Wisconsin currently has 370 active or pending concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) permits, most of which are dairy farms with about 700 or more cattle. Wisconsin dairy farms produce roughly 12 billion pounds of manure annually, according to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension office.
March 16, 2026
Research
Spaceflight supercharges viruses’ ability to infect bacteria
Once the viruses adapted to microgravity by subtly shape-shifting, though, they became even more effective bacteria killers. “A simple microgravity experiment exposes these mutations that have much higher efficacy against pathogens,” says senior study author Srivatsan Raman, a chemical and biological engineer at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Is Dr. Fred Mohs Wisconsin’s ‘least known famous native’?
A roadside sign that welcomes drivers to Burlington notes that the Wisconsin city was the boyhood home of Tony Romo, a former Dallas Cowboys quarterback and current television commentator.
There is no mention of Frederic Edward Mohs, born there in 1910, the visionary physician who invented a skin-cancer procedure bearing his name that has benefited millions.
68 out of 72 Wisconsin counties saw a decline in public school students
West Bend has been working with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Applied Population Lab, which found the district’s enrollment changes are primarily driven by demographic trends, particularly declining birth rates not made up for by new arrivals. The report also notes that kindergarten classes have not replaced the number of graduating seniors in recent years.
Higher Education/System
If NIL bill isn’t approved, Wisconsin AD Chris McIntosh says ‘everything is on the table’
Wisconsin athletic director Chris McIntosh remains optimistic about the outlook of proposed legislation that would provide taxpayer support for athletic facility debt service and codify rules around name, image and likeness.
“I think there’s a tremendous amount of receptivity to the bill and what’s in the bill,” McIntosh said.
Arts & Humanities
Opinion: Teachers are being deprived of chances to learn Black history and bring lessons back to the classroom
Written by Jessica Lee Stovall, an assistant professor of African American Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the director of The SoulFolk Collective.
Opinion
An undiplomatic system: Political appointments are undermining America’s image abroad
Written by Amy Stambach, a professor of anthropology and international studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She previously has been an international affairs fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a research fellow at the Smithsonian Institution.
UW Experts in the News
‘Welcome to the hub’: These Racine residents are taking a direct role in their own criminal defense
Across the country, many hub participants have public defenders, says John Gross, a University of Wisconsin-Madison law professor who formerly worked as a public defender on the East Coast.
Public defenders are overworked, and may not have much time to spend explaining each case, he said.
“These lawyers are typically not charged with doing sort of community education and advocacy,” Gross said.