What agricultural policy items should you be keeping an eye on in 2026? Our guests share insight on workforce, trade and the farm bill while stressing the importance of advocacy with the turnover in Congress.

Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guests Heidi Fischer of Fischer-Clark Dairy and Michael Torrey of Torrey Advisory Group discuss the following topics:

• Reflect on ag policy and what we can learn
• Workforce, labor shortage
• Exports
• Positives and negatives of tariffs
• Farm bill
• FDA, Dietary Guidelines for Americans
• Renewable Fuel Standards
• How to advocate

About the guest

• Michael Torrey founded the Torrey Advisory Group in 2005. Mike’s commitment to the critical role of agriculture remains the foundation of the firm, and he has developed an experienced, bipartisan team who is dedicated to working for the greater good through food, agricultural, and related industries. The team’s ranks include experts in science, nutrition, legislative policy, and trade.

• Heidi Fischer is a dairy farmer and owner of Fischer-Clark Dairy in Hatley, Wisconsin, where they milk 1,100 cows and farm 2,800 acres. Heidi is currently serving as the president of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative.

Resources:

• Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative policy priorities
• Edge member portal
• Contact Edge Chief Policy Officer Karen Gefvert at kgefvert@voiceofmilk.com

Learn more about Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative.

Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.

This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

The Dairy Streamlet is a condensed version of a long Dairy Stream episode and covers the high-level points of the conversation. If this topic interest you, then listen to the full episode on Jan. 21.

Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guests Heidi Fischer of Fischer-Clark Dairy and Michael Torrey of Torrey Advisory Group discuss the complexities of agricultural policy in 2026. It covers the historical perspectives on policy-making, current labor shortages, the farm bill timeline and the importance of advocacy for farmers.

About the guests

• Michael Torrey founded the Torrey Advisory Group in 2005. Mike’s commitment to the critical role of agriculture remains the foundation of the firm, and he has developed an experienced, bipartisan team who is dedicated to working for the greater good through food, agricultural, and related industries. The team’s ranks include experts in science, nutrition, legislative policy, and trade.

• Heidi Fischer is a dairy farmer and owner of Fischer-Clark Dairy in Hatley, Wisconsin, where they milk 1,100 cows and farm 2,800 acres. Heidi is currently serving as the president of Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative.

Learn more about Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative.

Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.

This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

Register now for the Dairy Strong conference Jan. 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

What will 2026 bring the dairy economy? Our guest emphasizes the importance of understanding demand curves and offers actionable insights for farmers to navigate the challenges ahead.

Dairy Stream host, Joanna Guza, and guest David Widmar of AEI discuss the following topics:

• Reflecting on Historical Contexts
• Current Financial Health of U.S. Agriculture
• Commodity Prices Outlook for 2026
• Trade Dynamics and Their Impact
• Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture
• Labor and Immigration Policy Effects
• Risk Management Strategies for Farmers
• Ad Hoc Policies and Their Implications
• Demand Curves and Economic Insights
• Key Action Items for Farmers in 2026

About the guest

• David Widmar is an ag economist specializing in trends and conditions across the farm economy. He is the managing partner of Ag Economic Insights (AEI.ag), which he co-founded with Dr. Brent Gloy in 2014. AEI is a trusted source of insight for thousands of ag professionals who subscribe to the free weekly newsletter, AEI Premium, or various data offerings. Before founding AEI, Mr. Widmar was a researcher at Purdue University. He holds degrees from Kansas State University and Purdue University.

Compeer Financial is proud partner of Dairy Stream. Learn more about Dairy Stream sponsorship.

This podcast is produced by the Voice of Milk, a collaboration of individual dairy organizations working to improve the future of dairy farm families. Become a sponsor, share an idea or feedback by emailing podcast@dairyforward.com.

Join us at Dairy Strong on January 14-15 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Gain timely political updates, dive into the dynamics of producer-processor relationships and learn strategies to sustain a stronger future for dairy through innovation and collaboration. United together, we’re leading with purpose—one person, one policy and one farm at a time. To learn more, visit dairystrong.org.

Recorded 12.17.25