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Category: Extension

Federal budget bill could raise Wisconsin energy costs, threaten renewable energy jobs

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Wisconsin Public Radio

Tim Baye, a professor of business development and a state energy and energy finance specialist with the University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension, said developers have been rushing since November to get planned projects moving in time to qualify for tax credits.

While there may be an initial rush to meet requirements for tax credits in the short term, Baye said he expects the bill will cause a slowdown in renewable development once those incentives sunset.

“We’re going to see a real slowdown,” he said. “It’s going to have a chilling effect.”

Cool spring has given way to a warm, wet growing season for Wisconsin crops

Posted on
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

During a recent training session for crops and soils specialists, plant pathologist Damon Smith with the University of Wisconsin says growers are experiencing weather that is ideal for corn tar spot infection.

“It’s too early to see symptoms now,” he told them, “but it is likely that infections are occurring and that growers need to be vigilant in their scouting of susceptible fields in coming weeks.”

Here’s how a $200,000 USDA grant aims to boost central Wisconsin farmers’ markets

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Stevens Point Journal

The grant-funded research will also send University of Wisconsin students to farmers’ markets in Marathon, Portage, Wood, Waupaca and Adams counties this summer through summer 2027 to collect data on things like where are people visiting from, how much money do they intend to spend at the market and other area businesses, and what they love about farmers’ markets, Haack said.

 

Dairy cows tested for avian flu ahead of WI fairs

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WEAU 13 -- Eau Claire

“With county fairs, there’s always a lot of movement of cattle whether it’s within the county or if there are open shows,” Jerry Clark, a crops and soils educator with UW-Madison’s Division of Extension, said. “These cattle are moving across county lines and so it’s just another way that fairs are doing their part.”

Story of agriculture is best told by those who live it says Alice in Dairyland Halei Heinzel

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Wisconsin State Farmer

One of the greatest privileges of serving as Alice was working with the Dairy Innovation Hub, a collaboration between UW–Madison, UW–Platteville, and UW–River Falls. This partnership allowed me to highlight the incredible research being done in dairy science, from improving sustainability and animal health to advancing food safety and agricultural technology. These researchers and students are writing the next chapter of our state’s agricultural legacy, one data set at a time.

10 hazardous plants and animals to beware of in Wisconsin, and tips for avoiding them

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Appleton Post-Crescent

Fortunately, a little basic sense and some insider tips can help us avoid the perils of Wisconsin’s outdoors — or at least deal with the effects of ill-fated encounters. One valuable resource on that front is a free 40-page booklet from the University of Wisconsin-Extension titled “Outdoor Hazards in Wisconsin: A Guide to Insects, Plants, and Wildlife.”

Stretch of dry weather is a welcome change for Northeast Wisconsin farmers

Posted on
FOX 11, Green Bay

Kevin Jarek, regional crops and soils educator with UW-Madison’s Division of Extension for Outagamie & Winnebago counties, noted, “If I were to go to counties like Shawano and Waupaca, especially the western parts of those counties, they get much lighter in soil. It’s a sandy loam texture, whereas here as we get closer to Lake Michigan, we tend to have a lot of clay.”

Latin, Hmong immigrants enrich Wisconsin farm organization through cultural contributions

Posted on
The Daily Cardinal

Martin Ventura, the Urban Agriculture and Community Gardens Specialist at UW-Madison Extension, manages and maintains farms in the Milwaukee area, some of which are farmed by immigrants, particularly in the Hmong community. UW-Extension, Ventura said, had a former partnership with the Hmong American Friendship Association to establish a Hmong heritage garden plot, allowing local communities to farm.

Wisconsin’s lack of snow concerns local farmers as they look toward spring

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NBC-15

Dan Smith with UW Extension’s integrated pest and crop management, says the recent snowfall is good for their crops, but it may not be enough to keep crops like alfalfa, wheat, and small grains from winter kill.

“There are a couple of factors that we should consider when we’re thinking about winter kill, for alfalfa, we’re primarily considering those conditions where we don’t have snow cover, like December and January this year,” explained Smith.

Why are egg prices rising in Wisconsin? Here’s what’s behind the egg shortage

Posted on
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Of course, $3.65 is just an average. Egg prices are similar across most U.S. states but can vary slightly, said University of Wisconsin-Extension poultry specialist Ron Kean.

“I would say the Midwest tends to be a little bit cheaper, but, by and large, prices are pretty similar, because we can ship eggs pretty easily,” Kean said. “So, if they’re a lot cheaper in one place, people will probably ship (those) eggs to the more expensive areas.”

New bird flu case found at poultry farm in Wisconsin

Posted on
WKOW-TV 27

Extension Specialist for Poultry Science at UW Madison, Ron Kean, is urging farmers to take extensive measures to prevent the virus from spreading to their flocks.

“Keeping them indoors, if possible, certainly cleaning and disinfecting anything that’s coming into the flock,” said Kean. “People tend to be a big carrier, we think. So, changing clothes, changing shoes, especially, or designated footwear.”

Farmers without health insurance are only one medical hardship away from financial strife

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Wisconsin State Farmer

A program of UW-Extension and a free community resource, Covering Wisconsin has Health Insurance Navigators located within communities throughout the state who help people understand their options, compare plans, connect with programs that provide financial help, and sign up. Farmers can get help understanding how being self-employed impacts their eligibility in programs and how to find affordable coverage.

Why some farmers are making the big switch from dairy to beef production

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Bovine Veterinarian

While beef-on-dairy production continues to grow in the U.S., it was a novel concept in 2018 when it came to the attention of Ryan Sterry, regional dairy educator with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension.

“A few colleagues and myself were noticing more chatter about this, more farms were experimenting with it,” Sterry recalls.

Want tulips and daffodils next spring? Wisconsinites should plant bulbs now. Here’s how

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Wisconsin State Farmer

“Bulbs are going to need a 12- to 16-week chilling period. When you put them in the ground that temperature should go down slowly, so they have the first 3 to 5 weeks developing their roots at 45 to 50 degrees, and then the next 3 weeks at 38 to 42 degrees,” said Lisa Johnson, horticulture educator for University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension.

Wisconsin Master Naturalists, Ho-Chunk Nation to host ‘Caring for Grandmother Earth’ volunteer summit

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Wisconsin Public Radio

For more than a decade, the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Division of Extension has been offering the opportunity for people to become Master Naturalists by attending expert-led training sessions and volunteering their time to conservation efforts. Altogether, Master Naturalists volunteer over 25,000 hours of service each year to over 700 organizations across the state.

The emerald ash borer is now in every Wisconsin county. But the fight isn’t over. Why?

Posted on
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Homeowners and communities can also take steps to slow the spread. Ash trees should be checked out for emerald ash borer symptoms, and insecticides can be applied according to guidelines provided by a certified arborist or the University of Wisconsin extension. Trees can also be removed, and replaced with non-susceptible species.

Best & Worst Places to Retire (2024)

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WalletHub

“Location during retirement is often based on an individual’s situation and desires. Many of the factors that should be considered will be specific to the person, couple, or family,” says Jonathon Ferguson a financial capability specialist with the Financial Education Division of Extension at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “Yet, all retirees or soon to be retirees can benefit from understanding the taxation implications of their retirement locations. State rules regarding taxation of pension benefits, social security benefits, long term capital gains, etc. can vary a lot.”

What’s causing the abundance of earwigs in Madison?

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Wisconsin State Journal

But the bug can be indicative of a larger pest problem and can often have a foul odor, according to the Dane County UW-Extension.

“I am getting a number of submitted photos of plants with holes in the leaves and no obvious culprit,” said Lisa Johnson, horticulture research specialist with the UW-Extension. “These are likely to be earwigs or slugs. Populations of both are high this year due to excess moisture.”

UW Extension grant program helps producers conduct on-farm nitrogen research projects

Posted on
Wisconsin State Farmer

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension provides an abundance of resources to guide a producer’s decisions according to the 4 R’s of nutrient management: right source, right time, right rate, right place. But nutrient management is complex and site specific. To help producers and consultants get a better grasp of the nitrogen needs on individual farms, the Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program (NOPP) was born.

Wisconsin farmers face profitability challenges with wet weather and soggy field conditions

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Wisconsin State Farmer

“We had the warmest February on record and our soil moisture was down to 16% in some areas. And now we’ve gone from one of the most severe deficits to one of the most severe surpluses (of moisture) in just a couple of months,” said Kevin Jarek, University of Wisconsin Division of Extension Crops and Soils educator for Outagamie County. “In my 25 years with Extension, this is unbelievable.”

UW-Extension receives $1 million to help site solar and wind projects

Posted on
The Capital Times

The goal is to make large-scale solar and wind projects work for all involved, said Sherrie Gruder, sustainable design specialist and energy strategist for UW-Extension, who is overseeing the initiative. Gruder said the grant will help local governments and residents “have a voice in making the projects work well for the values and the goals of the communities in our state.”

Fear over avian flu has died down for Wisconsin dairy farms. But experts warn of continued threat.

Posted on
Wisconsin Public Radio

Jackie McCarville is a regional dairy educator for the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Division of Extension in southwestern Wisconsin. She also feels like concern around avian flu has died down, especially as many farms begin work in their fields this spring.

“But I think it’s still in the back of a lot of minds: what happens if it does get into Wisconsin?” McCarville said. “What considerations should we be looking at? It’s a great time to look at your biosecurity plan to see what you can do to protect your farm.”

Keith Poulsen, director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, said much of the national dairy industry has been opposed to doing more testing for the virus on farms. He said the number of avian flu tests in cattle across the country has actually declined since the federal order requiring them went into place.

Does ‘No Mow May’ actually help pollinators? How can you participate? Here’s what to know

Posted on
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Do pollinators actually benefit from an unmowed lawn? Sometimes. It depends on the lawn, according to experts from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Lawns with turfgrass don’t provide as many resources for pollinators compared with a yard containing an abundance of low-growing flowering plants. Adding more flowering plants, shrubs and trees to your yard can increase benefits to pollinators.

How much do you know about No Mow May? Here’s some surprising facts about the pollinator-friendly movement

Posted on
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

“Any habitat that provides more flowers is going to be a benefit to pollinators. That being said, if your lawn is all grass with no flowers at all, not mowing for the month of May is not going to have any impact on pollinators,” said Hannah Gaines-Day, research scientist at UW-Madison’s department of entomology. “So, if you’re participating just to participate but you have no flowers, then the pollinators are not going to see a benefit.”

Milwaukee program prepares women for successful reentry after incarceration

Posted on
Wisconsin Watch

Tahnee Aguirre, a financial security educator for UW-Madison Extension, which provided the rent education and financial literacy classes, said the women already had the tenacity and intelligence to be successful. Now they have a vision.

“Now that they see it and know what they need to do to make it happen, they have a better chance to achieve their goals,” Aguirre said. “Their opportunities are endless.”

Best online savings accounts

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WalletHub

“First, consider whether an online savings account is the only banking product you need right now,” says Jonathon Ferguson, a financial capability specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Financial Education Division of Extension. “Online savings accounts can be great due to their relatively high-interest rates and tech tools. However, these accounts do not solve all needs.”

How sheep could be a key to Wisconsin’s solar energy future

Posted on
The Capital Times

This spring Alliant Energy and the University of Wisconsin-Madison will break ground on a 2.25 megawatt, roughly 15-acre solar array that will be used to study agrivoltaics at the university’s Kegonsa Research Campus 10 miles southeast of Madison.

Researchers will study the soil and water quality of the solar site, its effect on wildlife, and the feasibility of grazing animals and growing crops among the array, said Josh Arnold, UW-Madison campus energy adviser.