Mid-west Farm Report - Madison

For the Immel Family, the Fond Du Lac County fair is more than just a fair. For 4 generations, the family has served in numerous coordination roles and find great enjoyment in giving to the community that helped to shape their passions. Pat and her grandson Saywer tell us how their fair story began.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs program has been impacting people’s lives for over 60 years. Throughout the years, the sisterhood of the Fairests has remained a place where young women grow in confidence, poise and public speaking. But the community goes beyond the girls themselves. Nicole Nohl-Ress & Kevin C. Ress described themselves to me as Fairest of the Fair enthusiasts. They take joy in seeing the development the program instills in those who participate and enjoy giving back to it. Creativity and charity took over as they made a logo for the program and gave this year’s contestants a keepsakeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It takes a village to make a fair run and often the ringleaders are those on the fair boards. Melody Thiel is a new board member with the Calumet County Agricultural Association Board of Directors. Although she's only been in her role for a little under a year, Melody is no stranger to the fair. She tells Kiley Allan about her experience thus far.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a person spends over a decade critiquing and analyzing cheese, it becomes second nature, as if it's a language you've been speaking since birth. Russell Smith recently judged at this year's World Championship Cheese Contest, an event that he's been judging at since 2012. He says that no matter your native language, the best cheeses speak to you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When people describe leadership training, it can encompass any number of theories and strategies to help understand the best ways to inspire a group of people with the goal to work together for a common cause. Fred Lohman is a supervisor as a cheese plant in Wisconsin and tells us what it means to lead ourselves before leading others.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coming off the success at the World Championship Cheese Contest, Dave Buholzer of Klondike Cheese tells Stephanie Hoff about his family's 100-year journey. From milk cans in 1925 to its current status as a world-class, multi-generational powerhouse, Klondike is an example of how cheesemaking has evolved. Buholzer discusses the evolution of dairy technology, the strategic shifts in cheesemaking to meet modern consumer demands, and the unique dynamics of running a successful business with siblings and cousins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin has adopted a waiver suspension on testing for Porcine Reproductive & Respiratory Syndrome(PRRS) as well as Porcine Epidemic Virus (PEDv) in the states hog population. The waiver brings some relief to the states pork producers after uncertainty on how far a proposed rule revision would advance.  The draft rule was approved by the DATCP Board on January 29th, and by the Governor on February 6th. It was submitted to the Legislative Reference Bureau on February 19 for further action. However, before the rule can become final, it must complete a legislative review and be published in the register. That process can take several weeks, sometimes months.  That's where the state's pork industry got nervous about not seeing the measure adopted. “With spring movements and show pig exhibitions coming up quickly, WPA’s ask to WDATCP was to waive the current PRRS and PEDv testing requirements while we wait for final publication of the rule in order to reduce the economic burden associat

The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance or DBIA gives out grants every year to businesses within the dairy industry to help them start, grow, and renovate. One of the more unique recipients makes vodka using sheep whey. Scott Kring, a co-owner of Birch Point Distillery in Westby, shares how this process works and what the grant was used for at their facility.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beef plants across the country have been closing, and this is due to a multitude of reasons. One of these reasons is the historically low number of cattle within the US. Brenda Boetel, the department chair and professor of agricultural economics at UW-River Falls, shares a more in depth look at these closures and why Argentine imports of beef may not necessarily be bad.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Tera Montgomery, Director at the School of Agriculture, University of Wisconsin-Platteville says they've got a lot to offer students and industry.  In her conversation with Kiley Allan, Montgomery says campus offers seven majors, including animal science and ag-business. Enrollment is rising due to Wisconsin’s direct admission policy and a growing student interest in precision technology, water stewardship, and manure management. Central to the curriculum is hands-on learning, primarily through the 430-acre Pioneer Farm. Students engage in crop production, agroecology research, and livestock management (beef, dairy, and swine), supplemented by specialized campus labs in food technology and anatomy. The program caters to both students from farming backgrounds and those without farm experience, ensuring they gain the "on-farm" credibility required by industry employers.   That gorgeous weather on Monday set records in Madison, LaCrosse and Milwaukee.  Now it's a memory.&n

Determination is an unwritten characteristic of anyone involved in agriculture.  The 2026 Groundbreaker award winners, presented by Compeer Financial, exemplify that determination.  The selected winners are Bryanna and Dylan Handel of Barneveld.  There story has taken many turns over the past decade, but they remain determined to pursue their passion for agriculture.  Pam Jahnke listened in.   Bryanna’s plans to establish a farm began at 16 years old when she purchased her first cow and housed it at her grandparents’ farm. She and Dylan established B. Kurt Dairy in 2014 with 16 cows in a rented barn near Verona, Wis., before they purchased their current farmstead from a retiring farmer near Barneveld in 2016. Since then, they’ve been growing their farm, family and community engagement while addressing a severe stray voltage issue. The stray voltage began in late 2023 and was linked to a nearby substation. It impacted overall herd health and drastically reduced milk p

Stephanie Hoff sits down with Alison Pfau, a bilingual regional dairy educator, and Trisha Wagner, Farm Management Program manager, to explore the launch of the Forward Farm Safety Toolbox. This is a research-based initiative designed to help farmers lead their own interactive safety discussions. The program moves away from traditional classroom lectures toward practical, bilingual modules that address unique on-farm hazards. These tools not only improve workplace safety but also serve as a vital strategy for increasing employee engagement and retention: https://farms.extension.wisc.edu/forward-farm-safety-toolbox/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin dairy farmer and DFW Board Member Annaliese Wegner shares how everyday farm management translates into impactful industry leadership. She explores how the farmer-led checkoff creates unity among over 5,000 diverse operations to build global demand and protect consumer trust. Whether milking 30 cows or 3,000, Annaliese encourages all producers to lend their perspective to ensure a strong future for the next generation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beef is back in the center of the plate thanks to the new Dietary Guidelines that influence all food programs funded by the government, explains J. Garrett Edmonds, senior director of government affairs with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. But how can beef producers keep that momentum going? Edmonds talks to Bob Bosold.  A beautiful day on the horizon with near-record highs. But what goes up must come down, forecasts Stu Muck in the Compeer Financial Ag Weather Update.  You can see that wild birds are on the move, which brings risks to poultry producers. We’ve seen, just ahead of the weekend, more highly pathogenic avian influenza cases on poultry farms in Jefferson and Walworth Counties, bringing the 2026 case count to four. Migratory Bird Management has a humane method to keep wild birds away from livestock, trading a scarecrow for a light show. Wisconsin’s Farm Service Agency Executive Director Sandy Chalmers tells Ben Jarboe how farmers can sign up for the Farmer Bridge As

Stephanie Hoff visits with the new FISC Program Director Mary Holle, who dairies in Baldwin. FISC is a 16-week course specifically designed for the "slow season," running from the last week of October to the second week of March. Students spend roughly 80 percent of their time at the Mann Valley lab farm, working directly with cows, silages, and industry professionals. While the current curriculum is dairy-focused, there are plans to add business, horticulture, agronomy, and soil science electives by the 2026–27 school year. Prospective students can reach out directly to the program via a dedicated email address: fisc@uwrf.edu.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Veterinarian Kendra Wells with Valley Veterinary Clinic tells Stephanie Hoff that the dairy industry has shifted its perspective on calves, moving from seeing them as future earners to recognizing them as the immediate, high-value "future of the farm." Due to the use of sexed semen and beef semen, farms are raising fewer replacement heifers, meaning each individual calf must be of higher quality than in the past. Veterinarians are increasingly using lung ultrasounds to detect pneumonia lesions early, as calves are prey animals that instinctively hide symptoms of illness until they are severe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin's dairy industry is thriving and always changing.  Looking for the "next big thing".  Some dairy sheep owners in western Wisconsin hope the next big thing is vodka.  From sheep whey.  Ben Jarboe gets the story from Scott Kring, Co-owner of Birch Point Distillery in Westby.  Thanks to a grant from the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA), Birch Point Distillery is producing vodka made from sheep whey. Co-owner Scott Cream said the idea came after connecting with Hidden Springs Creamery, a local sheep dairy cheese producer. Traditional distilling uses grains for fermentation, while whey distillation relies on lactose from leftover whey. The whey is first ultrafiltered to remove proteins and fats, leaving a lactose solution. That solution is then concentrated because the natural sugar levels are too low for fermentation. Lactase is added to break lactose into sugars the yeast can ferment. The DBIA grant helped pay for specialized equipment, including a filtration skid

UW-Badger standout and NFL Hall of Famer, Joe Thomas, has turned farmer in southwest Wisconsin.  Stephanie Hoff finds out what lured the offensive lineman to transition from field battles on turf, to field battles on pasture.  Thomas is using his halloffamebeef.com product to elevate awareness and raise funds for Blood Cancer United and the "Big Climb" event at Camp Randall May 16th. Sunshine returns to Wisconsin today along with warmer temps.  Stu Muck also reminds us to take a look at the full moon this morning if you're up in time. Market prices on good used equipment remain robust according to Ashley Huhn from the Steffes Group.  He tells Pam Jahnke that they're finalizing preparation for their spring catalog and it's full!  Paid for by Steffes Group."B" Teamers are busy at World Champion Cheese.  The event kicked off yesterday at the Monona Terrace Convention Center, and it required many hands to make light work.  One of those "B" team volunteers is Jeremy Houston. 

Stephanie Hoff learns all about labneh at the 2026 World Championship Cheese Contest in Madison. Expert judge Aileen Kacvinsky discusses the debut of labneh, a versatile Middle Eastern-style cultured dairy product that balances the texture of sour cream with the tang of yogurt. The conversation highlights the global flavor trends influencing U.S. production.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As cities like Madison, or counties like Dane, expand at record rates, we’re faced with a puzzle: how do we house a booming population without paving over the farmland that defines our state? Capital Area Regional Planning Commission Executive Director Jason Valerius tells Stephanie Hoff that his job is to focus on water quality and land use, which come together to require conversations about the relationship between ag and urban areas. It starts with a look at how the population is changing in Dane County. He has statistics.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.