The alfalfa weevil are active in Wisconsin and could be detrimental to your second cutting. Managing agronomist Steve Hoffman with In Depth Agronomy in east central Wisconsin says this drought isn't helping. He recommends you sweep your fields and apply insecticide if you find larvae.

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Vegetable growers and CSA managers are moving away from herbicides for a variety of reasons: cost, results and feasibility. That's why Sam Oschwald Tilton helps growers statewide transition to mechanical weed prevention and other methods. And while it sounds labor intensive, there are methods that don't require a lot of bodies, which is important when labor is such a valuable commodity these days. Oschwald Tilton is a direct market specialist with the Division of Extension. He's also affiliated with FairShare CSA Coalition.

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Farmers in Wisconsin are finding some truck dealerships that are ready to provide not only discounts on things like trucks, tires and lubricants - but how about fencing, chemicals and other elements you use on the operation.

Ag Truck Trader has been an evolutionary process according to former farm broadcaster, Patrick Driscoll, the CEO and president of Certified Agriculture Dealer (CAD) Program.  He talked with Pam Jahnke about their career paths as farm broadcasters, and how Driscoll realized there could be more to just making a sale to farmers.  How about really helping them with the scope of things they need and use.

Today CAD is offering more than $30,000 in combined savings for farming operations simply looking to do business, in an easier way.

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Any given day in Wisconsin, you can find someone that wants to take issue with the weather forecast and the person behind it.  Let's find out what it's like behind the scenes with the National Weather Service staff who help to pull details together to form a forecast.

Scott Berschback has been a part of NOAA's meteorology team for 15 years and understands people's frustration with forecast accuracy.  He visits with Pam Jahnke to help people understand the technology they use and the collaboration that is necessary to improve that accuracy.

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A team of students at UW-River Falls have pulled together a winning dairy combination that not only provides great nutrition and taste, but also a calming effect for those enjoying it!

RootCurd at first blush might not seem yummy, but students that have been developing the product says it's definitely impressed judges with its textures and taste!  Now UW-River Falls' RootCurd is one of the top winners in the national Dairy Management Incorporated (DMI) New Product Competition (formerly also known as the National Dairy Council New Product Competition).

This competition is an opportunity for students to develop new products in line with current industry and consumer insights to uncover innovative dairy base products for calming:
• With a heightened emphasis on mental and emotional well being, consumers are looking for products that calm.
• There is high consumer interest and projected growth associated with products that calm, and that interest is further increased with Gen Z.

All this innovation assisted with dairy checkoff dollars.  Find out more about how Wisconsin dairy checkoff dollars are making consumers smile during National Dairy Month!

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More and more operating farms are being surrounded by non-farm neighbors.  There's also more staff operating on an average farm.  Trying to keep track of what's really happening on a farm is difficult, that's why many are turning to technology to help.  Stephanie Hoff visits with Jason Nosrati, of Ag Video Surveillance in Beaver Dam about the trends he's seeing.

The "flash" drought in Wisconsin is causing state extension officials to call a group of experts together to talk about "what if's".  Pam Jahnke visits with Natasha Paris, UW-Extension Crop Educator in Adams, Marquette, Waushara and Green Lake counties.  Friday there will be an hour long webinar helping growers think through their strategies IF the drought persists.

Bryce Windecker from EverAg steps in to update the audience on the ugly trend of dumping milk - now in the upper Midwest.  Cheese prices remain firm, but that doesn't impact every dairy producer.  He chats with Pam Jahnke about the landmines dairy producers and processors are working around.

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Imagine you have an emergency and need to call 911 yet it takes them a long time to get there or maybe they can’t come at all. That is the scary reality of the current state of EMS in Wisconsin. 

Alan DeYoung,  Executive Director of Wisconsin EMS Association says while EMS is essential in times of crisis, according to the state, it's actually deemed inessential. 

“The current state of EMS in Wisconsin and really across the entire country has not been doing very well for the past few years,” says DeYoung. “With the pandemic and reliance on volunteerism for decades, many volunteers have started to age out and retire.”

DeYoung estimates about 25 to 30 percent of the entire EMS workforce in Wisconsin has left the industry. With that loss has also come an increase in the amount of emergency calls. With a 21 percent increase over the last four years, which equates to about 160,000 more calls every year, and having a smaller workforce, many calls are going unanswered. 

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Wisconsin's "Badger Crop Connect" team of extension staff will be hosting a special webinar focused on the current flash drought taking place across most of the state of WI.

Natasha Paris,  UW-Extension Regional Crops Educator in Marquette, Waushara, Green Lake, & Adams Counties says the webinar will be a quick-paced format to connect growers with resources to assist decision-making. The topics will include the impact of weather on historic crop yield potential, seasonal weather patterns, critical grain development stages, soil fertility decisions in dry conditions, alternative forage options, soil moisture management, federal crop insurance risk management, and FSA program assistance.

To register for this Zoom webinar visit the Badger Crop Connect Webpage or click the link below. 

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Madison Cricket Farm in DeForest raises crickets for live pet food, such as for birds and reptiles. Kevin Bachhuber operates this farm as an extension of his consulting firm, in which he advises insect production agriculture for animal feed or human consumption. Roughly 2 million crickets are under his care and like it at a ‘cool’ 88 degrees! Just like with traditional livestock, ventilation is important because these crickets breathe a lot of oxygen. The adults (pictured on their cardboard apartments) look different from your typical backyard cricket because they’re a different breed and have a softer exoskeleton.

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The Dane County Breakfast on the Farm is headed to the Kahl Family Farm for the 44th annual event, held on Saturday, June 10, 2023.

The Kahl Family began farming their homestead in 1961, and over the years have raised dairy cattle, hogs, chickens, goats and crops.

Family member, Riley Kahl, is the current President of the Wisconsin Auctioneers Association.  So, new this year will be a live auction at the conclusion of the breakfast, put on by Imkahlng Auctions, managed by Riley Kahl and Family. Money received during these cash and carry auctions will be donated to the Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin, a nonprofit working to end poverty and help people live better lives in Dane County. 

Find more details on this Saturday's Dane County Breakfast on the Farm on their website.

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