MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

The need for affordable housing impacts our rural communities and their economies every day. But there is good news: there's people and programs working to ensure more homes are available.

Done so through grants, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago hopes to incentivize the next generation of real estate developers to focus on the rural housing demand. Tashayanna Mixson sat down with me. She's currently one of their emerging rural development fellows, and she's working right here in Wisconsin. While the program itself focuses on both the rental and ownership side of the equation, Tashayanna tells me that she herself is focused on creating opportunities for affordable homeownership, a situation that she describes as a dire need for rural Wisconsin.

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This week's crop progress and condition report put out by the USDA says Wisconsin corn and soybeans are well on their way to a fruitful crop. But what are farmers noticing directly in their fields? I sat down with regional crops and soils educator, Anastasia Kurth. She tells us if the boots on the ground observation aligns up with the report.

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Field demonstrations have become a staple of successful WI Farm Technology Days events.  This year looks to be no exception.  Bob Bosold visits with one of the volunteers who has repeatedly been involved with this element of the show.   Ron Zygarlicke has served on the field demo committee for more than a decade.  This year, he's adding a twist by including Italian ryegrass in the mix.

There's already rain moving into western Wisconsin this morning.  Stu Muck says that the cold front moving in will bring measurable rain from LaCrosse to Green Bay throughout the day.  The rest of the state can expect it later tonight and into Thursday.

Anastasia Poull is officially on the job as the 79th Wisconsin Alice in Dairyland.  She's got a sweet task this month promoting July at National Ice Cream month.  Pam Jahnke is happy to participate!  Poull explains her background and passion for agriculture, and why explaining the state's role in ice cream production is a treat!

Affordable housing is a conversation plaguing many Wisconsin communities.  Finding affordable housing in rural communities is like finding a needle in a haystack - and nobody wants to talk about building more needles for that haystack!  Kiley Allan gets the background from Tashayanna Mixson, Emerging Development Fellow (Emerging Rural Development Fellowship).  The gap in available rural housing forces residents out of their hometowns and shackles local businesses from recruiting and retaining employees.  Sponsored by grants from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, the rural development fellowship trains the next generation of developers to tackle rural housing shortages with custom, community-tailored projects rather than massive, urban-style apartment complexes. To achieve affordable homeownership, she advocates for the Community Land Trust model—a system gaining traction in Wisconsin that operates similarly to a condo model and helps secure long-term, attainable housing.  Highlighting the scale of the crisis, Wisconsin's Office of Rural Prosperity projects that the state will require between 140,000 and 227,000 additional housing units by the year 2030.

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Every soybean grower knows about low market prices.  If you're a farmer sitting on the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board, those challenges turn into difficult decisions about where to invest checkoff dollars for the future.  Pam Jahnke sits down with WI Soybean Marketing Board Vice President, Matt Wagenson. 

Wagenson farms near Bear Creek, managing just over 1,000 crop acres plus a beef operation. Now in his 12th year serving as a board member for Wisconsin soybean growers, Wagenson says he's got a more complete picture on how checkoff invested dollars are repaying growers today.  It takes time, and that's one thing he stresses when talking with other growers.

"The most exciting things I've seen in the past two years for us, other than research, is what Delong's doing in Milwaukee,"  Wagenson says.  "Getting the Great Lakes going.  Start cranking stuff out of the Great Lakes out of the St. Lawrence Seaway."  Wagenson says Wisconsin soybeans can now get to Africa and the EU faster than almost any state.  That's one of the stories he shares when growers ask about where their investments are going.

Wagenson says while the WI Soybean Marketing Board cannot invest in physical structures, they can support generating information that helps companies and businesses make decisions about those investment.  Find out more about how your soybean checkoff dollars are being spent in Wisconsin!

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Janet Clark is a busy dairy woman at Vision Aire Farm LLC.  Clark juggles her active on-farm schedule with her duties as the chair of the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin farmer board.  Now that the dust has settled from amazing June Dairy Month acitivites, Clark shares some of the milestones DFW's attained that many dairies may have missed.

Clark visits with Pam Jahnke about some of the campaigns DFW spearheads that dairy farmers might miss.  Those efforts include the direct connection DFW is facilitating in "meeting" customers where they're at.  Clark explains that they know sharing the story of Wisconsin dairy coupled with sampling product, leads to success.  This year, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin has already engaged more than 200,000 consumers through community events and farm experiences. After attending these events, 97% said they intend to return, and 98% said they're more likely to purchase Wisconsin cheese. Those personal connections help build trust and confidence in how Wisconsin dairy farmers care for their animals, land, and communities.

It doesn't end there.  Clark says they recognize the need to start growing their next generation of customers.  That begins with the "Adopt A Cow" educational opportunity.  This is a personal favorite of Clark's.  It allows Wisconsin dairy farmers to bring school children into the barn virtually!  Again, so far this year, DFW has helped reached more than 55,000 students through programs like Adopt a Cow, connected with over 2,000 FFA students, and provided dairy education resources to 3,000 teachers. Clark believes that when young people understand where their food comes from, they become more informed consumers and future advocates for agriculture.

These are just a few examples that make Clark proud to represent Wisconsin dairy operations on the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin board.  These are just a few examples.  She encourages farmers and interested foodies to investigate more at wisconsindairy.org.

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There are some amazing ideas in food processing happening in Wisconsin, but some need a little financial support to get started.  Pam Jahnke finds out about a recent project with Westby Coop Creamery and the USDA Rural Development Agency.  Andrew Iverson is the state director for USDA Rural Development Agency.  He explains their overarching duties in working with businesses and organizations on building infrastructure.  Iverson describes the challenges being faced by Westby Coop Creamery.  It's the only cottage cheese producer in the state and demand for their product has outstripped capacity.  USDA Rural Development stepped in with at $15.5 million loan guarantee to help get that project underway.

A calm Tuesday on the way weatherwise for Wisconsin.  STu Muck say temps will still move to the upper 80's, and it will feel warm with little breeze today.  There is a developing chance of storms moving in by Wednesday evening.

July is an excellent time for preplanning your auction.  Ashley Huhn from the Steffes Group joins Pam Jahnke to talk about the process his staff is currently going through with a lot of operators looking at auctions later this year.  Huhn says once that contract is signed, they start promoting the auction and items offered immediately.  Paid for by Steffes Group.

Soybeans led the way up on Monday after rumors of a sale to China inspired traders.  So far, the gains have been maintained.  John Heinberg, market advisor with Total Farm Marketing in West Bend joins Pam Jahnke to explain what we know so far on the rumor.  He also focuses on areas that are starting to see stress in this weeks crop progress report.

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Wisconsin Farm Technology Days may be held on a dairy, but that doesn't stop them from remembering their other bovine friends. Dennis Breneman joins us. He's the chairman of the Beef Tent and a member of the State Executive Committee. His passion for beef starts with his own operation.

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There will be an emphasis on safety in demonstrations at WI Farm Technology Days this year.  Jill Welke visits with retired fire chief, Jerry Minor, about the message he wants to convey to attendees.  Minor says today's responders lack the farming/agriculture knowledge that responders had 40 years ago when he began as a firefighter.  Minor says helping farms communicate directly with their local fire and rescue team members is incredibly important.  He shares some insights into some of the tools today's responders have access to that can improve their safety when responding to farm/ag related calls.  Minor says a farm's cooperation by providing information before an event is key.

More wet weather will crowd our 4th of July outdoor plans according to Stu Muck.  The rain that moved through overnight also brought some minor hail.  Muck says that probably won't repeat this weekend.

They may not be on the guest list, but you know they'll show up.  Mosquitos.  Kiley Allan finds out how Wisconsin's dry May impacted early mosquito development from PJ Leisch, UW-Extension Entomologist.  Leisch says Wisconsin is home to about 55 different varieties of mosquitoes, so one is always finding weather it can handle.  He says the biggest risk humans have for disease transfer from mosquitoes is West Nile Virus.

Dairy country is dealing with the heat in different ways.  Matt Tranel, senior dairy analyst with EverAg in Platteville, tells Pam Jahnke that California is still relatively mild.  That's keeping its milk production moving along.  Meanwhile, in the EU, people and dairies are struggling against a wave of heat.  Tranel points out that many EU farms aren't equipped to handle bouts of heat.  He also brings an update on a dryer plant fire at a processor in Arizona.  Industry leaders are watching how and where that milk is temporarily relocated.

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Multiple generations are getting ready to welcome visitors for the 2026 WI Farm Technology Days event.  Redetzke's No Joke Dairy outside of Stratford has a story to share about family working together and making a farm work.  Bob Bosold visits with family members Sam Redetzke and brother Matt on how they juggle schedules with off farm duties to keep the wheels rolling.  The state's largest outdoor agriculture event is coming up July 14-16.

Heat returns to Wisconsin.  Stu Muck says we won't likely reach the 90's but it will be warmer.  Things should stay dry until at least Thursday according to the forecast.

Today's investment in agriculture aren't just about technology and engineering.  Farms and farmers depend on people for good advice and service on the technology that they're investing in.  Our example today is Lake Effect Farm in the Plymouth area.  Brad Laack, the owner/operator of the farm, has placed a lot of trust in Tim Schultz, owner and operator of Schultz's Interstate Ag in Monroe.  Schultz's provides state-of-the-art grain handling technology across the Midwest, including Lake Effect Farm. Schultz visits with Pam Jahnke about the clear communication that's necessary on projects like this to make sure that a farmers dreamed are realized and maintained.  Paid for by Schultz's Interstate Ag.

Soybeans are rallying on a Monday morning!  An unconfirmed sale of over 500,000 metric ton of soybeans going to an undisclosed destination is inspiring traders.  Pam Jahnke also updates the conversations between the U.S. and Canada on renewing USMCA.

Agriculture technology isn't just limited to agriculture.  Kiley Allan finds out about the multi-use options for drones. Davis Napier, Owner and Operator at Seek, says he uses drones equipped with high-resolution thermal cameras and spotlights to locate downed deer for hunters who have lost the trail, want to avoid trespassing on neighboring land, or wish to minimize property disturbance. To stay within Wisconsin DNR regulations and avoid hunting with a drone, he requires clients to sign waivers and will only disclose a deer's location if the thermal imaging confirms the animal has already expired. Beyond recovery, the drone captures and stitches together thousands of images to create property maps that are significantly more detailed than satellite imagery, allowing landowners to see specific deer trails and terrain features. During the off-season, the technology is used for herd analysis to help landowners understand deer bedding patterns and population health (buck-to-doe ratios) without disrupting the animals during hunting season. Napier founded his business, Seeker, based on his lifelong passion for hunting and his childhood experience of the heartbreak associated with failing to recover a deer.

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America's 250th birthday calls for a big celebration, and that's exactly what the Great American State Fair is. It's an opportunity for each state to showcase what makes them unique and special. Joey Hoey joins us, he's the assistant deputy secretary at the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs. He was in charge of putting together a display that shows off the best of what Wisconsin has to offer. Joey tells us about the road to the Great American State Fair.

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