A biofuel advocacy group is looking to maintain momentum for biodiesel and renewable diesel demand. Jeff Earl with Clean Fuels Alliance America says 2024 was a record year for the industry, and the groundwork is laid for future success. “We’ve got some new states that are going to look at some renewable fuel policies, Wisconsin,…… read more
Category Archives: Ag News
Pieh named CEO at Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery
A Wisconsin dairy cooperative board has selected a new chief executive officer. Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery’s board elevated Kevin Pieh from chief financial officer to CEO, a post Pieh has been serving on an interim basis since early September. Pieh has been with Ellsworth Creamery since 2022. Before that, he worked with Land O Lakes and…… read more
Weather changes mean adjusting to livestock needs
The change in the weather has cattle producers taking a few extra precautions. Jared Geiser from Chilton, Wisconsin tells Brownfield producers need to keep the calories coming to give cattle the energy they need. “(They have) a little fermentation tank built right into them that can really create a lot of heat, so if we…… read more
Wisconsin’s Ag Secretary commends resilient ag sector
Wisconsin’s ag secretary says the word that describes the agriculture community in 2024 is resilience. Randy Romanski tells Brownfield despite tough conditions, farmers continued to produce. “When you look at this last year weather wise, it was dry, it was very wet, and it was dry again and farmers got a crop in the ground…… read more
Start small and ask questions when beginning cover crops
A Natural Resources Conservation Service agent says first-time cover croppers should start small and ask questions. Barry Bubolz works in northeastern Wisconsin, where it’s not easy to get some cover crops established before the frost. He says after winter wheat or after corn silage, there is usually a good window to plant cover crops, and…… read more
HPAI cases in Wisconsin commercial poultry increasing
A northwest Wisconsin commercial turkey flock has been confirmed with highly pathogenic avian influenza near the Minnesota border. More than 18,500 birds at a Burnett County farm have been affected and a ten-kilometer control area quarantine is now in effect to prevent disease spread. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services confirmed the first case of H5…… read more
Wisconsin Farmers Union alters position on manure digesters
Wisconsin’s Farmers Union delegates made changes to their policy regarding anaerobic digesters for manure. Wisconsin Farmers Union President Darin Von Ruden tells Brownfield delegates were able to settle on some policy language. “We got some language put back in (the policy book) that was taken out to make sure that there is still a possibility…… read more
Dairy farmer says triticale’s feed value worth the extra effort
A Wisconsin farmer says it’s worth the extra effort to manage and harvest triticale as a cover crop he can harvest for his dairy cows. Joe Bragger from Independence, Wisconsin says, “I’m a real firm believer in the feed quality that we get off of growing that triticale for forage.” Bragger tells Brownfield his nutritionist…… read more
Gonzalez named outstanding Wisconsin Ag in Classroom teacher
A second-grade teacher in the Milwaukee Public School system, has been named the 2024 Wisconsin Outstanding Teacher by Wisconsin’s Agriculture in the Classroom program. Ag in the Classroom coordinator Beth Schaefer tells Brownfield Joshua Gonzalez helped River Trail School became Milwaukee’s first specialty agriculture school. “Mr Gonzales is a second grade teacher who has spearheaded…… read more
Corn stunt disease expanded U.S. presence in 2024
An extension specialist with the University of Missouri says corn stunt disease expanded its presence in the U.S. in 2024. Mandy Bish says the disease is carried by the corn leaf hopper. “We’ve been able to confirm it as far north as Wisconsin and New York, and it’s transmitted by the corn leaf hopper, so…… read more