Farmers tell seed breeder crops look good
A corn and soybean seed breeder says he’s seeing good crops throughout the Midwest. Jeff Renk with Renk Seeds tells Brownfield he’s been visiting farms, and growers are expecting great yields. “There’s a crop estimate for the State of Wisconsin that has come in at 193 bushel, which is way past any previous record and… ...
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Wisconsin educator, farm show manager dies
The former manager of Wisconsin’s Farm Progress Days and UW Extension Associate Dean has died. Glenn Thompson died on Thursday, Aug.21, 2025 at a Madison hospital. The former ag educator spent 31 years with the University of Wisconsin Extension, including assignments in Monroe and Sheboygan counties. After retirement, he served as General Manager of Wisconsin… ...
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Wisconsin crops are in good shape
A northeastern Wisconsin farm is having a very good crop year. Lee Kinnard with Kinnard Farms near Casco tells Brownfield they’ve been getting rain at the right times this summer. “We’ve been very fortunate. they haven’t been too heavy. They’ve been just about perfect. We’re sitting here after just completing a really beautiful fourth crop… ...
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Program to highlight lives of migrant workers
A Wisconsin group that helps migrant workers and American farmers will show the public what it’s like working far from your home and family. Puentes-Bridges President Mercedes Falk tells Brownfield their organization is planning for an October event at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s Mcintyre Library to tell the stories of women back in Mexico… ...
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Second quarter land values spurred by development demand
A policy advisor with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago says farmland values surprisingly rose 3% in the second quarter of 2025 from a year earlier. David Oppedahl tells Brownfield, “With the financial conditions looking a little weaker for agriculture, you would maybe anticipate some more weakening of farmland values as well.” He says, “But… ...
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Dairy farmer calls on government to fix immigration, worker visas
A Western Wisconsin dairy farmer says government inaction is not helping the farm labor shortage. John Rosenow owns Rosenholm Dairy near Waumandee. He tells Brownfield the H-2A program does not work well for year-round farms like his dairy, and elected leaders haven’t addressed immigration law issues in nearly 40 years. “I’ve been to (Washington) D.C.… ...
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Agricultural credit conditions dip in second quarter
A policy advisor with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago says agricultural credit conditions were weaker in the second quarter of 2025 than last year. David Oppedahl tells Brownfield, “The trends have continued a little weaker.” He says, “There is loan demand, but repayment rates have been falling. They were edging up in this quarter,… ...
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Baldwin wants Dairy PRIDE attached to farm bill
A Wisconsin Senator who wants the Food and Drug Administration to enforce dairy standards of identity wants her legislation mandating enforcement to cross the finish line this time. Tammy Baldwin has authored the Dairy PRIDE Act to require imitation products that don’t have the required nutritional value to stop using terms like milk, butter, and… ...
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Triticale serves dual purposes on Wisconsin dairy
A Wisconsin dairy farmer says triticale is an awesome multi-purpose crop on his farm. Joe Bragger farms in Buffalo County near Waumandee. He tells Brownfield triticale makes an excellent cover crop, especially for planting green. “It comes out of the gate a little later, so if you just want to go cover crop solely, you… ...
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Wisconsin crops good, but rain preventing optimum hay timing
A west central Wisconsin farmer says he could use a break from the rain to get his haying done. Wisconsin Farmers Union President Darin Von Ruden tells Brownfield he’s seen a lot of weekend rain in the Westby area, which delayed his third-crop alfalfa harvest. “We wanted to cut on Saturday, but with the rain… ...
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Hazelnuts as a crop and conservation tool
A western Wisconsin farmer has planted about one thousand hazelnut bushes. Joe Bragger runs a dairy and crop farm near Waumandee in the hills of Buffalo County, and uses multiple conservation practices around the farm. He says the hazelnut industry in Wisconsin is very small but hazelnuts have real potential as a crop and as… ...
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Beef Leadership Institute prepares producers to share message
The Wisconsin Beef Leadership Institute is a joint effort by the Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association and the Wisconsin Beef Council, the state’s beef checkoff. Kaitlyn Riley-Kessler from the Beef Council and producer Dennis Breneman explain how it works and how producers use that education to advocate for their industry. They talked to Brownfield’s Larry Lee at… ...
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Highland cattle are gaining in popularity with beef producers
The Highland breed of cattle is growing in popularity. Dennis Breneman raises them in Wisconsin, and discusses the breed and how he and others are helping new Highland beef operators get started successfully with Brownfield’s Larry Lee at Wisconsin’s Farm Technology Days. The post Highland cattle are gaining in popularity with beef producers appeared first… ...
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Agent: Go over farm insurance regularly
Jason Munson with Rural Mutual Insurance tells Brownfield livestock, machinery, buildings, and other inventories change, so insurance needs to keep up with the changes. He spoke with Brownfield’s Larry Lee during Wisconsin Farm Technology Days. The post Agent: Go over farm insurance regularly appeared first on Brownfield Ag News. ...
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Don’t take chances with symptoms of a possible stroke
Kristen Randall from Neenah, Wisconsin based Theda Clark Medical Center urges farmers and others working outdoors in hot summer weather not to assume everything is alright when symptoms say you might be having a stroke. She explains BEFAST and what to watch for, and urges anyone with the signs to call 9-1-1 immediately. BEFAST Stands… ...
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2025 Wisconsin State Fair by the numbers
Wisconsin’s State Fair wrapped up early due to bad weather last weekend, but still had a very successful run. By the numbers, nearly 893 thousand people visited the fair, with 10,676 competitive exhibits and 2,100 agricultural exhibitors. The Governor’s Blue Ribbon Livestock Auction raised 381,350 for youth scholarships, and the Blue Ribbon Dairy Products Auction… ...
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Dairy PRIDE Act reintroduced
A Wisconsin Senator has re-introduced legislation that would limit dairy terms to real dairy products. Senator Tammy Baldwin recently re-introduced the Dairy PRIDE Act with minor changes from last session. She tells Brownfield, “There’s some modest changes that have been requested by the Farm Bureau and by the milk producers relative to some guidance that… ...
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School helps address meat processing labor shortage
Technical and high schools in Wisconsin are continuing to prepare people for careers in the meat processing industry. One of the programs is Northcentral Technical College’s Pasture to Plate Butchery program. Travis Teska teaches the program, which uses a specialized trailer equipped to harvest animals on-the-farm. “We use this to go out to our farms… ...
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Pollinator plots benefit farms & cities
A USDA official says more people on and off the farm are creating habitat for pollinators. Lisa Neuenfeldt from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service tells Brownfield their programs help landowners reestablish native grasses, and flowering plants that bloom at various times between spring and fall. “We have a lot of farmers that have taken lower-yielding… ...
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Dairy farm successful bringing bottled milk to consumers
PHOTO: Brody Stapel at his farm with former Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue A southeastern Wisconsin farmer has found success by bringing back home milk delivery. Brody Stapel and his family operate Double Dutch Dairy near Cedar Grove, Wisconsin. He tells Brownfield they’ve been delivering milk in glass bottles to home clients along with eggs, meat,… ...
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