The overuse of horticulture chemicals creates significant environmental contamination and pollution. For example, homeowners can apply up to 10 times the amount of pesticides per acre compared to farmers. Although green industry professionals who apply horticulture chemicals are regulated, they may use restricted-use pesticides that have the potential to cause harm to the environment and […]

Supply chains strained by the COVID-19 pandemic have made agricultural markets increasingly volatile. Farmers are trying to manage these disruptions by exploring new directions and opportunities. One strategy farmers are pursuing is diversification of farming enterprises. Diversifying a farm’s enterprises reduces large year-to-year variations in income and ensures adequate cash flow. But diversifying a rural […]

Changing weather patterns have led to colder and wetter springs and falls, complicating the procedures to plant and harvest traditional crops such as corn silage and alfalfa that are fed to cattle. This has led to a 50-year low in inventory of these forages. In response, Wisconsin farmers have begun growing alternative forages, such as […]

Facility management plays a key role in the profitability of beef enterprises. Damaged buildings lead to animals facing adverse winter and summer conditions, slowing down their rate of growth and ultimately leading to higher producer costs due to increased inputs such as feed. The cost of repairing or replacing damaged buildings can be high, and […]

Vegetable gardening is important to many Wisconsin households with more than 440,000 households (19%) purchasing vegetable plants over a one-year period and 320,000 households (14%) purchasing vegetable seeds over a one-year period. Approximately 1.5 million adults in Wisconsin (32%) have a garden of some kind. Due to the pandemic, stay-at-home orders and fear over disease […]

In Wisconsin, 7 million acres of field crops, hay and haylage are harvested, at a value of 3.6 billion USD. Those farm operations are the foundation of Wisconsin’s agriculture industry. Although the overall agriculture industry is growing in Wisconsin, the farm operation component has struggled from declining prices in recent years. Multiple years of depressed […]

Fresh produce growers are required to comply with the federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule that is intended to minimize the risk of consumer food borne illnesses from the fresh produce they grow. Produce farming practices in Wisconsin are diverse and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to produce safety. Extension educators assist growers by providing training and by visiting farms to provide produce safety technical assistance needed by growers to pass inspections.

American consumers are increasingly concerned about food safety and animal welfare. Extension workshops about animal care and husbandry, animal welfare and food safety help Wisconsin beef producers assure consumers they are getting high quality, wholesome and safe beef products.