Podcasts about wisconsin farmers union

So far 19 agriculture education programs in Wisconsin are planning for teacher changes next school year. That's the word from Sally Ladsten, Education Counselor with the Department of Public Instruction. She oversees agriculture, food and natural resource programs and acts as the Wisconsin State FFA Advisor. She calls this time of year "crazy" in a conversation with Pam Jahnke. Last year, Wisconsin experienced 60 teacher turnovers. Some stay in the state, the profession, and others leave. Ladsten says they're always scrambling to try and find available teachers to fill the slots of growing programs. Rainfall reporters will be busy again today according to Stu Muck. Light rain is likely to sweep across the state.Land sales remain firm according to Ashley Huhn from the Steffes Group. In this installment of his conversation with Pam Jahnke, he focuses on the differences bidders experience when they show interest in land. Paid for by Steffes Group.The state's farmers are starting to see planting in the rear view mirror. Over 80% of the corn and soybeans have been planted. Pam Jahnke recaps the planting progress report. Kurt Lahr with CHS says the state is in a pretty good spot overall. While things are going calmly forward now, there's concerns on the horizon about climate change. A new survey released by UW-Madison points out that farmers recognize climate change, and are adjusting some of their practices because of it.Changes are being discussed on funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Stephanie Hoff talks to a Rudolph area farmer who has felt the positive impact of SNAP dollars on the clients he serves at the Dane County Farmers Market and elsewhere. Carl Flaig of Flaig Family Farm in Rudolph features an aquaponics system and cattle ranch that brings fresh produce, fish filets, and beef year-round to Wisconsin consumers, restaurants, and retailers. He says it's a major asset that SNAP recipients can purchase food from farmers' market vendors. Carl was recently in Washington D.C. with Wisconsin Farmers Union asking lawmakers to support a strong Supplemental Nutrition Assistance ProgramSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Halei Heinzel is getting ready to learn who the next Alice in Dairyland will be. The final phases of interviews begin today in Crawford County. Jill Welke talks with Heinzel about her year-long experience and what memories she'll be taking away when she departs officially in July. Severe weather is on the way for a good chunk of Wisconsin today. Stu Muck draws the lines where heavy weather's expected.Stephanie Hoff introduces us to another one of the six finalists for the Alice position. Natalie Roe from Monticello first found out about the Alice program when the selection process came to Green County. She says her love of agriculture's been apparent since she was a little girl. Ben Jarboe gets in a quick conversation with the incoming executive director of the Wisconsin Farmers Union in Chippewa Falls. Danielle Endvick grew up in agriculture and previously served as communications coordinator for WFU. She shares some of the priorities she's bringing to the post. Keep an eye on the cheese market. Beginning next week, barrel cheese essentially "goes away" in Chicago and the Class III pricing formula. That's according to Matt Tranel, dairy analyst with EverAg. He joins Pam Jahnke for the discussion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carl Flaig of Flaig Family Farm in Rudolph finds value in selling his beef and produce at farmers' markets, including the Dane County Farmers Market in Madison. It's the largest producer-only farmers' market in the country. Carl's aquaponics system and cattle ranch brings fresh produce, fish filets, and beef year-round to Wisconsin consumers, restaurants, and retailers. He says it's a major asset that SNAP recipients can purchase food from farmers' market vendors. Carl was recently in Washington D.C. with Wisconsin Farmers Union asking lawmakers to support a strong Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, the National Farmers Union brought farmer members from across the U.S. to Washington to amplify the need for a 5-year Farm Bill. Stephanie Hoff caught up with the President of the NFU, Rob Larew, and Wisconsin Farmers Union members. Larew says right now the volatility in the farm economy has him concerned. Larew is pushing for Congress to get a strong, five-year Farm Bill passed to provide some certainty for American farmers. This was the message echoed by Wisconsin Farmers Union. Government Relations Director Michelle Ramirez-White says the timing was perfect because Congress is marking up the Farm Bill during budget reconciliation. Rami Aburomia was among the delegation. He’s an apple grower outside of Madison. He recently joined Wisconsin Farmers Union to advocate for better safety nets for specialty crop growers. This Washington Watch news update is brought to you by the Wisconsin Soybean Association, dedicated to ensuring policies are in place for the future of soybean farmers.Chilly start to our Thursday but more sunshine on the way. Stu Muck says the northwoods may still see a little frost even into Friday.The Federal Reserve held interest rates unchanged during their May meeting. While the U.S. economy as a whole may not be in a recession, some facets of Wisconsin agriculture are already there. Sam Miller is a Principal with Fox Street Advisors in Appleton. He believes that grain markets have been in a recession for a while. He's watching the 10 year bond as an indicator of where the market's going.While tariffs are what many are focused on, Wisconsin Ag Secretary, Randy Romanski, is working on keeping relationships in place. He explains that about a year ago the state invested in bringing trade partners from Indonesia to Wisconsin. Now, they've asked Wisconsin to visit them, and Romanski did! Jan Prins from EverAg joins Pam Jahnke. Prins grew up on a family dairy in Washington state. He says the market was surprised this week with huge sales of cheese to the export market. Prins explains that right now the U.S. is at a price advantage over the EU as they wait for their milk production trend to improve.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin Farmers Union members have been vocal about wanting to continue farm programs that have lost federal support this year. Michelle Ramirez-White is the government relations director for Wisconsin Farmers Union. She joins us in-studio with a special focus on the Climate Smart program that's been reevaluated by the Trump administration, and the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program that's been cut. Wisconsin Farmers Union has launched a special campaign to continue the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program at the state level, which helps food pantries, etc., purchase directly from farmers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legislation to incentivize grazing is getting traction in the State Capitol. We’re talking about it today with the Wisconsin Farmers Union. Government Relations Director Michelle Ramirez-White joins us in-studio as the state’s Joint Finance Committee wraps up budget hearings across the state. Michelle tells us what’s likely to garner support either in the state biennium budget or as stand-alone legislation. She says 30 percent of legislators are new this session, which means farm groups make an effort to educate them about agriculture priorities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 151st running for the roses happens Saturday in the Kentucky Derby. Bob Bosold gets a chance to visit with one of the people that will be trackside Saturday. Brent Dodge is with "Talk Derby To Me" in Louisville. He explains to Bosold that it's not about odds, it's about the condition of the horse the day it's going to be running. Weather starts improving this weekend both rain-wise and temperature-wise. Stu Muck gives us an update. 15 new high school seniors have been named to the WI Ag Youth Council. Started six years ago, the council is about exposing students to agriculture topics in the state and career opportunities. Charitee Seebecker speaks with Rylee Brattlie from Cambridge who just wrapped up her year on the council. She said it was minimum commitment that provided a lot of insights into career options she wouldn't have otherwise known about. China and the U.S. have drawn a line in the sand on tariffs, and nobody's budging. Arlan Suderman with StoneX trading says a new propaganda video released in China is fanning the flames of nationalism there, and they aren't likely to turn back. Summer camp enrollment is beginning to fill. What many may not know is a Wisconsin farm organization owns and operates its own summer camp. Stephanie Hoff finds out about this year's itinerary with the camp director, Elizabeth Yost. She's one of two managers for Wisconsin Farmers Union's Kamp Kenwood on Lake Wissota. She’s finalizing the attendance for their scheduled camps this summer and organizing volunteers to get the property cleaned up for guests.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elizabeth Yost is one of two managers for Wisconsin Farmers Union's Kamp Kenwood on Lake Wissota. She’s finalizing the attendance for their scheduled camps this summer and organizing volunteers to get the property cleaned up for guests. There’s still time to get your kiddos signed up, but space is filling up fast for their pinecone, junior, and senior options. Yost says parents see a difference in their children when they come home from camp with increased confidence and new friends after getting the chance to unplug from the digital world. Yost says Kamp Kenwood is already one of the most affordable overnight summer camps offered in the region, but on top of that, families can apply for non-competitive scholarships to offset costs that can be a barrier to registration. Learn more: https://www.wisconsinfarmersunion.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brownfield's Jared White interviews Wisconsin Farmers Union president Darin Von Ruden at the 123rd National Farmers Union Convention in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The second hour is kicked off with the President of the Wisconsin Farmers Union, Darin Von Ruden and his monthly visit to the show. Darin will be talking about what's happening in the world of Wisconsin farming. Then, we want to know: what is a movie that everyone loves that does nothing for you? And we didn't forget and we hope you didn't, either...it's This Shouldn't Be A Thing - Flipper Flips Out Edition As always, thank you for listening, texting and calling, we couldn't do this without you! Don't forget to download the free Civic Media app and take us wherever you are in the world! Matenaer On Air is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Monday through Friday from 10 am - noon across the state. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! You can also rate us on your podcast distribution center of choice, they go a long way! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow the show on Facebook, X and YouTube to keep up with Jane and the show! Guest: Darin Von Ruden

Once a month, we welcome Darin Von Rudin, President of the Wisconsin Farmers Union to talk about what's going on for the Wisconsin Farmers. Next, Jane saw the movie "Green and Gold" and loved it...but for one small detail, which we aren't revealing, for now. Don't go anywhere! The show isn't over, we still have a lovely installment of This Shouldn't Be A Thing - Edition As always, thank you for listening, texting and calling, we couldn't do this without you! Don't forget to download the free Civic Media app and take us wherever you are in the world! Matenaer On Air is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Monday through Friday from 10 am - noon across the state. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! You can also rate us on your podcast distribution center of choice, they go a long way! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow the show on Facebook, X and YouTube to keep up with Jane and the show! Guest: Darin Von Ruden

Everyone month we welcome the President of the Wisconsin Farmers Union, Darin Von Rudin to the show to talk about what our farmers are facing. This month, we talk about how tariffs, deportation and the rising price of food affects our farmers, as well as you. Then, how young it too young to get a tattoo? Well, in Arizona, it's younger than you would think. And we high tail it out of here with another This Shouldn't Be A Thing - Baby Don't Drive My Car Edition As always, thank you for listening, texting and calling, we couldn't do this without you! Don't forget to download the free Civic Media app and take us wherever you are in the world! Matenaer On Air is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Monday through Friday from 10 am - noon across the state. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! You can also rate us on your podcast distribution center of choice, they go a long way! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow the show on Facebook, X and YouTube to keep up with Jane and the show! Guest: Darin Von Ruden

The tin can that acts as a vessel for vegetables may be the most expensive component of the whole process! That's one of the insights Ben Jarboe found when speaking with Jason Culotta. He's the outgoing president of the midwest food products association. Dense fog will slow the commute this morning according to Stu Muck, ag meteorologist. It's tradition to give during the holiday season, but when it comes to financial giving to causes - think local. That's the advice of volunteer Stephanie Kraemer, who helps at the Sauk County Humane Shelter. She explains the cost of operation for the facility and where donations are channeled to Stephanie Hoff. Darren VonRuden was re-elected as president of the Wisconsin Farmers Union during their 94th annual convention over the weekend. Consumers really like to focus on buying local when it comes to their food, but how do you buy local in the winter, in Wisconsin? Pam Jahnke finds out how one hyper-local, focused chef manages to keep the menu fresh. Kyle Julius, owner of Chef At Large, says it's a collaboration of what chefs want and what farms can grow.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Far-right politicians, feeling they have momentum, are pushing harder to convene a constitutional convention—something not done since the Constitution was first written and an event sure to spark chaos. But it leads to this question: What would you do if you could write a new Constitution? Fix the 2nd Amendment? Stop allowing money to equal free speech? Abolish the Senate? Also: Hans Breitenmoser is joined by Kriss Marion of Wisconsin Women in Conservation to cover highlights from the recent state convention of the Wisconsin Farmers Union. UpNorthNews with Pat Kreitlow airs on several stations across the Civic Media radio network, Monday through Friday from 6-8 am. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow the show on Facebook, X, and Instagram to keep up with Pat & the show! Guests: Hans Breitenmoser, Kriss Marion

Brownfield's Larry Lee interviewed Wisconsin Farmers Union president Darin Von Ruden at the Wisconsin Farmers Union Convention in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This weekend the Wisconsin Farmers Union gathers together in WI Dells for their annual convention. The group has a lot to celebrate after the recent opening of "Market on River", their restaurant operating in their new state headquarters in downtown Chippewa Falls. Jill Welke talks with Kirsten Slaughter and Tara Greiman.Bitterly cold today for Wisconsinites, but quick improvements tomorrow. That's the weather promise from Stu Muck, ag meteorologist.The official Christmas tree has arrived at the State Capitol. A Rhinelander area couple has donated the tree for a second year. Stephanie Hoff finds out about all the details that must be in place, courtesy of Darren Smith, groundskeeper at the State Capitol.No Farm Bill could create some off scenarios for farmers and the food system. Tyler Wenzlaff is the director of national affairs with the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. He explains that without the guidance of a Farm Bill, the food tab for the federal government and USDA could skyrocket overnight.Ryan Yonkman with EverAg joins Pam Jahnke to discuss dairy drivers in the marketplace. Whey, for example, is red hot right now. Yonkman says some of the weight loss medications that are skyrocketing in use are driving all protein markets, but especially sports and energy drinks. They contain whey. He also forecasts a little of the first quarter 2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Darin Von Ruden is the President of the Wisconsin Farmers Union and he's joining us once a month to give us all an insight on what's happening with our farmers, including the languishing farm bill. Then we welcome Dr. Laura Hanks back for another edition of Public Cervix Announcement and we're discussing the case before the US Supreme Court regarding Trans Youth. And we're gonna wrap up the show with This Shouldn't Be A Thing - Remains Of The Day Edition. As always, thank you for listening, texting and calling, we couldn't do this without you! Don't forget to download the free Civic Media app and take us wherever you are in the world! Matenaer On Air is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Monday through Friday from 10 am - noon across the state. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! You can also rate us on your podcast distribution center of choice, they go a long way! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow the show on Facebook, X and YouTube to keep up with Jane and the show! Guests: Laura Hanks, Darin Von Ruden

Transportation funding will be a critical issue for Wisconsin agriculture going forward.  One successful project already seeing results is  the Agriculture Road Improvement Program.  Charitee Seebecker gets an update from DOT Deputy Secretary, Joel Nilsesteun. It's going to be a rainy and windy election day.  Stu Muck, ag meteorologist gives us some rainfall totals so far. There's a lot of motivation for farmers, agribusiness owners, and rural citizens to show up at the polls.  Jason Mungniani, executive director of government relations for the WI Farm Bureau Federation, gives Stephanie Hoff a rundown on hot topics at the state and federal scene to keep in mind. Darrin VonRuden, President of the Wisconsin Farmers Union, is reminding all votes to consider long term implications on food with their vote today.  VonRuden says he's particularly concerned about finishing a Farm Bill. John Heinberg, market analyst with Total Farm Marketing in West Bend, says it could be a wild ride with traders watching election results.  The rollercoaster could continue for at least the rest of this week.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oh you're so lucky today! The Fabulous Farm Babe Pam Jahnke joins us to talk all things World Dairy Expo, sheep with dreadlocks and model cows. And if you're interested in knowing more about farmers and the world of farming, you can check out Wisconsin Dept. of Agriculture, The Farm Bureau, as well as the Wisconsin Farmers Union. Then we are joined by Kory Hartman, Civic Media's VP of Broadcast Operations to talk about the newest hurricane, not Helene...this one is Milton and it is as powerful and causing so much as much damage. If you want to help, click here. We're wrapping up the show with another installment of This Shouldn't Be A Thing - Bathroom Break Edition. As always, thank you for listening, texting and calling, we couldn't do this without you! Don't forget to download the free Civic Media app and take us wherever you are in the world! Matenaer On Air is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Monday through Friday from 10 am - noon across the state. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! You can also rate us on your podcast distribution center of choice, they go a long way! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow the show on Facebook, X and YouTube to keep up with Jane and the show! Guests: Pam Jahnke, Kory Hartman

Wisconsin Farmers Union wants a Farm Bill done, but inaction might be the continued story for 2024, says President Darin Von Ruden. He tells Bob Bosold he expects a lame-duck session in Congress. An unseasonably warm day to wrap up September! Stu Muck has the forecast for this year's World Dairy Expo. Congrats to Alexis Blankenberg from Platteville for topping the senior female division in the Youth Fitting Contest at Expo. Brady McConnel of Lancaster (junior), Kayla Trustem of Evansville (intermediate), and Tyler Leuch of Pulaski (senior) earned honors for topping their divisions in the Youth Showmanship Contest. At UW-Platteville, groundbreaking research is using high-tech tools to track the gases cows emit and what that means for both their health and the environment, Dr. Ryan Pralle tells Charitee Seebecker. Grain originator Earl Pelak of Ixonia is noticing a smaller soybean due to heavy rains earlier this growing season. Dairy nutritionist Drew Johnson with K&S Dairy Consulting walks us through strategies his farm customers are taking to combat quality issues in the corn silage harvest.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our second hour, we welcome President of the Wisconsin Farmers Union, Darin Von Ruden to talk about the languishing Farm Bill. We talk about what it covers (which is a lot) and why it's so very important to have our minds on conservation. Then its time to switch gears to our favorite Associate Puppet of the Supreme Court, Clarence Thomas. He seems to have a hard time remembering things; things like trips. We're including a deep dive into the history of the man and where he comes from to where he is today. We wrap things up with a truly unbearable story about RFK, Jr. As always, thank you for listening, texting and calling, we couldn't do this without you! Don't forget to download the free Civic Media app and take us wherever you are in the world! Matenaer On Air is a part of the Civic Media radio network and airs Monday through Friday from 10 am - noon across the state. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! You can also rate us on your podcast distribution center of choice, they go a long way! To learn more about the show and all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows to see the entire broadcast line up. Follow the show on Facebook, X and YouTube to keep up with Jane and the show! Guest: Todd Allbaugh

Wisconsin's in a pretty good spot when it comes to detection of animal disease, communication about that disease, and mitagating movement of the disease.  Stephanie Hoff talks to two state experts.  Julie Sweney from the unique Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium, and Adam Brock, food safety director at the WI Dept. of Ag., Trade and Consumer Protection. Sometimes when you work with livestock, there's questions you can't find answers to.  The WI Farm Center is there to help.  Dr. Lynae Schott is a veterinarian that helps diagnose problems in dairy herds and work toward resolution.  She explains how farms can access the free service.Members of the Wisconsin Farmers Union are taking issue with how some check-off dollars are being spent.  Darin VonRuden, president of the WFU, tells Pam Jahnke that they believe there's discrepancies between federal guidelines on how money is to be spent versus how it ends up being used.  They're meeting on the subject Wednesday.This weekend temps will soar into the mid 80's.  That's going to put stress on livestock.  Joel Roltgen, Focus on Energy Advisor, speaks with Pam Jahnke about rebates available for tuning up those barn fans and making sure everything runs smoothly and efficiently this summer.  Paid for by Focus on Energy/CESA.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a lot of different discussions happening in Wisconsin about affordable health care options for farm families. Our state's largest general farm organizations are bringing it up as a top priority in this legislative session and have brought different strategies to the table. Wisconsin Farmers Union, for example, is asking the state to expand BadgerCare by accepting federal Medicaid expansion dollars. With the expansion, they hope to reach more farmers. Stephanie Hoff gives us some perspective.Potato and vegetable growers are gathered together in Stevens Point through today for their annual winter conference.  Blair Richardson leads Potatoes USA, a trade group looking for new opportunities for U.S. potatoes.  He says that they also have to be concerned about misinformation about potatoes that filters not only to consumers, but also health care providers.  He speaks with Stephanie Hoff in Stevens Point.Fundraising is the primary goal right now for WI FFA Foundation board members.  Past president, Tom Bressler, says WI FFA is experiencing tremendous growth that requires more financial resources to be really effective. It looks like U.S. cheese prices have finally hit bottom and are starting to come back up - a little.  That's the observation Andy Faulman with EverAg shared with Pam Jahnke this morning.  He also reminded dairy producers to keep an eye on dry whey prices.  He explains the correlation on whey prices to Class III milk prices which drive Wisconsin dairies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin Farmers Union is asking the state to expand BadgerCare by accepting federal Medicaid expansion dollars. With the expansion, they say they can reach more farmers, such as Dylan Bruce. He and his wife operate Circadian Organics and Driftless Seed in Ferryville. He's also president of his Vernon and Crawford County WFU chapter. Because farming is such a unique business, he doesn't qualify for BadgerCare. And because he's got a preexisting condition, he's got to pay for expensive insurance. He says expanding BadgerCare can help mitigate the pitfalls of the current system.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We learn what's been going on at the Schoeps ice cream factory in Madison, hear from the organizing drive at Ocean Spray in Wisconsin Rapids, get an update on a major teachers strike in Massachusetts, learn about organizing in the Wisconsin Farmers Union, dig deeper into how workers are affected by the UW budget cuts, explore the history of Right to Work laws and more.

Wisconsin Farmers Union is renovating a historic building in downtown Chippewa Falls. It'll not only be their new headquarters, but a community space. The 128 W. River Street building is adjacent to the Spring Street building that has housed WFU's headquarters since the 1940s. WFU purchased the 45,000-square-foot building a few years ago. The organization plans to turn the stately brick building into a downtown destination, featuring a food hall, meeting spaces, and apartments. Executive Director Julie Bomar says the first floor won't house just any food hall — this one will support WFU. Food vendors will be required to become WFU members and purchase 15 percent of their goods from WFU members.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin Farmers Union members have held their annual meeting and their annual trek to the state Capitol to lobby their legislators. We'll talk to Hans Breitenmoser about farm family priorities in the new year. Guests: Hans Breitenmoser, Chad Holmes

At the State Capitol in Madison, the drama continues to unfold over Wisconsin's legislative maps. Wisconsin Farmers Union is asking the Legislature to set aside their politics and work together. In December, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that Wisconsin's legislative maps are unconstitutional and must be redrawn before the 2024 election. WFU member Hans Breitenmoser is passionate about the issue. Breitenmoser operates Golden Dawn Farm in Lincoln County, milking 450 dairy cows and farming 1,300 acres. He tells Mid-West Farm Report why fair maps matter to his farm and community. In the future, WFU insists upon the creation of an objective, nonpartisan procedure for the preparation of legislative and congressional redistricting plans.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Farm & Rural Lobby Day was a success, according to Wisconsin Farmers Union. Members braved the cold this week to come to the State Capitol and talk to lawmakers about the policy priorities they established during their annual meeting. President Darin Von Ruden, a dairy farmer out of Westby, says he was happy with the turnout and the excitement in the room. He says lawmakers also look forward to meeting with their farmer constituents, but passing legislation won't be easy. He says funding on-farm efforts to combat climate change can be an especially difficult conversation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin Farmers Union members will get together in Madison on Wednesday for the Farm and Rural Lobby Day at the State Capitol. Before meeting with their lawmakers, Farmers Union will brief its members on the policy priorities set at the annual meeting in December. The topics range across seven categories ranging from rural economy issues to on-farm environmental work. Michelle Ramirez-White is the policy coordinator for the Wisconsin Farmers Union. She expects about 70 farmers to make the trip. She tells Mid-West Farm Report about the list of bills they'll be talking about next week, and how the grassroots organization fits in to the legislative process.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 93rd Wisconsin Farmers Union convention packed in a lot of business activity.  Jill Welke talks with WFU President, Darin VonRuden, about the Farm Bill extension, ongoing revision of federal milk orders, and their exciting developments in Chippewa Falls where they're ready to open their new headquarters that includes apartments and retail space.The recent Wisconsin Water & Soil Health Conference in Wisconsin Dells had a different feel this year.  In the wake of a monumental loss, Discovery Farms continues to honor the legacy of previous director, Eric Cooley, a trailblazer in on-farm water quality research. Lindsey Hartfiel, the new discovery farms director, talks to Charitee Seebecker about the future of Discovery Farms and how they plan to continue Cooley's research. Mike North, broker/analyst with EverAg, joins Pam Jahnke to break down what's happening in the dairy space.  North says cheese prices reflect consumer uncertainty globally, and he's also watching consumer demand going into 2024.  The upside for dairy continues to be "beef on dairy" breeding and filling the void in the traditional beef market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Food trends and flavors are being revealed for 2024 and Wisconsin restaurant owners are paying attention.  Susan Quam is the executive director of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association and she sees themes that started during the pandemic continuing in 2024.  She also sees the "midwest being cool" when it comes to flavor profiles.  She lets Pam Jahnke in on the expectations.The Wisconsin Farmers Union just wrapped up their 93rd annual convention in Wisconsin Dells.  Michelle Ramerez-White, policy coordinator for WFU, says they're very focused on issues with affordable health care for farm families and agribusinesses as well as access.  She also says members want some options for rural childcare.  Pam Jahnke dials up Joe Gibbs, Fox Lake soybean farmer who's part of the Clean Fuels Alliance Big Apple tour in New York City this week.  Gibbs says they're learning about all the ways biodiesel is being used by the municipalities and what they've got planned for the future. Finally, John Heinberg, market advisor with Total Farm Marketing joins Pam to focus on what traders are talking about going toward the end of the calendar year. China made a surprise appearance in the wheat market Monday and traders noticed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hans Breitenmoser and Darin Von Ruden of the Wisconsin Farmers Union will give an update on how the paralysis of Republicans in Congress is affecting efforts to get a Farm Bill passed. Guest: Hans Breitenmoser, Darin Von Ruden, Chad Holmes

Wisconsin Farmers Union is in the midst of renovating a historic building in downtown Chippewa Falls. It'll not only be their new headquarters, but a community space. This building project started a year and a half ago when Farmers Union bought the building. Jackie Boos is the WFU facilities director. Once completed, she says it'll have a food hall, meeting spaces and apartments. The project, Market on River, is set to be finished in July of 2024 before Chippewa County's Farm Technology Days.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lee Rasch, the retired longtime leader of Western Wisconsin Technical College, is part of a new bipartisan group dedicated to defending democracy from those who would undermine election integrity for political purposes. Also: Hans Breitenmoser talks about the ongoing drought and Grace Clardy from Wisconsin Farmers Union tells us about Kamp Kenwood.Guests: Chad Holmes, Hans Breitenmoser, Grace Clardy, Lee Rasch

The Wisconsin Farmers Union's Kamp Kenwood has a new director.  Jill Welke visits with Grace Clardy who's just beginning a busy season offering programming at Kamp Kenwood north of Chippewa Falls.Wisconsin's milk haulers made their voices heard this week in support of increased state funding for improvements on the state's rural roadways and bridges.  Nate Zimdars chats with Jerry Schroeder, chair of the Wisconsin Milk Haulers Association.Milk and cheese prices continue to slide at an alarming rate.  Cody Koster, broker analyst with EverAg, joins Pam Jahnke to talk about what's influencing the dairy complex.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin Farmers Union members Danielle Endvick, LaDonna Green, and Kriss Marion share their individual farm stories, discuss why storytelling matters more than ever, and how to share yours with audiences hungry for both good food and good stories big or small.

Setting their sights on the Farm Bill, Wisconsin Farmers Union is already working on building alliances.  Bob Bosold gets an update from Darren VonRuden, president of WFU, about their priority items.Now that spring planting is likely to get a jump start, paying attention to details can be compromised.  Charitee Seebecker visits with a Purdue University ag economist that has a checklist growers need to keep in mind.  Dr. Brady Brewer has 5 keys to continued farm success. The state's largest outdoor farm show will have a different look this year.  WI Farm Technology Days is going to be hosted at a neutral site near Baraboo.  Pam Jahnke talks to show general manager, Arnie Jennerman, about details so far.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Representing Wisconsin's farmers on a national level isn't for everyone. But for one woman, it was her dream.Olivia Roth is a Wisconsin youth who is serving on the National Farmers Union Youth Advisory Council (NYAC). She helps to promote policy and better the future of Wisconsin farmers. She explains how her family's values are what led her to this opportunity. “My family were some of the founding members of the South Central chapter of the Wisconsin Farmers Union,” says Roth. “We joined because Farmers Union stands for fairness for farmers, quality of food, and much more that my family also believes in.” Roth has been a member for eight years and has attended many youth activities. She attended the National Farmers Union All-State Leadership Camp and it was there that she learned about the opportunity to serve on the advisory council.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Horse Creek Farmer-Led Watershed Council in Polk County has been researching no-till and cover crop practices for eight years. The 2022 trials have shown that those practices can help with cold wet weather and emergence problems. Tara Daun is the watershed coordinator with Wisconsin Farmers Union. She has the results.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You may not think that frogs and water quality have anything to do with cookies or shelf stable goods. But to Kriss Marion, they all go together in supporting the wellbeing of communities. Marion is a farmer from Blanchardville who is dedicated to soil and water stewardship. She is a part of the River Alliance of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Farmers Union, Wisconsin Women in Conservation, and has played a key role in the cottage food law. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wisconsin Farmers Union hosted their Farm & Rural Lobby day in Madison on January 18th. Members advocated for policy priorities set by the grassroots membership at the farm organization's annual convention in December. Darin Von Ruden, President of Wisconsin Farmers Union, explains the history of the farm and rural lobby day and key priorities being brought forward. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A large donation of nutritious protein found its way from family farms to Madisontoday when 35,000 pounds of pork was delivered to Second Harvest Foodbank. The donation by Wisconsin Farmers Union (WFU), in partnership with Farmers Union Enterprises, is part of a five-state giving spree of 180,000 pounds of pork that also includes food banks in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wisconsin Farmers Union will continue to encourage dairy farmers to work together on Federal Milk Order Reform.  Charitee Seebecker talks to Bobbi Wilson, Dairy Together Coordinator at WFU, about their progress. Our holiday celebrations may be in the rear view mirror, but in China they're just getting ready for their big event.  China's New Year on Jan. 22nd is the number one time that Wisconsin Ginseng gets distributed across the country as gifts.  At least that was the case prior to 2019.  Stephanie Hoff talks to WI Ginseng Exec. Dir., Jackie Fett, about the roots importance in China and what obstacles still remain. The WI Fair Association's annual convention is underway in WI Dells.  Charitee Seebecker visits with one of the keynote speakers, author - Jerry Apps.  Apps latest book, "Meet Me On The Midway" is a slice of history about Wisconsin's fairs.  Where they've been and where they're going through Apps eyes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Dairy Together Coalition of farmers and industry stakeholders is advocating for the dairy revitalization plan to be included in the 2023 Farm Bill. Bobbi Wilson the Wisconsin Farmers Union Dairy Together Program Coordinator is working hard on this plan to create a viable dairy industry.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wisconsin Farmers Union has an aggressive agenda planned for legislative efforts in 2023. Jill Welke visits with WFU Government Affairs Director, Rick Adamski, about some of their major platform points.The percentage of people actively engaging in on-line auctions keeps climbing.  Ashley Huhn, from the Steffes Group, visits with Pam Jahnke about their latest statistics and prices.  Paid for by Steffes Group. Producer-led watershed groups having been growing in number across the state.  Recently the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture released $1 million in grant monies to 43 different producer-led watershed groups.  Carrie Mess visits with Patricia Cicero, a Director at the Land and Water Conservation Department in Jefferson County. She works closely with the Jefferson County Soil Builders, one of the farmer-led groups that just received a $30k grant from WDATCP. She shares why these producer led groups are so important for the future of our industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An agriculture instructor in northwest Wisconsin has received a $20,000 grant to invest in reaching students and helping them understand where their food comes from.  Jill Welke talks with Amelia Hayden, the ag instructor with successful grant request. The president of the Wisconsin Farmers Union sees a busy agenda ahead for Wisconsin farmers and policy makers.  Darren VonRuden is a dairy producer from Westby who serves as president.  He visits with Charitee Seebecker about development of the 2023 Farm Bill. John Hineberg, market advisor with Total Farm Marketing in West Bend joins Pam Jahnke, and focuses on the livestock complex.  Demand remains strong globally at a time when there's fewer cattle available to serve that need.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2022 growing season was pretty productive for Wisconsin farmers.  Dr. Damon Smith, UW-Extension Plant Pathologist, talks with Pam Jahnke about what they learned about battling bugs and disease in the field.The 92nd Wisconsin Farmers Union convention wrapped up over the weekend.  Pam Jahnke runs down the awards presented to members and guests.Nobody likes to talk about it.  Tragedies on the farm.  Barn fires, manure spills, roof collapses.  Having a crisis management plan in place is critical in making sure farms efficiently handle these challenges.  Brenda Murphy with Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin explains the resources available to farms to put that crisis plan in place.  Paid for by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wisconsin Farmers Union is a member-driven organization that is committed to enhancing the quality of life for family farmers, rural communities, and all people. Helping to drive that mission forward is Wisconsin Farmers Union President, Darin Von Ruden. He says we are experiencing a rebuilding and re-envisioning of the American food system, and Farmers Union has been on the front lines of those conversations. He shares more about the goals he plans to accomplish moving forward.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wisconsin Farmers Union is preparing diligently for the 2023 Farm Bill. Wisconsin Farmers Union Government Relations Director, Rick Adamski, says it is imperative that we monitor deliberations leading up to the next Farm Bill in 2023 and that if we look at these policy options as opportunities to learn from our past, we may create a better future. He shares more about important policy measures he is working to move forward and his role in preparing for the 2023 Farm Bill. Bur first he  talks about his transition into this new role.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.