The Farm

Compeer Gives To SAGES

Compeer Financial’s Fund for Rural America awards $50,000 to the School for Agricultural and Environmental Studies. SAGES will use the dollars to expand their agriculture-based research plots and school gardens, and add food animals.

This grant supports innovative programs that encompass four qualities:

• Mission: Aligns with Compeer Financial’s mission, enriching agriculture and rural communities
• Opportunity: Provides a new opportunity, fills a known void in agricultural and rural markets and is an innovative project
• Replication: Can be replicated by others to serve different geographic areas, fostering future collaboration
• Evolution: Evolves over time to create a better future for agriculture and rural America

SAGES, located in Fox Lake, is a public charter school that partners with the Waupun Area School District. The 4K through sixth grade school has implemented a multi-phase program for agricultural education. It’s titled “Growing, Raising and Enriching our Future.”

The school will use the funds for research plots, implementing food animals, expanding school gardens, creating grade-specific agricultural businesses and procuring supplies. The grant enables the school to continue its vision for agricultural education programs. Agriculture classes are part of the curriculum at all grade levels.

“The future agricultural career opportunities are endless,” says Kim Pokorny, agriculture science teacher at SAGES. “From farming to finance to agronomy to technology to food service and everything in between, we need to prepare the next generation of agricultural leaders and consumers. By providing exposure, hands-on learning opportunities and experiences, students can build upon their agricultural interests at the elementary school level. That is exactly what we are doing at SAGES.”

Team members at Compeer refer organizations in their community to apply for the MORE for Ag Grant. Since 2019, Compeer has given nearly $1 million to 23 organizations.

by The Farm

Crave Brothers Launches Valentine’s Cheese Boxes

Image from Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese: https://www.cravecheese.com/udderlyinlove

You’ve heard of a candy-gram, but what about a cheese-gram? Now until the end of February, Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese will offer cheese-grams to send to a sweetheart, friends or family. After all, who wouldn’t want to spread the love with the gift of fresh, sustainably made Wisconsin cheese?

The Udderly in Love Gift Box will put you in the MOO-d for the month of love with Crave’s handcrafted Heart-Shaped Mozzarella and award-winning Chocolate Mascarpone. Each gift box comes with your choice of one of three customizable Valentine’s Day notes featuring real cows from the Crave Brothers Farm. Meet Gracious, Luna, Susie and Lola, and select the best personality match for your favorite Valentine.

Card choices contain greetings including:

• “I’m Over the MOO-n for You!”
• “Our Friendship is A-MOO-Zing”
• “Someone Loves Moo!”

During checkout, shoppers can write a message for their card, which Crave will hand-write and include with the box upon sending.

To celebrate the month of love and hearts, Crave Brothers will donate 5 percent of all proceeds from its online store during February to the American Heart Association.

Heart-Shaped Mozzarella is the perfect addition to your next get-together charcuterie board, and award-winning Chocolate Mascarpone is a hit in date night desserts and on dessert boards with fruit or cookies.

Learn more: https://www.cravecheese.com/

by The Farm

Ag Bankers Get Together In April

The Wisconsin Bankers Association Agricultural Bankers Section is hosting its Ag Bankers Conference April 11-12 in the Wisconsin Dells.

This annual meeting of the WBA Agricultural Bankers Section brings together agricultural bankers from all around the state of Wisconsin for education and networking. Attendees will benefit from over seven hours of presentations from nationally recognized speakers, network with more than 125 banking peers, and meet several exhibitors who offer products and services geared toward ag banking.

The registration fee of $350 per attendee includes conference materials; Thursday refreshments, lunch, and reception; and Friday breakfast and refreshments. Members of the WBA Ag Bankers Section get a discounted registration fee of $300 per member.

Learn more and register: https://web.cvent.com/event/8bcd7c71-510a-46c3-9b39-fcd28fc31181/summary?RefId=0111os

by The Farm

Compeer To Host “Strengthening Your Roots” Seminar for Farmers

Compeer Financial, a Farm Credit cooperative based in the upper Midwest, is excited to announce the upcoming Strengthening Your Roots for 2024 webinar. The event is scheduled for Tuesday, January 23, 2024, and will take place via online webinar.

Strengthening Your Roots aims to empower farmers by providing essential knowledge and tools to enhance their financial acumen. Geared toward fostering growth opportunities and navigating the complexities of farm finances, this comprehensive webinar is designed to equip participants with the skills and information needed for informed decision-making.

Participants will learn from Compeer Financial experts on the following topics:

• Appraisal: Explore changes in land values and their implications
• Credit: Navigate financial techniques in a variable environment, including a 2023 market recap and guide to understanding key numbers.
• Lending: Understand the criteria lenders use for loan applications
• Taxes and Accounting: Hear crucial updates in tax and accounting practices.

Through these topics, farmers will gain a deeper understanding of farm financial basics, enabling them to address common questions during annual planning. Strengthen your financial roots, connect with industry experts and prepare for a successful year ahead.

For more information about Strengthening Your Roots for 2024 and to secure your spot, visit: compeer.com/roots.

by The Farm

Cash Cattle Reaches Three Consecutive Weeks of Higher Prices

Cattle

Cash cattle were up $2.50/cwt last week making it three consecutive weeks of higher prices. Weather impacted cattle movement this week with some packing plants closed or operating on a limited basis one or two days due to the winter storms. Two plants in Kansas were unable to operate Tuesday with a Cargill plant losing power there.

Tuesday’s estimated harvest total of 94,000 head was 32,000 lower than the same day last week. Wisconsin auction markets and stockyards saw larger runs Monday ahead of the storms, but Tuesday’s numbers were lighter. Last weeks’ harvest estimate of 556,000 head was 48,000 more than the previous week and 9,000 below last year. Live weights tend to decrease during the winter, but we have not seen that so far this year. The storms in the Southern Plains could start that trend, however, and will slow down the supply of market ready cattle.

Live Cattle futures have been moving higher with some traders believing a low was put in during early December. The Choice beef cutout value continued its slide last week, averaging $278.86 for a loss of $12.59. It did see modest gains early this week though. The USDA will release its twice-yearly Cattle Inventory report at the end of this month. There is little doubt it will show the nation’s cowherd has continued to shrink. Feeder Cattle Futures seem to be anticipating smaller numbers with the deferred contract months showing large gains when compared to the nearby months.

Cattle Prices

Fed cattle prices were mostly steady to strong this week. High Choice and Prime beef breed steers and heifers brought $166 to $170/cwt with some to $175. Choice steers and heifers ranged from $159 to $166/cwt with mixed grading and those likely to grade Select bringing $150 to $158/cwt. Holstein steers were mostly steady. High grading steers brought to $148 to $152 with some higher. Lower grading steers brought $122 to $148. Silage fed, under finished or heavy dairy breed steers brought $75 to $122/cwt. Dairy x Beef steers were steady to higher, bringing $126 to $163/cwt with a few higher.

Cows were $1 to $2 higher. A bulk of the cows brought $62 to $88/cwt with some fleshier dairy and beef cows selling into the high $90s/cwt. Doubtful health and thin cows were bringing $61/cwt and down. Dairy breed bull calves were fully steady, bringing $100 to $300/cwt with some heavier, well-managed calves selling to $420. Beef and Beef Cross calves were higher, selling up to $660/cwt.

by The Farm

Watch For Signs Of Emerald Ash Borer

Photo credit: Wisconsin DNR

Watch for woodpecker damage to your ash trees this winter. The Wisconsin DNR says if you find damage, you should make plans to take action this spring.

Woodpecker damage, often called “flecking,” happens when birds peck away some of a tree’s bark to access the larvae underneath. Flecking is a common early sign that an ash tree has emerald ash borer, an invasive insect. EAB is the most damaging threat to Wisconsin trees, killing more than 99 percent of the untreated ash trees it infests.

In 2023, three additional Northern counties in Wisconsin found emerald ash borer. The insect is now present in 69 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties. It is a common insect in the southern half of the state and woodpecker damage to ash trees is already widespread. EAB infestations are currently uncommon in most parts of northern Wisconsin, and woodpecker damage will be less abundant.

Landowners who spot woodpecker damage in their woodlot ash trees should consult a DNR or consulting forester for management advice.

Property owners who detect an emerald ash borer infestation in its early stages — often by looking for woodpecker damage — can take steps to protect their high-value ash trees by treating them with insecticide between mid-April and mid-May. Insecticide treatments are seldom practical or economical for woodlot ash trees.

Insecticide treatment of valuable ash trees is more likely to succeed if the trees have low or moderate levels of woodpecker damage. Now is a good time to make plans for insecticide protection this spring.

Learn more: https://datcpservices.wisconsin.gov/eab/index.jsp

Flecking usually starts in a tree’s canopy and progresses down the tree over the next few years if the tree is not treated. Other signs and symptoms of emerald ash borer infestation include:

• Sprouts growing from the base or trunk of the tree.
• A thinning canopy with smaller, pale leaves.
• Small (one-eighth of an inch), D-shaped exit holes in the bark.
• Green beetles crawling on the trunk of ash trees during the summer.

by The Farm

U.S. On Track For Record Pork Exports To Mexico

With one month of data still to be reported, U.S. pork exports to Mexico have already set an annual record for 2023. January-November exports to Mexico totaled more than 995,000 metric tons. That’s up 13 percent year-over-year, while value was 15 percent higher at $2.12 billion.

Mexico has long been a large destination for pork cuts such as bone-in hams and picnics. But U.S. pork loin is an emerging star in the market. With support from the National Pork Board and USDA’s Market Access Program and Quality Samples Program, the U.S. Meat Export Federation conducted a host of promotions in Mexico showcasing the loin.

These promotions have included mobile workshops using a U.S. Pork truck, says Lorenzo Elizalde, USMEF’s director of marketing and trade in Mexico.

“The U.S. pork truck has made a tremendous contribution to promote pork loin,” Elizalde says. “This year we have conducted around 150 samplings and tasting activities and over 50 activities involve recipes using pork loin.”

USMEF conducted these activities in 25 cities with 18 commercial partners. At the beginning of this year USMEF implemented the Pork Loin Quality Sample Program with a commercial partner located in Monterrey – CediCarnes.

Elizalde says new consumer products, including smoked pork loin and a chopped loin product used in tacos, have been important. These items found success in Walmart and City Club stores in Mexico, with USMEF conducting on-site tasting demonstrations using the U.S. Pork truck.

“New product development has been very important,” Elizalde says. “We believe that if we want to increase demand for pork loin, we need to develop new products.”

by The Farm

Hog Market Struggles To Find Upward Momentum

Jeff Swenson, DATCP livestock and meat specialist, prepared and wrote the following market update. It draws information from several sources, including trade publications, radio broadcasts, agricultural news services, individuals involved in the industry as well as USDA reports. Edited by Mid-West Farm Report.

The hog market continues its struggle to find upward momentum. There has been little news or change in market trends to shift the trajectory.

Cash hogs were 25¢/cwt lower last week. The pork cutout value showed moderate strength last week, gaining $1.15 to average $84.15. Belly prices jumped higher this week.

The USDA estimated a hog harvest of 2.381 million last week. That was 160,000 more than the previous week and 35,000 more than the same week last year. Winter weather hampered hog movement this week with a Tuesday harvest 98,000 less than the previous week.

International pork supply and demand could become an even larger story in 2024. There are reports that November hog harvest totals in China were 40 percent higher than November 2022. It is unclear if the large liquidation is due to African Swine Fever or because of economic factors. The economy there continues to struggle, and pork consumption is down.

Hog prices in the EU are near record levels as heavy culling continues. The conditions in the EU have helped U.S. pork exports, although part of the demand for U.S. pork is due to lower prices here.

by The Farm

Wisconsin Farm Bureau Introduces New Member Benefits

Wisconsin Farm Bureau is excited to announce new agreements with KEY Apparel and the Food Finance Institute to offer two additional, exclusive member benefits.

“Wisconsin Farm Bureau continues to grow an already strong line up of money-saving member benefits,” said WFBF President Brad Olson. “We are excited to unveil two new agreements that will add even more value to Farm Bureau memberships.”

KEY Apparel Discount

With 110 years of experience in the workwear clothing industry, KEY Apparel provides reliable workwear for rugged use and office-wear at the best value.

WFBF members can now save up to 20% on online purchases with free shipping on orders over $75. Members also have access to the KEY Business Design Lab to add Farm Bureau logos or create custom-branded KEY apparel for your farm or business.

Food Finance Institute

New changes in the food industry are rapidly increasing expectations for all food and value-added farm enterprises. Old or young, big or small, businesses are scrambling to become more financially resilient and capable of adapting quickly.The Food Finance Institute helps food and farm businesses raise the money they need to grow through valuable training opportunities.

WFBF members can now save 20% on Food Finance Institute’s Farm Management Boot Camp, Scenario Planning and Raising Equity trainings.

For more information about these benefits or to learn more about other discounts and incentives, visit wfbf.com/membership/member-benefits.

by The Farm