Biosecurity has never been more important for livestock and poultry owners.  Avian influenza struck poultry and now pork producers are on guard against ASF - African Swine Fever.  Pam Jahnke talks to NPPC Staff Veterinarian, Pam Zaabel, about where the disease is now and what's being done on our borders to try and keep the industry threatening ailment out.

Today is National Agriculture Day.  Developed in 1973, with a goal of helping every American know where their food comes from and how it's produced, and to develop an appreciation for everything agriculture offers and provides.  Today staff at the Blackhawk Technical College will be inviting the public in to see the technical advancements that agriculture's using today.  Stephanie Hoff chats with program leader, Dustin Williams, about what he's happy to show off.

The black swan event in banking is overshadowing agricultural markets as well.  John Hineberg, market advisor with Total Farm Marketing, joins Pam Jahnke to talk about it and the latest corn sales going to China.

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Ag Day at the Capitol is coming up on March 29th and there's a fresh face from Wisconsin Farm Bureau that's looking forward to being there. Jason Mugniani, the new Executive Director of Government Relations says the priorities of Wisconsin's Farm Bureau members will be heard in Madison. 

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Congratulations to Kyle and Rachel Zwieg of Ixonia who were named National Outstanding Young Farmers earlier this spring. They are the seventh generation on the family farm that was purchased from the state of Wisconsin in 1856. Kyle and Rachel and their family milk 70 cows using robotics. They also operate 1,500 acres of crop land with autonomous technology. Kyle tells me all about how the adaptation of new technology on the farm in addition to conservation efforts and more, led them to be winners in the National Outstanding Young Farmer program. If you’d like to check out the farm and their technology, plan on going to the Watertown Agri-Business Club Dairy Breakfast in June. 

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Last month, Governor Evers included free school meals for all, strategic investments in school breakfast funding, and a local purchasing incentive program in his proposed biennial budget. More specifically known  as the Governor’s Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids plan. Allison Pfaff Harris, farm-to-school director at REAP Food Group explains what this plan means for Wisconsin and our producers.

“To go a little bit more in depth, essentially school districts will receive reimbursement from the federal government for students qualifying for free and reduced meals and then for those who don’t qualify for either, they’ll receive a smaller amount of federal reimbursement,” says Harris.

In total, the governor’s 2023-25 biennial budget proposal will provide an increase of more than $2.6 billion for public schools.

Governor Evers has long maintained that a kid who’s hungry isn’t going to be able to focus on their studies or in the classroom, and his budget proposal makes critical investments to provide universal breakfast and lunch and engage local farmers and producers in the school meal marketplace.

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With fewer students coming from the farm, how do you engage nonfarm students with agriculture? Wisconsin schools such as Blackhawk Technical College in Monroe are looking for that answer. Blackhawk has seen success by offering the newest technology advancements from spray drones to tractor simulators. This is giving students real-life and hands-on experience to prepare for the industry. Dustin Williams is the Agribusiness and Farm Management Instructor. He says this fairly new program has grown in the past decade. Blackhawk Technical College is hosting a National Ag Day celebration for the Wisconsin Technical College System on March 23 at its Monroe Campus. The event will highlight the programming and services Wisconsin’s technical colleges deliver in support of Wisconsin vital agriculture sector.

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Interest rates, inflation, recession - these are phrases we're hearing in the media, and ag lenders are paying attention too.

Pam Jahnke sat down and discussed trends that ag lenders are monitoring going into spring planting.

Matt Schuldt, President/Ag Banker with Merchants Bank in Caledonia and Spring Grove, Minnesota - along with Jerad Brown, ag lender with Merchants in Lanesboro and Rushford, discuss what they're noticing.

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Despite weather concerns, California farmers are still able to grow almost anything the market demand.  Bob Bosold visits with California almond producer, Dan Klendenon, about the crop and its future.

The National Weather Service is continuing to reach out to the general public to become "citizen scientists" and rainfall reporters.  Carrie Mess talks to Matt Brown, a county coordinator for those rainfall reports, about why that data's so important.

With spring planting just around the corner, finding quality employees on the farm is more important than ever.  Pam Jahnke visits with UW-Extension Farm Management Specialist, Jim Versweyveld, about simple things that might be overlooked the first day on the job that could undo all the work done to recruit.

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Rep. Travis Tranel, R-Cuba City, chairs the Assembly Agriculture Committee and dairy farms in southwest Wisconsin. He says his priorities for this session are for local road improvements and continued producer-led watershed grants. He’s also a big advocate for farmers representing themselves on the Hill, especially during a state budget cycle.

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With fewer students coming from the farm, how do you engage nonfarm students with agriculture? Wisconsin schools such as Blackhawk Technical College in Monroe are looking for that answer. Blackhawk has seen success by offering the newest technology advancements from spray drones to tractor simulators. This is giving students real-life and hands-on experience to prepare for the industry. Dustin Hoffman is the Agribusiness and Farm Management Instructor. He says this fairly new program has grown in the past decade. Blackhawk Technical College is hosting a National Ag Day celebration for the Wisconsin Technical College System on March 23 at its Monroe Campus. The event will highlight the programming and services Wisconsin’s technical colleges deliver in support of Wisconsin vital agriculture sector.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What happens to honeybees in the winter? And how did the hives weather this winter weather as we move into spring? Nick Thill, Wisconsin Honey Producers Association President, says he has been getting mixed reviews from beekeepers throughout the state. He shares how these pollinators handled the cold temperatures and what to expect moving into spring, including potential hive invaders.

“I’ve heard a lot of beekeepers in the state have had an amazing survival rate,” says Thill. “This winter has been a little milder than previous years. The temperatures have been relatively mild yet there are also some hives that have been decimated this year and with high losses.”

An average winter loss for Wisconsin beekeepers is between 25 to 35 percent. Thill says the last few years they have been trending within that range and evening out in terms of loss and success.

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