MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

Mushrooms!  It's another crop from Wisconsin.  Bob Bosold learns a little more about mushroom production, the varieties that are popular and how they grow!  Steve Scholtz, a mushroom grower in Eau Claire explains how he produces his crop indoors to avoid contamination.  He's finding a vibrant market for his product in many different areas.

Rain is drifting into Wisconsin and will stay for most of the day.  Stu Muck says as we move through Wednesday, we'll move closer to dry weather and sunshine.

The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee released its text of the Farm Bill on Tuesday.  One group that's paying close attention is the NASDA - Nat'l Association of State Departments of Agriculture. Ted McKinney's their CEO.  He tells Pam Jahnke that agriculture has been a bipartisan gathering spot in Washington, D.C.  He says while many elements of the Farm Bill were dealt with in the Big Beautiful Bill, the policy side has gone unattended.  That's what McKinney says is needed now.

Farm bankruptcies look just as robust this year as last, which is not good news.  Austin Peiffer, an attorney with Ag and Business Legal Strategies in Hiawatha, Iowa, is tracking the numbers.  He says in the first quarter of 2026, there were approximately 158 Chapter 12 bankruptcy filings.  He says the tough part is that many of those farms filed early, and may have received more bad financial news when they started planting, impacted by high fuel prices and escalated fertilizer costs.

The NASDA is holding its summer meeting in Madison, which wraps up today.  While each state faces unique challenges, data centers seem to be a common denominator.  Brian Baldrige is the Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture.  He says they've got about 200 data centers in the state now, and they hope tools like farmland preservation help buffer where future centers are located.

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It's National Lightning Awareness Week and Wisconsin farmers, golfers, gardeners, joggers should all heed the warnings.  In Wisconsin, more people have died by lightning strikes since 2006, than by tornadoes since 1986.  Chris Vagasky, Research Program Manager, Wisconet and Lightning Data Specialist, National Lightning Safety Counci, explains how people can protect themselves, and farmers can protect their livestock and assets.

Rain starts moving back in by late Tuesday night.  Stu Muck says it won't really amount to much but sets up a change in pattern that will bring very hot weather to the state by the weekend.

A record breaking price on a tractor has gotten a lot of attention for the Steffes Auction Group.  Ashley Huhn tells Pam Jahnke that live auctions are still drawing a crowd with money to spend.  He explains the record sale.  Paid for by Steffes Group.

While Wisconsin communities continue to struggle with the data center question, Texas is now regretting some of their decisions.  Sid Miller, Texas Ag Commissioner, says he hears about it every day.  To date, Texas is home to about 575 data centers that consume about 430 million gallons of water daily.  Miller contends they're overbuilt and using water resources most of Texas just doesn't have.

Wisconsin crops are matching up about equal with other Midwest states as far as development.  John Heinberg joins Pam Jahnke to discuss.  Heinberg, with Total Farm Marketing in West Bend, says that there's really no weather threat to get the market to move.  At the same time, South America's harvest is moving along smoothly bringing more product to the marketplace.  While the crop may be moving, Heinberg also explains the financial strain that South American farmers are facing as bankruptcies there increase.

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At this year's Wisconsin Farm Technology Days, held at Redetzkes' No-Joke Dairy in Stratford, Wisconsin, they're serious about farm safety. Melissa Ploeckelman-Brown joins us. She's the Outreach Specialist for the National Farm Medicine Center. They're bringing the "FRESH Area" to Wisconsin Farm Technology Days. FRESH stands for Farm Rescue, Education, Safety, and Health. She tells us what we can expect.

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At Wisconsin's 97th FFA Convention, 4 Stars Over Wisconsin were named. This honor comes from an evaluation of student's SAE. The winners are: Agribusiness: Oscar Stowell Waupun FFA; Agriscience: Owen Hemling, Beaver Dam FFA;  Agricultural Placement: Katelyn Wunder, Waterford FFA; Farmer: Liv Lucas, Greenwood FFA

Kiley Allan sat down with Owen Hemling moments after the acheivement.

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We start our morning with Jill Welke in Eau Claire! She catches up with Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation's Brad Olson about roundtable conversations that could shape agricultural policy.

Stu says we may have to dodge a little rain for Father's Day, but otherwise looking to be a sunny weekend! 

Traditionally, Father's Day means family outings and bbqs. A recent report from CoBank says the grill isn't the only place people are choosing protein. Abbi (Prins) Groves is a Livestock Economist who says that meat snacks are rising in popularity. She predicts whether it's a short-term fad or a long-term trend.

Sarah Hagenow stops in with a quick recipe that pairs June Dairy Month and Father's Day nicely.

Hands-on learning doesn't stop after school. There are many career education opportunities that benefit from acting out scenarios. Brad Zellner from the Luxemburg Fire Department says old farm houses being prepared for demolition make great training opportunities for local crews. 

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Hunger Task Force, based in Milwaukee, received a $2.5 million grant from the WI Department of Ag., Trade and Consumer Protection to connect Wisconsin farms with individuals who need a little extra assistance putting food on their plates.  Pam Jahnke helps people understand the scope of work being done through the grant with Jonathan Hansen, chief strategy officer at Hunger Task Force.  He explains the 180 different locations they help coordinate statewide.  Hansen says they're also accumulating names and contact information for Wisconsin farms looking to partner with the Hunger Task Force.  Hansen estimates that the network serves approximately 180,000 people every month.

Showers should've moved through Wisconsin for now.  Stu Muck recaps some of the rainfall amounts over the past 24 hours.  He says temperatures will stay mild into the weekend when another chance of rain redevelops.

It was an evening of honors for students, teachers, and adult leaders at the 97th Wisconsin State FFA Convention.  Kiley Allan was there.  Four amazing high school students were named as the "Stars Over Wisconsin" elite.  They will represent the state at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis later this year.  Allan congratulates the following Stars: Star in Agribusiness: Oscar Stowell, Waupun FFA; Star in Agriscience: Owen Hemling, Beaver Dam FFA; Star in Agricultural Placement: Katelyn Wunder, Waterford FFA and Star Farmer: Liv Lucas, Greenwood FFA.  Hemling explains how his Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) has led him to a collegiate career he hopes to pursue at MIT.  

The evening also brought the announcement of the 2026-27 State Officer Team.  Pam Jahnke congratulates: 
Suki Gatica, Amery FFA
Eli Bell, New Richmond FFA
Josie Bailey, Tomah FFA
Alyvia Ruegsegger, Black Hawk FFA
Owen Moore, Mischicot FFA
Rylee Brattlie, Cambridge FFA
Oscar Stowell, Waupun FFA
Jordan Berg, Granton FFA
Natalie Rieth, Oconto Falls FFA
Owen Bronecki, Mayville FFA

Meanwhile, Wisconsin dairy operators are watching the nonfat dry milk price waste away.  Collin Aardema, dairy analyst with EverAg, joins Pam Jahnke to talk about that.  Aardema says the U.S. is still above the international price on nonfat, so more adjustment is coming.  He also updates us on the milk capacity that's been built, and is coming online.  

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It's the gift that will keep giving!  Fox Valley Technical College just received a generous donation of land that they're already putting to work for students.  Kiley Allan gets the story from Paul Groell, Department Chair Natural Resources Program @ Fox Valley Technical College.  Fox Valley Technical College received an anonymous donation of a 160-acre plot of land, intended to preserve the habitat from development and serve as an educational tool for the school's two-year Natural Resources program. The property acts as a powerhouse of biodiversity, containing mixed forested areas, prairies, ponds, wetlands, and a navigable stream. This variety allows students to study forestry, soils, water and wildlife all in one location. Students are already utilizing the land as a safe place for practical coursework including chainsaw safety, tree limbing, trail maintenance, and wildlife data collection using camera traps. The program prepares students for versatile technician or wildland firefighting roles, and benefits from close partnerships with four-year institutions to offer an easy transfer path for students looking to continue their education after their associate degree.

From hail to measurable rain - that's what Wisconsin saw on Tuesday.  There could be more of the same today!  Stu Muck shares the outlook on showers and thunderstorms that have already started moving into the state.

Yes, Wisconsin FFA continues to grow, but finding teachers to execute the lesson plans connected to those chapters is tough.  Pam Jahnke visits with Cheryl Zimmerman, executive director of the Wisconsin FFA Association, about current worries going into the next school year.  She says they're already aware of 10 teacher retirements that will need to be filled.  While Zimmerman acknowledges that tools like experience based licensing have added some staff to schools, it doesn't negate the huge need for agriculture educators.  She says they currently have about 28,000 members statewide with 6 newly chartered chapters.  Zimmerman also says they're considering opening options to students as young as 5th grade to keep the pipeline full of potential members.

From t-shirt designs to empowering women at the grill - the Wisconsin Beef Council is busy.  Kaitlyn Kessler, Communications Director for the WI Beef Council takes a minute to recap some of the action so far this spring.  She explains how they enlisted top chefs to educate several female influencers about the finer points of using the grill.  Well the event was well received, however, she said they also learned that finding the right cuts of meat for the grill was a bit of a challenge for some of the women.  Fortunately, the chefs on hand and the resources at beeftips.com helped steer them in the right direction.  Paid for by Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Association.

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If you're taking the time, and spending the money to dine out, you want to know what you're getting.  Susan Quam, executive vice president of the WI Restaurant Association says information is power - even for restaurant menus.  Quam tells Pam Jahnke that today diners are looking for "clean labels" on menus.  The "buy local" mantra continues, and restaurants are complying.  Quam says heat and spice continue to be popular flavor profiles that attract shoppers, but there's other taste bud tempting options becoming popular in the state too.  Comfort foods and value menus are a magnet, and Quam says "smash burger" are showing up with many different options.

Rain is back on the way to Wisconsin with some strong winds to boot.  Stu Muck says today you might actually feel a chill with winds that could gust up to 35 mph.  This cycle of weather continues for about the next 48 hours.

I bet you never thought of an auctioneer as a partner in your estate plan.  It happens.  Ashly Huhn explains to Pam Jahnke how the Steffes Group many times gets involved in Section 1031 exchanges.  This helps land owners primarily avoid heavy taxes by finding other properties to invest in.  Paid for by Steffes Group.

Monday was the "Day of Service" for approximately 700 Wisconsin FFA members in Madison before the 97th State FFA Convention.  Amanda Draxler, WI State FFA President, says that the hands on labor of those members, coupled with seeing the finished product gives them a real sense of accomplishment and giving back to their host community.  Draxler says there were about 11 different targeted activities within Dane County that mobilized the members.  From pulling weeds to building beds, it was an important staple for the convention attendees.  

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New World Screw Worm.  It's all over agriculture headlines.  Could that worm ever make its way into Wisconsin and our livestock/pet population?  That's the question poised to P.J. Leisch, UW-Madison Extension Entomologist.  Leisch has been watching this worm for a while.  He tells Pam Jahnke that this insect has been around since at least the 60's in numbers that threatened livestock.  He says experience has taught researchers that trying to spray the insect away just isn't effective.  Bio controls like sterile male flies are the most successful way to manage this worm.  Leisch says Wisconsin's climate would be the ultimate demise of the worm if it did arrive.  It cannot survive below 40 degrees.

Very mild temperatures start the week according to Stu Muck.  Winds will pick up and there is a chance of rain moving back in by Tuesday evening.

We may be a little biased here in Wisconsin, but the best time of year is here. June Dairy Month is upon us. It's an opportunity to explore, enjoy, and honor the farmers, craftsmanship, and exceptional dairy products that make Wisconsin dairy truly special. Today, Kiley Allan catches up with 78th Alice in Dairyland, Sarah Hagenow. Dairy isn't just something we produce here in Wisconsin. In fact, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin say it best: it's something we're born to do. We're Born to Dairy™. Learn more at wisconsindairy.org.  Paid for by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.

Celebrating 250 years!  It's a major milestone that the United States is noting in many different ways.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture's communication division is focused on highlighting their own milestones.  The Agriculture Department's Radio Service has served the public for one hundred years as of 2026 - almost as old as the medium itself. And over its century, USDA Radio has provided information about farming, ranching, and the Department in a variety of ways and formats. Rod Bain presents the second of a series of programs on USDA Radio over the years in this edition of "Agriculture USA".

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Wisconsin's grape growers have been keeping a close eye on the changing weather.  Kiley Allan gets an early season forecast from Phillipe Coucard, owner/operator of Wollersheim Winery in Prairie du Sac.  With 70 acres of vines to manage, his staff mobilizes early to evaluate conditions.  He says so far things have been going well.  Insect pressure has been low and so has early disease concerns.  He already anticipates a smaller crop this year just because of the colder April temperatures the vines were exposed to. He emphasizes that sunlight is the critical factor for grape quality, as it directly drives sugar content, color, and flavor concentration. The optimal growing season for the vineyard consists of early spring rain followed by dry June and July, a single week of rain in August, and a completely dry stretch leading up to harvest.

It looks like a nice weekend for developing in Wisconsin.  Stu Muck says there will likely be some showers popping up again Saturday afternoon - but then the faucet shuts off and temperatures moderate into next week.

Northwest Wisconsin soybean grower, Andy Bensend, is focused on the weather right now.  He sits on the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board and knows that critical research, funded by soybean growers like him, is happening.  Bensend explains how the board members prioritize the "buckets" to which checkoff dollars are designated.  In-field research is critical.  Bensend says Wisconsin's reputation for it's top-notch research team is well known in the upper Midwest and nationally.  There's also the investment in new products and helping people understand what these products can do.  This is all part of what the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board works on every day.  Paid for by the WI Soybean Marketing Board.

Grapes aren't the only unique Wisconsin crop watching the weather.  Nathan Bula at Spears R Us in Adams has an asparagus crop depending on it.  Bula says asparagus appeared earlier than he's ever seen - but then got delayed by April frost/freezes.  He waited 11 days without a harvest for the spears to develop.

Another big June Dairy celebration weekend is ahead.  Dane county will welcome thousands of people to Swaindale Genetics in Deerfield on Saturday.  With just 25 milking cows, this farm looks different than previous hosts.  Gary Swain and his wife, Dana Kelly, explain why they're hosting and the story they want to share about family and community commitment.  

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