand look at the low water levels of the Mississippi River and the impacts on shipments than the pilot house of a river tow boat. Jimmy Cheatham, Barge captain on the Western Rivers, otherwise known as (Captain)Capt-J-Rock on Tik Tok, provides some insight into what he’s facing.

Aztalan Bio LLC is the new owner of the former Valero ethanol plant in the town of Aztalan, WI. They are planning to revolutionize corn processing here in Wisconsin and reopen for production in the fall. Jeff Oestmann, CEO of Aztalan Bio LLC says they have an innovative approach to biorefining that will put them on the leading edge of the transition to low- and zero-carbon renewable fuels. He explains more about the facility and how it serves as the next generation of biorefineries.

Wisconsin Beef Council kicked off the week with a $2,500 check to Feeding Wisconsin, a network of six food banks. The money comes from Beef Council’s Burgers & Buns Fun Run in May, put on in partnership with Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation and the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center. Wisconsin Beef Council Executive Director Tammy Vaassen tells Mid-West Farm Report why this is a priority for the organization.

John Heinberg, Market Advisor with Total Farm Marketing speaks with 
Charitee Seebecker about how corn made another drop in crop ratings and what he expects the future of the markets to look like due to the weather we've been having.

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Aztalan Bio LLC is the new owner of the former Valero ethanol plant in the town of Aztalan, WI. They are planning to revolutionize corn processing here in Wisconsin and reopen for production in the fall.

Jeff Oestmann, CEO of Aztalan Bio LLC says they have an innovative approach to biorefining that will put them on the leading edge of the transition to low- and zero-carbon renewable fuels. He explains more about the facility and how it serves as the next generation of biorefineries.

“We are thrilled to be reopening for production,” says Oestmann. “Our presence in the area will have a huge significance for the local agricultural economy as we create a new market for corn across the southern portion of the state.”

The facility will be producing around 110 million gallons of ethanol a year. What makes it notable compared to other processing plants is that it has front end dry fractionation. This means that they can separate all the constituents of corn, such as the germ, starch, gluten etc, and move them into different areas and sell those products separately or enhance and modify them into other products.

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Preserving native plant species in Wisconsin is crucial to ensuring we have a healthy ecosystem for generations to come. They help with soil health, reduce water runoff, and provide nectar and pollen for pollinators which in turn can help crop yields and health. A number of organizations strive to conserve native plant species, including the UW-Arboretum. 

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Today Wisconsin Beef Council presented a $2,500 check to Feeding Wisconsin to purchase Wisconsin beef across its six food banks! The money comes from Beef Council’s Burgers & Buns Fun Run in May, put on in partnership with Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation and the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center.

Wisconsin Beef Council Executive Director Tammy Vaassen tells Mid-West Farm Report why this is a priority for the organization. She also gives us a look at what else Wisconsin Beef Council is up to.

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Feeding Wisconsin is a network of six food pantries that provide food to almost 1,000 local food programs in all 72 Wisconsin counties. They sent out 86 million pounds of food to Wisconsinites in 2021, which was a 75 percent jump from 2019. And the amount is only growing, according to board president and interim director Michelle Orge. Orge is also the president and CEO of Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin, which is one of those six pantries that are a part of Feeding Wisconsin. She tells Mid-West Farm Report what the food needs look like among Wisconsin residents.

Wisconsin Beef Council presented Feeding Wisconsin with a $2,500 check today to purchase Wisconsin beef across their network. Orge says partnerships like this are important to meet the needs of their patrons. Pantries used to purchase up to 20 percent of their food, and then the rest would be covered by donations. Today, they are purchasing 40 percent of what they need. She says it's not because people are less generous, it's because there's less to give with higher grocery prices.

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ATV and UTVs have become more popular over the years as more roadways become legal to drive on. However, to enjoy this recreational activity, you also need to be safe. So far this year, there have been 11 fatalities due to ATV/UTV crashes. Last year at this time there were only 6.

WI DNR Recreation Warden Nick Webster says while there can be a wide array of causes, one of the top leading causes is alcohol consumption.

 “We’re seeing a lot of fatalities occurring on the roadways due to some form of illegal operation,” Webster says. “It’s split in half between the roads and the public trails where most are happening.”

He added that they don’t see too many accidents between an ATV or UTV and motor vehicle. However when they do, he says it is generally the ATV or UTV operator that is at fault. Along with alcohol consumption, one of  the other biggest factors year to year is excessive speed and careless operation.

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