Meet Marta Kohmann, the state forage specialist. She first joined the UW-Madison faculty in January 2023. She says she's interested in providing practical knowledge to producers as they participate in conservation efforts, help increase soil health, and maintain diversity of species.

Mary Kay Thatcher, senior manager of federal government and industry relations with Syngenta, says there’s regulation in the works now that will have an impact on farmers’ wallets. The Environmental Protection Agency is proposing a new herbicide framework that would essentially require farmers to gain points through conservation practices in order to get herbicide. Thatcher says this could have larger financial impact than even the Farm Bill.

The markets open up at 8:30 a.m. CT after the holiday break. John Heinberg, market advisor with Total Farm Marketing, says there are a few key things to watch for in the new year. The first is money flow. He says funds continue to sell the agriculture sector at a rate that's raising eyebrows. Meanwhile, weather in South America continues to be a major factor.