The Institute’s Research and Education staff are ready for the heat this weekend. Last week we got our industrial hemp crop trials planted, then we had a little rain, and now it’s time for some sun! Research Director Dr. Nicole Tautges is behind the wheel of the JD 6420, while Research Technician Nolan Burkard is calibrating the Great Plains no-till drill. Education Director Dr. Esther Durairaj is supervising, as she is the lead on the trials. We are in year 2 of collaborative research on hemp with partners across several states. Our part of the research is various time trials - we are testing which planting dates for fiber hemp work best in Wisconsin. (fb)

At Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, we believe in farmers. We believe in the good work farmers do, and we are focused on providing them with the research and education to do better all the time. We're also committed to advocating for policy that helps them do their best, as well. Farmers provide us with food, fuel, and fiber, but they are also our best hope to mitigate floods, reduce emissions, sequester carbon, protect drinking water, and strengthen our rural economies. It’s a very tall order, and now they are facing more broken federal contracts, continually reduced USDA funding, delayed reimbursements, and fewer and fewer staff to offer technical assistance for conservation projects. In Wisconsin alone, the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service has lost at least 100 staff who worked directly to help farmers succeed. That's 1/3 of the staff they had in 2024. Now is the time to speak up to our federal representatives and let them know we want farmers’ conservation work to be compensated, we want them to be supported by technical assistance, and we want federal contracts with them to be honored. Take action now! More information at michaelfields.org. https://youtu.be/Ij4yEBhG2ng?si=lirx5FSoox6ta4w9 (fb)