As Wisconsin's potato industry prepares for the annual Grower Education Conference & Industry Show next week, a shadow of oversupply looms over the national market. While Wisconsin farmers have managed to maintain steadier prices than their Western counterparts, record yields and excess processing stocks have had a downward effect on open-market values nationwide. WPVGA Executive Director Tamas Houlihan shares the details with Stephanie Hoff.

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What Mid-West Farm Report heard from the 2026 Wisconsin Agricultural Outlook Forum this week is that farmers are looking at the third straight year of negative margins for staple crops like corn and soybeans. Government aid is coming down the pipeline, but economists are critical that it is solely a temporary fix.

Paul Mitchell, Director of the Renk Agribusiness Institute at UW-Madison, says the financial pressure has some farm families reaching a breaking point. What are the indicators? Farm bankruptcies are on the rise.

According to federal court data, Chapter 12 bankruptcy filings reached 293 nationally by Sep. 30, 2025, already surging past the 213 filings recorded for the entirety of 2024. Wisconsin alone saw filings jump from two at the end of 2024 to 13 by the fall of 2025, Mitchell says.

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Today, we explore the emotional and practical complexities of transitioning to assisted living. Stephanie Hoff talks to Mike Pochowski, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Assisted Living Association. He emphasizes the importance of balancing personal independence with safety. He shares with Hoff a roadmap for families, including how to navigate difficult conversations and where to find financial resources. Community support and proactive planning ensure a high quality of life for seniors in both urban and rural settings.

A little snow overnight shouldn't cause any travel disruptions today. It stays cold according to Stu Muck, but temps could improve by the weekend.

Approximately 27% of Wisconsin farmers rely on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for health insurance. Without credits, the cap on premiums (previously 8.5% of income) has vanished, forcing tough choices between health and farm survival. Ben Nelson, executive director of Cooperative Network, explains how challenging it is to try and find coverage for farm families today. The Cooperative Network is exploring reopening the Farmers Health Cooperative of Wisconsin to provide independent, comprehensive coverage.

John Heinberg, market advisor with Total Farm Marketing in West Bend will be one of the featured speakers this morning at the annual UW Ag Outlook Forum. This morning he tells Pam Jahnke that dairy has seen some robust trading over the past few days. Question is will it last. Weather's also impacted some trading, especially dairy and wheat short-term.

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Weather was a little fickle in 2025 for Wisconsin's cranberry growers. Jill Welke gets the update from Grant Holley, executive director of the WI Cranberry Growers Association. He says that producers continue to struggle with access to global markets. That's something they've been targeting to try and educate and engage with a whole new consuming audience.

We may not be setting any records, but Wisconsin will stay cold and dangerous again this week. Stu Muck says the winds will persist until at least mid-week, but there will be some sunshine to act as a salve.

The global marketplace seems to get more complicated by the day for Wisconsin farmers. Ben Jarboe discusses those challenges with Dewey Hull, broker at Advanced Trading in Deforest. Hull says influences from the Venezuelan oil situation to the ongoing war in Ukraine are pushing U.S. farmers margins. He also advises that farms should be using every risk management tool available to find a path forward.

There's a new flavor coming to Cedar Crest scoop shops this summer! Hold Your Horses was the winning flavor in the annual contest that engages 4-H clubs across the state. Pam Jahnke reports that the new flavor from Pesobic Pathfinders 4-H Club in Lincoln County features espresso-flavored ice cream with chocolate covered toffee pieces and caramel ribbons. The winning combination captured the club a $500 cash prize and an ice cream party.

There's nothing sweet about the current economic outlook for almost all elements of Wisconsin agriculture. Ag lenders are keeping a keen eye on costs or production and what farms are doing to be proactive on their situation. Trevor Athorp is an ag lender in Sheboygan for Bank First. For over two decades he's been involved in direct conversations with farmers and their advisors about mitigating risk. He says this year, individuals must know their cost of production for each element on the farm, and deploy proactive measures to control what they can.

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In Sauk County, Roger Bindl farms about 300 acres of corn, soybeans, triticale, cover crops and rotationally grazes about 50 head of beef cattle. The owner and operator of RB Farms has been recognized for his conservation efforts. He sat down and told us about some of the practices he has seen success with on his operation.

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Carla Schultz of the United Soybean Board and Stephanie Hoff explore how American farmers are navigating economic challenges through strategic innovation and collective investment. The discussion highlights the impressive $12.30 return on every checkoff dollar, showcasing breakthrough successes like biodegradable "soy foam" and the rising demand for bio-based consumer products. By bridging the gap between the field and the pharmacy or grocery aisle, research and global marketing are securing the future of the 500,000 soybean farmers across the country.

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There’s a political battle underway over health care subsidies, and it’s leaving rural Wisconsin at a crossroads. Here with some perspective is Ben Nelson, the new executive director of the Cooperative Network. CN is the trade association that supports cooperatives across Wisconsin and Minnesota across all sectors, including agriculture, energy, and rural economic development. Ben has a 20-year career behind him in the economic growth space, most of that time in Wisconsin. He actually grew up on a deer farm, but most recently, he was the executive director of the Kewaunee County Economic Development Corp. Before Ben and Stephanie Hoff dive into what exactly is going on with the Affordable Care Act, he tells us what drew him to this role at CN. After the conversation, Ben says while the deadline for healthcare.gov may have passed, you can still audit your 2026 options. Consider a Health Savings Account to manage those high deductibles, or run your income numbers carefully to avoid the 'subsidy cliff,' as he calls it. In the meantime, he says the Cooperative Network is working to reopen the Farmers Health Cooperative.

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The crowning of this year's Wisconsin Fairest of the Fairs looked a little bit different than the first one that took place 60 years ago. Connie McCallister was the first to wear the crown. She reflects on her experience and compares the program in its beginning to its current competition.

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