Agriculture
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Group claims DNR settlement with Portage County dairy farm is illegal
A new lawsuit claims state regulators reached an illegal deal with a Portage County farm that shut out public input on the operation’s groundwater monitoring.
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USDA requiring avian flu testing in some dairy cows
Wisconsin has not had a case of avian flu in dairy cattle. But state officials are urging farms to protect their herds from the virus.
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Wisconsin soybean farmers fund SoyFoam effort to reduce PFAS in firefighting foam
Could a soybean-based foam help extinguish fires and prevent toxic chemicals from seeping into Wisconsin waterways? The Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board certainly hopes so.
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Study: Dairy farmers have more beneficial gut bacteria thanks to their cows
Marshfield Clinic Research Institute study is first to look at microbiome impacts of farmers’ exposure to cows and manure.
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New scarecrows: Lasers aim to deter wild birds and reduce disease on Wisconsin farms
Wisconsin’s agriculture department recommends farmers use biosecurity measures, such as lasers, to protect poultry flocks from avian influenza.
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Parasite known to cause disease found for the first time in wild Wisconsin trout
For the first time, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has discovered a parasite in wild trout that’s known to cause disease, raising questions about its potential effects on fish populations.
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Evers vetoes bill limiting local control of animal welfare on farms
Farm groups are disappointed with Gov. Tony Evers’ veto of a bill that would largely prevent local regulation of animal welfare on farms, but its opponents say it’s a win for local control.
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Wisconsin dairy farms closely watching avian flu cases in cattle
The director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory says a confirmed case of the virus in a person on a dairy farm emphasizes the need for vigilance.
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First ‘climate-smart’ food in US is now shipping from Wisconsin
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack visited Wisconsin to celebrate the first consumer product from the federal Climate-Smart Commodities program.
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Family of Wisconsin sheep shearers reflects on novel role in Midwest farming
Fewer people are becoming professional sheep shearers in Wisconsin where about 78,000 sheep and lambs live. Jerome Huber and his family are now rare specialists in the state’s farming industry.