Wisconsin farmers are dealing with a new pest familiar to gardeners. Slugs! Dane Elmquist tells Stephanie Hoff that slugs are becoming a bigger field pest because of conservation practices. Elmquist is the conservation cropping specialist with the Division of Extension. Slugs thrive in no-till and cover crop systems because the heavy crop residue and lack of soil disturbance create a cool, moist microclimate where populations can build up year over year. While they feed on both corn and soybeans, slugs pose a greater economic threat to soybeans; corn is generally more resilient and can often outgrow the damage. Crops are most at risk early in the season as seedlings, particularly when a mild winter is followed by a wet spring that slows down initial plant growth. Recent heavy infestations have been reported in Northeast Wisconsin, specifically within the Fox-Wolf watershed area near Green Bay. To combat the lack of data on slug populations in Wisconsin, researchers launched SlugNet, a monitoring project where volunteers use simple roofing shingles as "traps" to track and report slug activity across the state. Be a part of it by searching SlugNet online!

Frosty start to our Thursday morning, and that trends going to continue. Stu Muck, ag weatherman, says overnight frost/freeze warnings will persist into the weekend.

No go on the 2026 Farm Bill yesterday. Between worries about SNAP budget constraints and E-15 additions, it's headed back to the House Rules Committee for negotiation. Pam Jahnke shares comments from Brad Olson, President of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation.

Nonfat dry milk is at 10 year highs in pricing. Why? Collin Aardema, dairy advisor for EverAg, explains that nonfat dry milk is an ideal ingredient in a lot of foods - especially those high in protein. What's different about this rally he says - China's missing.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's the right time of the year to be focused on the bee population in Wisconsin. Jill Welke catches up with Wisconsin's Honey Queen, Emily Skala. She explains the training she's gone through to make sure she's properly educating the general public about everything bees can do. She says most people don't realize the different types of honey you can enjoy based just on what the bee is consuming!

Weather calms down a bit beginning today. Stu Muck says that this next weather front should help farm fields dry out.

As Wyffels Hybrids celebrates its 80th anniversary as an independent, family-owned company, Regional Sales Manager Steve Quade joins Stephanie Hoff to discuss current spring planting progress in the region. We explore the latest digital tools available to farmers, including a GDU calculator and planting progress maps, designed to assist with critical hybrid and timing decisions. Additionally, Steve highlights the release of 16 new corn hybrids and the company's commitment to extensive research and on-farm trials for the 2026 season. Paid for by Wyffels Hybrids.The Wisconsin State Fair has announced the 2026 Sporky and Drinkie finalists. Pam Jahnke highlights a few of the new offerings.

Graduation is right around the corner for college of ag students, but the job market might be a little dim. Ben Jarboe takes the temperature of job demand with Tammy Jensen, President of AgriCareers Inc. She says there's always a need for "farm kids" graduating with some hands-on skills. She advises that you may need to adjust your expectations in the current job market. Jensen says there's an emphasis on what you can bring to the business. Sometimes that may mean being willing to take on multiple responsibilities.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dairy farmers and Wisconsin agriculture stakeholders got a seat at the table when Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins made the trip to Wisconsin this week. From exclusive roundtables to new proposals for the national labor crisis, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation President Brad Olson tells Stephanie Hoff about how the day went at Morning Star Dairy in Onalaska.

Photo courtesy of Rep. Travis Tranel's office.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Wyffels Hybrids celebrates its 80th anniversary as an independent, family-owned company, Regional Sales Manager Steve Quade joins Stephanie Hoff to discuss current spring planting progress in the region. We explore the latest digital tools available to farmers, including a GDU calculator and planting progress map, designed to assist with critical hybrid and timing decisions. Additionally, Steve highlights the release of 16 new corn hybrids and the company's commitment to extensive research and on-farm trials for the 2026 season. Learn more at Wyffels.com!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lately the internet has been bursting with excitement around beef tallow. It's all the craze when it comes to an at-home natural skin care product. But did you know using lard can actually be even better for your skin? Julie Schrader, owner of Open Road Ranch, sits down with Kiley Allan to talk about the lard products she handmakes.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mary Lewandowski and her older brother are the sixth generation on their family's dairy farm in Bevent, Wisconsin. After some reflection about her time growing up on a dairy farm and needing an FFA project, she turned to writing her very first children's book entitled "Welcome to My Farm." Throughout the story, she acts as a tour guide of her family's dairy farm with a story that features actual photos of the farm itself. Mary sits down with Kiley Allan to tell the story.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Weather and global conflicts. It's all being surveiled by NASA. Ben Jarboe goes behind the scene with Mike Humber. Humber is NASA Harvest Data Lead and NASA Acres Deputy Director. The data collected by NASA satellites allows monitoring of crop conditions, water availability and much more. Jarboe finds out about what they learned when war erupted between Ukraine and Russia, and how the ongoing war in Iran is disrupting food production and movement.

Cloudy and windy for our Tuesday. Stu Muck says the winds will be most noticed today, but there's hit and miss chances of rain for the next 48 hours too.

Used equipment prices are holding firm rolling into spring planting. Ashley Huhn with Steffes Group Auctioneers says the trends they see in March sales attest to continued interest in quality used equipment. Paid for by Steffes Group.

Louisianna corn growers got a nasty surprise on March 17th. An unexpected freeze! Dr. Shelly Kerns, corn specialist at Louisiana State University Ag Center in Winnsboro, says the calls started streaming in at dawn. Kerns encouraged growers to remain calm and give the plants a few days to recover. Ultimately though, 60-70% of impacted acres had to be replanted. That brought another unique set of challenges. Kerns says growers, including herself, were unable to find hybrid varieties that they wanted. That brought more anxiety in a year where costs were already high, and market opportunities already curtailed.

Oil is back in the headlines for traders today. John Heinberg, market advisor with Total Farm Marketig, tells Pam Jahnke that the standoff with Iran is manifesting itself in higher oil prices and more demand for ethanol.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Immigration enforcement continues to be an issue that Wisconsin farms and agribusinesses are monitoring. Sam Moheban, immigration specialist and attorney at Wausau based, Ruder Ware law firm says things are changing. Moheban tells Pam Jahnke that instead of focusing on raids, which are expensive and require a lot of staff, ICE is pivoting to enfocement through paperwork. Specifically Moheban says they are reviewing I-9 forms. These are the forms all employers use to verify that their employees can legally be employed. Moheban says now, if there's an error found on that paperwork, employers can be fined immediately. He also says that the government can now serve notice of inspection via certified mail or personal service on any business in the country.

Severe weather starts off our Monday. Stu Muck says there's a tornado warning in effect for a chunk of south central Wisconsin this morning with gusty storms on the way.

Wisconsin dairy farmers had been hoping to restore whole milk to the school lunch program. That finally happened in January when the "Whole Milk For Healthy Kids" was signed into law. Kiley Allan talks with Darren VonRuden, president of the WI Farmers Union, about the struggles schools are facing finding the whole milk. VonRuden says the milk is out there, it just needs to find its way to the correct processing line.

WI Ag Secretary, Randy Romanski, has been honored as the 2026 Distinguished Agriculturist by UW-River Falls. Pam Jahnke reports.

Spring is a busy time on Wisconsin farms. Stephanie Hoff takes a visit to Eugsters Farm Market in Stoughton to investigate what's new. She finds Kat Eugster very busy with new baby lambs, goats and other farm babies. Eugster explains how the tempo picks up with round the clock care. Eugsters is also in the process of developing a vineyard they'll be opening in 2027.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.