Wisconsin’s first 2025 case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis has been reported. The Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection says a five-month old colt contracted the disease in Marathon County. Both Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Virus are carried by mosquitoes and cannot pass directly between horses and humans. The ag department says EEE…… read more
Category Archives: Ag News
Wisconsin farmers fear Portage County ordinance would make it harder to keep farming
The Wisconsin Farm Bureau is concerned that a patchwork of local regulations could severely impact the state’s agriculture industry. Farm Bureau’s Director of Local Government Nate Zimdars tells Brownfield a proposed ordinance Portage County board members are fast-tracking would be more restrictive than existing state law. “Extra restrictions that would regulate things such as air quality, emissions,…… read more
Foreign phytophthora strain found at Wisconsin plant nursery
Wisconsin officials say a foreign plant disease has been found at a Washington County nursery. The Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection says Cypress Mortality is a disease caused by the pathogen Phytophthora austrocedri, and affects common nursery plants like Juniper, Arborvitae, and False Cypress. The Washington County infection caused severe damage to a…… read more
Interview: Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin launch “Born to Dairy” campaign
Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, the state’s dairy checkoff for promoting dairy products has launched a new promotion called Born to Dairy. Katrena Hoesley with the checkoff discusses the new marketing effort with Brownfield’s Larry Lee at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin. The post Interview: Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin launch “Born to Dairy” campaign appeared…… read more
Dairy farmer impressed with 2025 harvest so far
A central Wisconsin farmer is pleased with the 2025 crops. T.J. Draeger operates a dairy farm near Marathon City, Wisconsin. Brownfield caught up with Draeger while he was chopping snaplage or earlage. “I’m in some really nice corn. A little dry. It got away on us a little bit but you know, we had a…… read more
Avian influenza affects another Wisconsin flock
Wisconsin has three new cases of avian influenza in the past three weeks. The Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection says the newest case is a backyard flock in Racine County involving eight birds confirmed October 9th. DATCP officials tell Brownfield the flock consisted of chickens, ducks, and a goose. Wisconsin has two other…… read more
New chronic wasting disease case confirmed at Portage County deer farm
A central Wisconsin deer farm has a newly confirmed case of chronic wasting disease. The Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection does not name the farm, but says it is in Portage County where there are two licensed deer farms. The positive test came from a three-year-old buck. DATCP officials say the premises is…… read more
Wisconsin suspends poultry shows in four counties
Wisconsin agriculture officials have suspended poultry exhibitions in four counties because of recent highly pathogenic avian influenza cases. The Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection suspended all poultry shows, exhibitions, swap meets, and movement of poultry to other events in Jefferson, Waukesha, Walworth, and Rock counties through December 31, 2025. The ban applies to…… read more
Wisconsin’s ag road improvement program open for new applications
Wisconsin’s Agricultural Road Improvement Program is now open for new grant applications. Farmer and State Representative Travis Tranel is one of the program’s original authors. He tells Brownfield the 150 million dollars in each of the last two state budget cycles is going to be extremely valuable for moving ag products on and off the…… read more
Silage harvest winding down in Wisconsin
Some Wisconsin farmers are done harvesting corn silage, and others aren’t far behind. Ben Augustine operates a dairy farm near Sheldon, and tells Brownfield he’s in the home stretch. “I’ve got 65 acres left and I think I’ve got about 800 done.” Augustine says some of his northern Wisconsin neighbors are combining soybeans and yields…… read more