Mid-west Farm Report - Madison

It’s election time for the 9 open districts for the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin Board of Directors, so it’s a great time to talk about farmer leadership and their voice. Today, we learn the story of Sandy Madland, a Wisconsin dairy farmer and Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin Board Director.  Madland was elected to represent Adams, Juneau, and Monroe counties. As a Director, she helps represent farmers, guide how checkoff dollars are stewarded, and make long-term decisions that support demand for Wisconsin dairy. Madland's story is like many others in Wisconsin.  Their family operation in Lyndon Station involves 500 registered Holsteins, and their two sons.  Madland's involvement in the boys 4-H projects helped elevate her to county dairy activities, which fed her curiosity about Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. Are you ready to step up and be a voice for fellow dairy operators?  Madland believes that Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin is your checkoff and your voice. Farmer leadership is how we ke

Jeff Endres, chair of Yahara Pride Watershed, tells Stephanie Hoff about the critical role of farmer-led conservation. This is the 2026 cost-share sign-up period for Yahara Pride Farms. Established over a decade ago to address water quality in the Madison chain of lakes watershed, the group has grown from a dozen initial farms to a network of 80 participating operations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today marks the beginning of the World Champion Cheese event at Monona Terrace Convention Center in downtown Madison.  With more than 3,300 entries from around the world and 56 world class judges ready to go - it draws a crowd.  One person that's witnessed the excitement first hand is Steve Stettler.  Stettler is a Master Cheesemaker himself and owner/operator of Decatur Dairy in Brodhead.  He says it's been fun to watch the event grow in size and overall appeal.  He thinks Wisconsin is the ideal place to host this gathering of the world's greatest cheesemakers.  He takes Pam Jahnke behind the curtains with show details.Get those rain gauges out!  Stu Muck says today will bring a little precipitation around the state, but more measurable rain is expected by late this week. Rain, sleet, snow - it's not really going to stop farms from handling some spring clean-up.  Ben Jarboe listens in as a member of Pennisula Pride Farms watershed explains how calculated they are on ma

Consumers continue to buy beef despite escalated prices.  Unfortunately, those prices don't reflect the profit level at the farm or processing level.  Ben Jarboe finds out why beef processing facilities are closing with these high beef prices.  Dr. Brenda Boetel, ag economist from UW-River Falls, explains the dynamics of what's happening. Nice day today but watch out for the commute tomorrow morning.  Stu Muck says that Wisconsin's beginning to see some springlike weather patterns that include milder temperatures and rain.  Sometimes freezing rain.Time for another Mid-West Farm Report Ride Along!  Where we investigate the technology and innovations Wisconsin farms are using or experimenting with.  Today we travel to Curtiss, Wisconsin to chat with Kathy Berry from Berry Farms.  Looking her in the eye is a critical component of doing business for Kathy.  When her dad, Ralph, and she decided it was time to expand - that was the deal breaker.  Look her in the eye

Through paper and fiber, the state remains a powerhouse of productivity.  Wisconsin maintains its position as the #1 paper producer in the U.S., bolstered by two new $500 million mills recently constructed in the Green Bay area by Green Bay Packaging and Georgia Pacific. Beyond direct mill jobs, the industry supports a massive supply chain where every single papermaking job creates between one and six additional jobs in the community. While the industry has suffered painful mill closures over the last 15 years (such as in Wisconsin Rapids), recent expansions and state support in Northwest Wisconsin have helped stabilize the sector and provide new pathways for displaced workers. Stephanie Hoff gets all the details from Scott Suder, president of the WI Paper Council. Enjoy the warm up today before snow returns to Wisconsin tomorrow.  Stu Muck says that while there could be an accumulation of snow here, there will be larger amounts in the eastern U.S. Difficult weather in Wisconsin plus challengin

Former NFL pro turned farmer Joe Thomas joins Stephanie Hoff in-studio to talk about his journey into Hall of Fame Beef and Hall of Fame Meats, a farm-to-table business in Southwest Wisconsin dedicated to regenerative agriculture and high-quality nutrition. Learn how Blood Cancer United's "Big Climb" at Camp Randall Stadium is bringing people together to fight blood cancer through a team-based stair-climbing challenge. Fueling up with Hall of Fame beef jerky donates $5 per pack to the cause. Learn more: https://halloffamemeats.com/ and https://pages.lls.org/bigclimb/wi/bigclimbwisconsin26 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wisconsin Fishing Expo is here and it gives a good opportunity to try out new baits in Madison. Host Ben Jarboe talks with Pat Hasburgh about what's happening on the ice and in the water for the area. A new beer has been created to show culture of Wisconsin fishing. Paul "Coot" Williams joins the show to share his story of getting a beer by fishermen for fishermen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week was historic for Plover, Wisconsin. On Thursday, for the first time ever, a sitting Vice President made the trip to the village in central Wisconsin. Stephanie Hoff was there in the press pool as JD Vance toured a local manufacturing facility. While the speech was meant to rally voters for the upcoming Congressional and Wisconsin gubernatorial races, the rhetoric hit on familiar national notes – ones we heard during the President’s State of the Union address, like tax-free tips, drug pricing, and falling crime rates. But when the floor opened for questions, media outlets wanted to discuss rural infrastructure topics like health care, agriculture, and data centers. Stephanie asked the VPOTUS if this administration is prioritizing the trade deals Wisconsin farmers need.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Professional Dairy Producers’ Business conference has a slated agenda with 40 speakers in over 50 sessions. A convention undertaking of that size, requires a coordinated leadership board and conference committee to lean a close listening ear to their fellow producers. Shelly Mayer is the executive director of the organization. She tells me that they consider what is presently happening in the industry when planning the conference.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Plover Village Administrator Steve Kunst and Wood County Sheriff Shawn Becker pull back the curtain with Stephanie Hoff on the logistics required to host Vice President JD Vance in Plover with less than a week’s notice. The conversation highlights the behind-the-scenes coordination between local public works, the Secret Service, and neighboring law enforcement agencies to ensure a historic, safe event for central Wisconsin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

National FFA Week highlights the blue and gold for a week.  It's up to Emma Slavens, National FFA Alumni & Supporter to help keep that enthusiasm bubbling year round.  She visits with Jill Welke at the WI FFA Alumni's State Convention about how growing that supporter base has changed, and what messages they're offering in 2026. Warmer weather for the southern portion of Wisconsin today, while north of highway 29 can expect snow.  Stu Muck says the snow will become more widespread by the weekend. Farmer led watershed groups now dot the state from corner to corner.  One of the earliest groups formed was the Yahara Pride Farms watershed in south central Wisconsin.  Jeff Endres is a Waunakee dairy operator and the chair of the Yahara Pride Farms group.  He tells Stephanie Hoff that he's proud of how they've grown their on-farm demonstrations from 10-12 farms, to now involving close to 80 in real-world demonstrations of how conservation plans work.  One troubling issue f

This year's annual Professional Dairy Producers Business Conference looks to hit on some hard topics. Dr. David Kohl a Professor Emeritus of Ag Finance and Small Business Management at Virginia Tech, will speak on building a resilient dairy business. He gives a sneak peek at what can be expected. Mid-West Farm Report and PDP share a commitment to advancing dairy producers and supporting strong farm businesses. As part of that partnership, Mid-West Farm Report is extending a limited number of producer registrations to the Business Conference to first-time attendees. If you’ve never attended, this opportunity was designed with you in mind! Just text your name and email address to 877-301-3276.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A leveling off of temperatures is expected to come soon but not before lower than normal temperatures pop in for the weekend according Ben Jarboe's conversation with ag meteorologist Stu Muck. The winter has been a cold one across the US causing the waterways to lock up with ice. Kiley Allan talks with barge captain Jimmy "JRock" Cheatham to learn how they navigate the icy waters in order to keep the world moving. With it being National FFA Week we are looking into some great things Wisconsin members have done. Stephanie Hoff has a chat with former state FFA officer Tyson Gehrke from Fennimore to see how his recent trip to Spain has changed the outlook of his future. Last night the State Of The Union was given by President Trump and one member from the Wisconsin agricultural community was in attendance. Stephanie Hoff gets the scoop with president of the Wisconsin Soybean Association, Doug Rebout, and Congressman Mark Pocan. They share what the process was to get Doug to the speech and why it was important fo

Ahead of President Donald Trump's State of the Union address, Stephanie Hoff catches up with Doug Rebout, a Wisconsin crop farmer and president of the Wisconsin Soybean Association, who was invited to the speech by Congressman Mark Pocan, also on the call. Pocan tells us why he wanted an agriculture representative at the SOTU -- to amplify the real-world impact of "tariff taxes." Rebout hopes to hear that trade negotiations are underway.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we think about time on the water in the midst of a Wisconsin winter, we think much more about ice fishing than we do about taking the boat out on the lake. But that's not quite the case for Jimmy "JRock" Cheatham. He's a pilot barge captain that moves many agricultural products along the river. He tells us that winter conditions can slow movement, but it's vital that they keep America moving.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who would have thought a combination of FFA and dairy cattle would take students overseas to  Scotland? Cate Ehle, Ella Sannes, Ana Mikkelson, Anneka Christensen will take the trip with their advisor, Samantha White, to Edinburgh, Scotland for the Royal Highland Show. There, they will compete in the dairy judging competition. They earned their invitation after competing in the 2025 World Dairy Expo FFA judging competition. The ladies sat down to tell Kiley Allan a little bit about what they're looking for.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It seems like every year there's a new disease infecting our crops here in Wisconsin and most recently for corn we've been seeing an increase in southern rust. Ashley Madson, a technical agronomist with Bayer, is here to share a bit of the history of this disease within Wisconsin and some tips for the 2026 season on choosing the right seed and best input management.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 46th annual meeting of the Wisconsin FFA Alumni brought historic high marks for membership.  Pam Jahnke discusses the accomplishments and what's ahead with Tari Costello, executive director of the group.  Costello says they've gained 2,000 more members in the past year, as well as 10 new alumni chapters statewide.  Nick Lowe is pleased to see the numbers.  Lowe is a life-long member of the Stoughton FFA and Stoughton FFA Alumni.  He explains how his parents helped inspire his engagement with FFA, and how he elevated his activities to the state level. Another blustery day for Wisconsin with winds whipping up to 35 miles per hour.  Stu Muck says the winds should settle down later this week but not before some lumpy precipitation moves through. The Mid-West Farm Report has partnered with the Professional Dairy Producers for their annual business conference coming up March 4-5.  Ben Jarboe highlights some of the top shelf conversations that will be offered, including Dr. Dav

Wisconsin FFA alum Tyson Gehrke tells Stephanie Hoff about his eye-opening journey through Spain as part of the National FFA’s International Leadership Seminar. From trading Southwest Wisconsin’s cornfields for endless groves of citrus and olives to navigating the European Union’s strict agricultural regulations, Tyson explains how stepping outside his comfort zone redefined his view of global farming. Now a student at Iowa State, he reveals how traveling abroad is shaping his future career in agribusiness.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  The Wisconsin FFA held its second annual FFA auctioneering competition, with Junie Kierce, a junior at Waunakee High School, capturing first place. Kierce visits with Ben Jarboe about how she happened upon the competition, and prepared for the event.  Junie looked for a mentor to sharpen her skills and connected with fundraising auctioneer Jenny Gale of North Prairie. Training began with mastering numbers—counting forward and backward, working in quarters and hundreds—to build a strong foundation. Tongue twisters were a major part of practice to develop rhythm, clarity, and speed before refining an auction chant. Once comfortable with cadence and numbers, Junie worked on incorporating filler words and creating a smooth chant. Beyond the chant, mentoring also focused on salesmanship, knowing the items, stage presence, and overcoming stage fright. The Wisconsin Auctioneers Association promotes the competition to introduce FFA students to career opportunities in the auction industry. Be g