University of Wisconsin-Madison
We know that every farm operation has a list of “someday” tasks. Often, organizing essential documents and financial records sits right at the top of that list. Whether preparing for an emergency or long-term transition planning, having your vital records in order is one of the best gifts you can give your family and your […]
The University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension is inviting farm families and farm business owners to participate in Cultivating Your Farm’s Future, an interactive virtual program designed to kickstart the vital process of farm succession planning. Succession planning is more than just paperwork; it is about answering the critical questions that define a farm’s survival […]
Registration is open for the WWASH Conference! Hosted by UW–Madison Extension, it includes two full days of keynotes, breakout sessions, and roundtables, as well as lunch each day. Join farmers, consultants, Extension, and agency staff for two days of real data, on-farm research, and conversations around soil health and water quality. 🚜 Discover actionable strategies […]
Scouting is similar for all corn ear rots. Starting at late dent stage (R5), choose 20 ears from five areas in the field. Pull back the husk to see the entire ear. It’s critical to identify ear rots in the field as many ear rot fungi produce mycotoxins, which can harm livestock and humans. Contaminated […]
Wisconsin winter wheat acreage declined in 2025–2026, with 245,000 acres planted—an 18% decrease from the previous year. Of these, 210,000 acres are forecasted to be harvested, down 17% from 2025. The 2026 yield forecast is 76 bu/a, matching 2025 and landing just below the five‑year average of 77 bu/a. View full results
Now that southern rust has been found in Wisconsin, it’s important not to panic. Instead, focus on careful scouting over the next several weeks. Timely scouting will help guide both silage and grain harvest decisions. Yield losses are most likely when southern rust becomes established before the milk (R3) growth stage. Farmers should be out […]
This presentation introduces the main mitigation approaches, with attention to their effectiveness, tradeoffs, and relative costs within whole-farm systems. Anaerobic manure storage is the dominant source of methane emissions in manure management systems. Emissions can be reduced through a combination of technological and management strategies, including anaerobic digestion, solids separation, manure acidification, and more frequent […]
UW–Madison Extension Educators invite you to participate in a short survey. We are conducting research to better understand what dairy and livestock producers currently know about biosecurity, as well as how and what they would like to learn moving forward. The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. Your responses will remain anonymous, and […]
As we move deeper into the growing season, fungicide application decisions become one of the biggest sources of stress for farmers across the Midwest. Between aggressive marketing, endless online opinions, and an expanding list of fungicide products, determining whether, and when, to spray can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, advances in plant pathology and epidemiology have led […]
It is getting hotter and hotter here in Fond du Lac County and cows feel it too. For that reason, we are talking about ventilation in dairies. Dairy ventilation systems require optimized fan selection and design efficiency to combat severe heat stress and minimize hidden costs. Proper mechanical ventilation controls airflow, removes heat and moisture, […]
![Strategies to Reduce Methane Emissions on Dairy Farms [Video]](https://fonddulac.extension.wisc.edu/files/2026/08/Screenshot-2026-08-20-081558-300x169.png)
![Nuts and Bolts of Dairy Ventilation [Video]](https://fonddulac.extension.wisc.edu/files/2026/07/unnamed-17-300x170.png)