MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

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, we catch 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. 

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An early start to this year's asparagus season brought a lot of excitement to the patch. But as the season progressed, the weather didn't pay any favors. Nathan Bula joins us, he's the owner of Spears-R-Us. Nathan, tells Kiley Allan about the 2026 asparagus season.

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While we're still relatively early in this year's growing season, Dr. Emily Bick tells us we've already seen the first wave of pests. She's an Extension Specialist of Insects for Field and Forage Crops. Emily, explains what we're seeing right now in the fields.

More information and tools:

- https://cropsandsoils.extension.wisc.edu/pest-management/insect-pest-alerts/ for signup for the Pest Text Alert service. 
- Information on the slugNet: https://cropsandsoils.extension.wisc.edu/slugnet/ and the slugNet dashboard: https://connect.doit.wisc.edu/content/e2188e97-840c-49e1-842c-22a638bafe7a/

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Hands-on educational opportunities are crucial for students going through their academic career. It can also play a crucial role in career-specific trainings. Luxemburg Fire Department is taking advantage of all hands-on opportunities they can get. Brad Zellner joins us. He's the safety and training officer for the fire department. He tells me about a recent hands-on training opportunity provided by a local farm.

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Fair season in Wisconsin brings with it a few changes for livestock exhibitors.  Jill Welke chats with Dr. Meg Mueller about her engagement in the dialog.  Also, while New World Screw Worm may not make it to the state, Dr. Mueller says it could still deal a financial blow to local producers.  Her priorities include sourcing animals from outside the state and making pet owners who might adopt aware of the risks.

Wow - severe weather on Wednesday is causing clean-up on Thursday.  Stu Muck explains some of the areas of impact, and what's on the radar already this morning.  He thinks it's going to be another 'alert day' with severe weather and high winds.

Alzheimer's is a disease that does not discriminate.  It doesn't matter where you live, or what your financial situation is.  It's also random.  Dr. Bill Stork, a retired veterinarian in Lake Mills, watched his mother slip away from Alzheimer's.  Sunday, he's spearheading "Minds over Mountains" MOMs, in honor of his mother.  The event in Lake Mills helps connect people with others handling the disease, researchers investigating it, and fund raising mechanisms to help further research.  Stork says he's encouraged by the research progress he's seen in just the past few years.  He also reminds people that they can control some of their outcome by thinking about their health today.  Pam Jahnke visited with him.

All eyes are on nonfat products in the marketplace.  Zach Bowers, dairy analyst with EverAg, joins Pam Jahnke to discuss.  That non-fat complex has drawn Wisconsin's Class III prices higher, and is likely moving lower now.  Bowers says demand for U.S. dairy remains robust - especially cheese.  Keeping an eye on what type of dairy product catches the globes attention will be what drives us next.

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Hot, sticky weather is conducive to insects, and Wisconsin's a perfect example.  Kiley Allan gets a quick update on what new arrivals have made Wisconsin home from Dr. Emily Bick.  Bick is a UW-Madison Extension Entomologist that tracks everything from armyworm to alfalfa weevil.  Both of those insects pop up in this conversation.

It's an alert day for much of Wisconsin.  Warm, moist air and gusting winds will create some potentially severe weather statewide.  Stu Muck focuses in on specific areas of risk.

Summer fun is just around the corner now that the kids are exiting school.  That fun can still pose safety risks.  Chris Schlechta, Safety and Loss Control Officer with Rural Mutual Insurance says those fun outdoor activites need to be approached cautiously.  Schlechta says when we're ready to go 4-wheeling, boating or building that campfire, our brains or in the "relaxed" mode.  That can expose us, our friends and family to unexpected incidents.  Schlechta presents some scenarios that make the point.

New World Screw Worm is being found in more animal populations of the south.  Could it make it to Wisconsin.  PJ Leisch, UW-Madison Extension Entomologist says it's doubtful.  Leisch does explain how the worm could still cause disruption for Wisconsin farmers.

Keeping the focus on New World Screw Worm.  Wisconsin's got a big heart when it comes to displaced pets.  That's why many cats and dogs from places like Texas routinely end up in Wisconsin.  What do we need to know about those rescue operations and the animals they're moving.  Rod Bain with the USDA communications department explains.

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UW–Madison's Data Science Institute is a campus-wide research institute that focuses on data science and artificial intelligence. The group isn't just working with computer scientists, though. Rather, they work with researchers across campus to leverage artificial intelligence in their individual products. Kyle Cranmer is the director for the Data Science Institute. He gave Kiley Allan a closer look at the research they're doing to tie together artificial intelligence and the dairy industry.

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Summer is a busy time on Wisconsin farms. While we're between planting and harvest, farmers are checking fields, monitoring crops, maintaining equipment, and preparing for the months ahead. Unfortunately, this time of year also brings safety risks that can have devastating consequences. 

Pam Jahnke visits with Chris Schlechta, Safety and Loss Control Manager for Rural Mutual Insurance.  

Together they have a quick conversation on the things we all look forward to in the summer.  Relax, grill out, ride and ATV/UTV - just have fun.  Schlechta is all for fun - but it comes with safety as one of the responsibilities.

Schlechta says without thought and supervision, things like ATV/UTV's, bonfires, boating - can all turn "fun" into an incident you never wanted to have happen.  Around the farm, thinking through risks and making sure family, friends, visitors and yourself stay safe has to be a priority.  Are signs posted for guests?  Do you have your first aid kit and fire extinguisher available and clearly visible?  Those things don't take long to check, but can make a massive difference in an incidents outcome.

Schlechta reminds anyone that wants to work through a safety review, or needs to have some information to help execute a safety plan, to head over to the Rural Mutual website.  There you'll find a complete toolbox with manuals, lists and resources to do just that.

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Wisconsin is home now to 79 weather stations that dot the state.  These stations are generating real time information that farmers and outdoor enthusiasts can tap into.  Pam Jahnke visit with Chris Vagasky, Research Program Manager for Wisconet.  Vagasky says one new element they've added to these stations are soil sensors.  The 400 soil sensors provide "plant available water" readings at multiple depths in the soil profile.  

Heat and humidity are building in Wisconsin today with some severe weather that could develop.  Stu Muck hones in on what areas need to be alert.  

The lull in auction action is over.  Ashley Huhn from the Steffes Group tells Pam Jahnke that they're already seeing a surg on auctions being booked for later this fall.  Huhn says by being proactive, clients get the benefit of solid preplanning, preparation and advance promotion.  Paid for by Steffes Group.

The market's continuing to watch development of New World Screw Worm.  Now a total of four cases have been detected, including a dog in New Mexico.  While it's not a food risk, it is a market disrupter.  John Heinberg, market advisor with Total Farm Marketing in West Bend, joins Pam Jahnke to discuss the chatter online.  He's also watching certain regions in the latest crop progress report.

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The small community of Ashippun in Dodge County is using farmland preservation tools to keep consistency as a part of land transition.  Robert Guenther, dairy farmer and member of the Town of Ashippun Planning Commission says the community  is facing increasing growth pressures, including recent applications for a private golf course and a solar energy farm. Ashippun's growth is largely driven by its location directly north of the rapidly growing village of Oconomowoc. Geunther says the community is learning just how expensive that growth can be.  He  says local studies have shown that every dollar collected in taxes on farmland costs the town about 75 cents in services, whereas every dollar collected from development land costs about $1.25 in municipal expenses.  Ashippun currently operates under A1 and A2 zoning. A1 is prime farmland with highly restrictive  rules, while A2 is less restrictive and includes over 70 different  conditional use opportunities. Because the town of Ashippun is under Dodge County zoning, the local planning commission can only make recommendations while the county holds final approval power. A major point of contention regarding the incoming private golf course is its location directly across the street from a 400-cow dairy farm, which local leaders view as a conflicting land use. A conditional use permit for a proposed solar operation on A1 prime farmland was rejected by Dodge County after unanimous denial recommendations from both the Ashippun planning commission and the town board. Local leaders note that farmland preservation zoning is simply a different zoning district that controls land use. It is often confused with a 15-year state farmland preservation agreement, which is much more restrictive on landowner rights.

We've got a hot, sticky week ahead with some measurable rain.  Stu Muck spells out what to plan for.

Weather did not deter the crowd from showing up Friday in Chippewa County for President Donald Trump and U.S. Ag Secretary, Brooke Rollins.  Mid-West Farm Report's Bob Bosold was there.  A round table was arranged so the president could hear directly from farmers on the issues they believe matter.  One farmer that testified was Steve Rooney, owner/operator of Rooney Grain.  He says the situation agriculture finds itself with monopolies is untenable.  Rooney implored the president to look at ways to invest in producing things like fertilizer, seed and ag chem in more than one company.

Multiple farms hosted throngs of visitors for June Dairy events over the weekend.  That included Jody Miller from Miller Time Farms in Avoca.  She talks with Pam Jahnke about why that kind of face-to-face interaction with consumers is so meaningful and important.  Miller sits on the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin board.  She's also one of the persona that's been amplified through the "Born to Dairy" campaign.  Miller is a "Barnyard Beautifier" who enjoys featuring flowers everywhere around her farmstead.  She says portraying the proper visual message to consumers is important to her.  Miller notes that a clean, well-kept farmstead lets consumers know that farmers care about their land, water and animals.  Paid for by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.

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