Wisconsin dairy farmers truly care about their animals and the land they work on, focusing on sustainable practices to produce high-quality products. They’re dedicated to keeping their cows healthy and protecting the environment, all while maintaining strong family traditions.  For this month’s check-in with Dairy Checkoff, we’re joined by Laura Raatz, owner of Wagner Farms. As a fifth-generation, family-owned dairy, they’re a perfect example of how Wisconsin farmers balance caring for both the land and their animals, helping build a sustainable future for their farms and the community.

Wisconsin dairy farmers truly care about their animals and the land they work on, focusing on sustainable practices to produce high-quality products. They’re dedicated to keeping their cows healthy and protecting the environment, all while maintaining strong family traditions.  For this month’s check-in with Dairy Checkoff, we’re joined by Laura Raatz, owner of Wagner Farms. As a fifth-generation, family-owned dairy, they’re a perfect example of how Wisconsin farmers balance caring for both the land and their animals, helping build a sustainable future for their farms and the community.

Join Pam Jahnke for the latest farm news. Heard daily on WOZN 96.7 FM and 1670 AM in Madison Wisconsin from 5-6am. Also heard on affiliate stations all over Wisconsin.

Join Pam Jahnke for the latest farm news. Heard daily on WOZN 96.7 FM and 1670 AM in Madison Wisconsin from 5-6am. Also heard on affiliate stations all over Wisconsin.

MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

More than $32 million in dairy farmer generated funds are managed by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW).  Headquartered in Madison, DFW focuses on enhancing the value of all Wisconsin produced dairy products.

Ultimately the goal is to return those dairy invested dollars back to the farm gate.

Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin connects with farmers and consumers to take them behind the curtain of marketing, analytics, and consumer trends to try and show them the value generated on their behalf.

This program is sponsored by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.

Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin

Daily audio and podcasts from the Mid-West Farm Report Madison!

Daily audio and podcasts from the Mid-West Farm Report Madison!

Telling The Sustainability Story - Laura Raatz

All the assistants here at the Mid-West Farm Report -- Stephanie Hoff, Charitee Seebecker, and Ben Jarboe -- sold fruit boxes as FFA members as part of their annual fundraiser. MyFruitSale.com operates one of the fundraising platforms for these famous FFA Fruit Sale Fundraisers, and they’ve been doing it since the 1980s. President Matt Johnson says this is a tradition that’s been going on even longer than that! He says in that time, families have gotten smaller and tastes have changed. The popular fruits today are apples, pears, and mandarin oranges. But the snack foods and Wisconsin cheeses go faster than the citrus. They'll be packing boxes to fill 50 semis to go to school fundraisers to go out after Thanksgiving. Matt says a great fundraiser would generate about $15,000 for an FFA chapter -- so a total of about $50,000 in total sales. In 2023, he went to the National FFA Convention and saw first-hand how important these dollars are for chapters to compete at and attend these life-changing events.

All the assistants here at the Mid-West Farm Report -- Stephanie Hoff, Charitee Seebecker, and Ben Jarboe -- sold fruit boxes as FFA members as part of their annual fundraiser. MyFruitSale.com operates one of the fundraising platforms for these famous FFA Fruit Sale Fundraisers, and they’ve been doing it since the 1980s. President Matt Johnson says this is a tradition that’s been going on even longer than that! He says in that time, families have gotten smaller and tastes have changed. The popular fruits today are apples, pears, and mandarin oranges. But the snack foods and Wisconsin cheeses go faster than the citrus. They'll be packing boxes to fill 50 semis to go to school fundraisers to go out after Thanksgiving. Matt says a great fundraiser would generate about $15,000 for an FFA chapter -- so a total of about $50,000 in total sales. In 2023, he went to the National FFA Convention and saw first-hand how important these dollars are for chapters to compete at and attend these life-changing events.

Behind The Scenes Of The FFA Fruit Boxes

Sheep have been part of Wisconsin agriculture since our state’s beginning. In the 1800s, Wisconsin was actually the second-largest producer of sheep in the nation. While we’ve fallen in rankings since then, Wisconsin has room for more of these wooly ruminants. Peter Orwick is the executive director of the American Sheep Industry Association. He tells us about some of the opportunities and hurdles that face sheep producers today. We start with agrivoltaics. He says regardless of your opinion of solar panels dotting the countryside, renewable energy farms are where sheep can thrive while keeping land in production agriculture. In other news, he says the lamb meat market is thriving - that's an area where the industry can grow production. When it comes to wool, demand is down, and the association is working to open new markets for wool, such as with the U.S. military. And finally, in this election cycle, animal agriculture was under attack. The sheep industry was pleased that livestock restrictions and hurtful ordinances were shot down by voters.

Sheep have been part of Wisconsin agriculture since our state’s beginning. In the 1800s, Wisconsin was actually the second-largest producer of sheep in the nation. While we’ve fallen in rankings since then, Wisconsin has room for more of these wooly ruminants. Peter Orwick is the executive director of the American Sheep Industry Association. He tells us about some of the opportunities and hurdles that face sheep producers today. We start with agrivoltaics. He says regardless of your opinion of solar panels dotting the countryside, renewable energy farms are where sheep can thrive while keeping land in production agriculture. In other news, he says the lamb meat market is thriving - that's an area where the industry can grow production. When it comes to wool, demand is down, and the association is working to open new markets for wool, such as with the U.S. military. And finally, in this election cycle, animal agriculture was under attack. The sheep industry was pleased that livestock restrictions and hurtful ordinances were shot down by voters.

Wisconsin Has Room For More Sheep

Independence is one of the attributes of propane fuel. The Propane Education Research Council says propane gives production agriculture more power over energy costs and needs. New avenues for propane are coming down the pipeline in 2025 for the farm, specifically. Director of Agriculture Business Development Mike Newland says new research and propane technology includes flame weeding, soil steaming, and higher horsepower engines.

Independence is one of the attributes of propane fuel. The Propane Education Research Council says propane gives production agriculture more power over energy costs and needs. New avenues for propane are coming down the pipeline in 2025 for the farm, specifically. Director of Agriculture Business Development Mike Newland says new research and propane technology includes flame weeding, soil steaming, and higher horsepower engines.

Telling The Sustainability Story - Laura Raatz

Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin

In 2 playlist(s)

MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips