A Wisconsin Senator says a recent State Supreme Court decision might create more legal challenges on the state’s farms. Howard Marklein says the high court ruled in favor of Governor Tony Evers and against him saying, “the power to pause, object to, or suspend administrative rules before and after promulgation are unconstitutional.” Marklein tells Brownfield…… read more
Category Archives: Ag News
CHS to close Port of Superior grain facility
CHS has announced they will close their Superior, Wisconsin grain terminal this fall. The cooperative has notified the State of Wisconsin by letter, saying 23 laborers will be out of work September 8th, and two managers will be terminated at the end of the year. The Port of Superior facility was built in 1936. and…… read more
Label changes force potato growers to adjust fungicide plans
University of Wisconsin research is seeking fungicide use alternatives for potato growers after a popular product became more restricted. Plant disease expert Amanda Gevens says ongoing research is looking at fungicide application on potatoes at various times, rates, and sequences to keep disease inoculum, low during the growing season, including applications at hilling time. “That…… read more
Farmer’s beef on dairy expanded to on-farm processing
A Wisconsin dairy farmer who was an early adopter of raising beef calves for an extra revenue stream says it has really helped his bottom line. Randy Ebert and his family milk 68-hundred Holsteins, and they also sell Angus-Holstein cross calves. He says, “This is one of the few things that is helping us combat…… read more
Wisconsin crops benefit from heat, moisture
Recent heat and plenty of rain have been good for most Wisconsin crops. James Giese raises about 14-hundred acres of crops to feed his dairy herd near Alma Center, and he tells Brownfield the corn is finally starting to take off. “It started out kind of slow and yellow, and I think we got some…… read more
Commodity prices have growers seeking corn marketing alternatives
The low price of corn has some growers looking to fill bunks instead of bins. Randy Ebert and his family operate a dairy and beef operation near Algoma, Wisconsin. He tells Brownfield it’s been a tough stretch for the cash crop farmers. “Multiple guys that cash crop in the area, they are looking to the…… read more
Wisconsin budget supports ag exports, dairy processors, research, roads
Wisconsin’s dairy industry will continue to benefit from state budget investments. Rebekah Sweeney with the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association tells Brownfield the budget provides $2 million in continued funding for the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports (WIAE). “It’s been a tremendous return on investment. Last year, for instance, a 500-thousand dollar investment in dairy exporting…… read more
Poor soybean seed germ affecting stands, yields
A soybean researcher warned of possible seed germ problems this spring, and now says his prediction of poor stands has come true. Shawn Conley with the University of Wisconsin Soybean Program told Brownfield in February and again before planting time that farmers need to read the seed tags and watch for seed germ ratings below…… read more
Del Monte files Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Del Monte Foods has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In a statement, the food products producer says, “it is pursuing a value-maximizing sale process as part of an overall strategic balance-sheet restructuring.” Many central Wisconsin farmers are under contract with Del Monte to raise vegetables for the Plover, Wisconsin canning facility. The company has secured…… read more
Important ag provisions included in Wisconsin budget package
Wisconsin’s legislature plans to vote Wednesday, July 2nd on the biennial budget package. Farmer and 49th Assembly District representative Travis Tranel tells Brownfield several programs good for agriculture and rural communities will be funded. “At the end of the day, we were able to fund the dairy processor grants, 800-thousand for that, meat processor grants,…… read more