Articles
Farm Management Articles
Research-based information and tools to help with your farm business management decisions
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How to Build a Safety-First Culture and a Safety-First Mindset in Agriculture
A safety culture in agriculture saves lives, protects resources, improves efficiency, and ensures sustainable growth. Farm employers know that having a positive safety culture is good for their workers and for their business.
▶ Watch: Production Records: Planting & Harvesting – Recordkeeping for Farmers Who Speak HMoob
The goal of the ‘Production Records: Planting & Harvesting’ template is to provide a central location for a farmer to keep track of planting and harvesting records for each crop they grow. These records will help a farmer identify where each crop is planted, how many acres, and total yield harvested.
Margin Coverage Option (MCO) for Wisconsin Ag Producers
MCO offers protection against unexpected drops in operating margins — the difference between revenue and input cost. Interested producers should contact their crop insurance agent to learn more about how MCO could work for their operation.
▶ Watch: Production Records: Harvesting – Recordkeeping for Farmers Who Speak HMoob
The goal of the ‘Production Records: Harvesting’ template is to provide a central location for a farmer to keep track of when and how often each crop is harvested, the measuring unit, the amount harvested each day, total units harvested for the season, total crop acreage, and total yield.
▶ Watch: Production Records: Planting – Recordkeeping for Farmers Who Speak HMoob
The goal of the ‘Production Records: Planting’ template is to provide a central location for a farmer to keep track of each crop planted during the growing season. The information in the template will help the farmer identify where a crop is planted, as well as and how many acres are planted.
There’s Opportunity in Those “Near Misses” on Your Farm
Farms are busy workplaces with the potential for injury lurking around every bend. A proactive tool to guard against future mishap, and an important part of improving your overall farm safety culture, is “near miss” reporting.
Hay Oportunidad en esos “Casi Accidentes” en su Granja
Las granjas son lugares de trabajo dinámicos y exigentes, donde el potencial de sufrir lesiones o accidentes costosos puede estar presente en cada esquina. Una forma proactiva y a menudo subestimada de mejorar la seguridad en la granja y prevenir incidentes en el futuro es mediante una práctica simple pero poderosa: reportar y conversar sobre los “casi accidentes”.
Before You Buy: A Farm Tech Investment Planning Guide
Automation is no longer a distant vision. Technology is being used to fill labor gaps, trim costs, increase efficiency, and boost precision. Success, though, still begins with a solid plan.
Dairy Market Dynamics and Domestic Constraints: A Dairy Sector Assessment as of June 2025
This article presents current conditions in the U.S. dairy sector as of June 2025, drawing on insights from market sentiment and recent information.
U.S.–Canada Dairy Trade Relationship (2025–Present)
This article examines the evolving dynamics of the U.S.–Canada dairy trade relationship in the first quarter of 2025, with a focus on recent policy developments, economic implications, and political considerations.
Suspension of FDA’s Grade “A” Milk Proficiency Testing Program – A Comprehensive Analysis
On April 21, 2025, the U.S. FDA suspended its proficiency testing program for Grade “A” milk and milk products. The halt has raised questions about potential regulatory oversight gaps, state readiness, and shifts in milk safety governance.
Policies and Regulations Governing Milk and Dairy Testing: A Wisconsin Overview
Milk in Wisconsin undergoes rigorous testing at every step – from on-farm to finished dairy products. Some tests are required by regulations, while others are voluntary quality checks.
▶ Watch: Seed & Plant Source – Recordkeeping for Farmers who speak HMoob
The Seed & Plant Source template provides a central location that contains important information about seeds and plants you have purchased and plan to grow for the season.
▶ Watch: Introduction to Recordkeeping for Hmong/HMoob Farmers
This introduction video will highlight a series of videos about recordkeeping instructions and templates for small-scale fruit and vegetable growers.
Custom Rates for 2024 Wisconsin Farm Operations
This report provides estimates of typical custom rates for common farming operations in Wisconsin. These rates are based on the 2024 Wisconsin Custom Rate Survey of Wisconsin farmers, farm managers and custom operators.
The Future of Global Dairy: Economic Trends, Regional Developments, and Market Vulnerabilities through 2030
The dairy market is changing—For dairy farmers, this means focusing on efficiency, using tools like better genetics, feed, and technology to produce more with less.
