Farm news from across Wisconsin and beyond.

Juneau, Wisconsin

ACE Twilight Meetings are held at four Wisconsin dairy farms

To open the dialogue about agriculture among community members, elected officials and business leaders, the Professional Dairy Producers, Wisconsin Counties Association and the Wisconsin Towns Association will host the Agricultural Community Engagement ACE Twilight Meetings 2024 across Wisconsin next month.

The guest farms for the ACE Twilight Meeting 2024 are: August 26 – St. Croix County: Luckwaldt Agriculture Inc., 2606 D, Woodville, hosted by the Dan and Mary Luckwaldt family; August 27 – Wood County: Grass Ridge Farm, 7916 Apple Rd., Pittsville, hosted by Matt, Paul and Carl Lippert; August 28 – Kewaunee County: Pagels Ponderosa Dairy LLC, N4893 C, Kewaunee, hosted by JJ and Chase Pagel family, Bryan and Ashley Pagel family and Jamie Witcpalek family and August 29 – Columbia County: Wargo Acres, Inc., W13157 Cty J, Lodi, organized by Gordon and Emily Carncross and the Craig and Jen Carncross family.

Each meeting begins with a tour of the host dairy farm at 6:00 p.m., where participants will see firsthand how animals are cared for, housed, and fed. Participants will also have the opportunity to see each dairy’s milking facilities, barns, and the technologies they use. At 7:00 p.m., ice cream is served with an open dialogue on community issues such as water, conservation, roads and transportation, educational opportunities, and more. The meetings conclude at 8:30 p.m.

For more information and to register for the free event, visit www.PDPW.org or contact PDPW at 800-947-7379.

BROWN COUNTY, Wisconsin

Source of manure spill in northeastern Wisconsin still under investigation

Wisconsin DNR officials are still trying to determine the source of a manure spill that occurred in eastern Outagamie County and western Brown County, killing fish in Dutchman Creek.

The DNR was notified of the spill on July 16 via the DNR Spills Hotline after a caller reported seeing manure in Dutchman Creek. Following the call, DNR staff observed dead fish in Dutchman Creek. According to the DNR, manure water was observed at the intersections of Bain Road, Country Road U, Cyprus Drive, Packerland Drive, Circle Drive and Hansen Road.

WEST ALLIS, Wisconsin

Volunteers Wanted for Dairy Lane at WI State Fair

The Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Promotion Board is seeking youth to work on the interactive exhibits at Dairy Lane during the Wisconsin State Fair. Dairy Lane helps educate visitors about the state’s dairy industry and is located on the southeast end of the lower cattle barn in Ag Village. Participating youth organizations are offered a stipend to fill a shift at Dairy Lane. Contact Stephanie [email protected] for more information. To apply, visit https://tinyurl.com/38x4rn7t

Detroit, Michigan

‘Strange smell’ warns authorities of illegal snails in luggage

Customs and Border Protection officials in Detroit last month intercepted a slimy shipment that was messing with U.S. crops.

Officers conducting a second baggage screening found 90 giant African land snails in the luggage of a passenger arriving from Ghana. According to a press release from CBP, a “strange odor” was coming from the traveler’s luggage that drew the attention of a specialist.

According to a USA TODAY reporter, the passenger also reported other prohibited items, including rawhide and fresh chili peppers, but he had not reported the snails prior to the inspection.

Giant African land snails can grow up to 8 inches and feed on many different types of plants, including staple crops. They can also cause structural damage to homes, as they are known to feed on stucco, which contains calcium and can help maintain their shell growth.

MOLINE, Illinois

Deere drops diversity initiatives

Agricultural equipment manufacturer John Deere has announced that it is scaling back a series of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, USA TODAY reports.

In a statement released Tuesday, the company said it would eliminate or modify several internal policies and initiatives, adding that “our customers’ trust in us is of the utmost importance to everyone at John Deere.”

John Deere also announced that it would “review all company-mandated training materials and policies to ensure the absence of socially motivated messages” and that it would “confirm within the company that the existence of diversity quotas and pronoun identification have never been, and are not, company policy.”

ROSTOV, Russia

Russian farmers fight to save harvest as big regional cuts predicted

In stifling temperatures, farmers in Russia’s breadbasket, Rostov region, are struggling to salvage a harvest ravaged by heat waves, frost and flooding. Rostov accounted for 11% of Russia’s total grain harvest last year and is one of the key regions Russia’s agriculture ministry is watching for further adjustments to an already soft 2024 harvest forecast.

According to the ministry’s latest estimate, made in April and upheld last week, Russia’s grain harvest in 2024 will reach 132 million tons, down 9% from 2023’s 145 million tons and down 16% from 2022’s record 158 million tons, Reuters reported.

Rostov said last week it expected this year’s grain harvest to fall by 38% to 10 million tonnes as a scorching heat wave followed spring frosts.

Russian Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut has identified drought as the main factor that could force the government to revise its grain harvest forecast this year.

WASHINGTON DC

USDA Raises US Corn Production Estimate, Cuts Inventories

On July 12, the U.S. Department of Agriculture raised its corn production forecast and lowered its soybean production forecast, adjusting the estimates based on the number of acres planted with each crop.

However, according to Reuters, the ministry has revised down its estimates for the ending stocks of old and new corn and soybean crops, lower than analysts had expected.

Expectations of big U.S. harvests have pushed futures prices of both commodities to their lowest levels in four years. The USDA predicts the 2024/25 corn crop will be the third-largest in U.S. history and said corn stockpiles in September 2025 will still be the largest in six years.

WATERLOO, Ontario

Researchers: Fewer and more expensive strawberries as temperatures rise

Strawberries could become scarcer and more expensive due to higher temperatures caused by climate change, according to research from the University of Waterloo.

Using a new analysis method, researchers found that a 3-degree Fahrenheit increase in temperature could reduce strawberry yields by as much as 40 percent. Strawberries are one of the most lucrative commodities for the California and U.S. economies, with the strawberry market alone expected to be worth more than $3 billion in 2022.

Sustainable agricultural practices may include optimizing irrigation to ensure adequate water supply during heat waves, using drip irrigation and scheduling operations to avoid peak periods of hot weather, as well as using shade plants and installing shade structures to reduce heat stress.