Articles
2026 Wisconsin Cranberry School Proceedings
Download PDF Article Contents Day 1 Content Preview Day 2 Content Preview Poster Session Preview Download PDF Each year, UW-Madison Division of Extension in cooperation with the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association hosts a Cranberry School, during which the results of research from the prior year are shared with the Wisconsin cranberry grower community. This […]
ESA Pesticide Label Changes – What You Need to Know for the 2026 Growing Season
New ESA pesticide label changes arrive for 2026. Wisconsin pesticide applicators, learn how these critical updates impact your upcoming spray season.
Four Ways to Efficiently Manage Nitrogen When Costs are High
In April 2026, commercial nitrogen fertilizer prices increased approximately 30% since fall 2025. Fortunately, there are nutrient management choices farmers can make to minimize financial impacts of this sudden price increase.
2025 Wisconsin Alfalfa Yield and Persistence Program Results
The Wisconsin Alfalfa Yield and Persistence Program is designed to provide forage growers, agricultural professionals, researchers, and the forage industry with a unique look at what is happening at the farm level.
Understanding Alfalfa Winterkill: What to watch for
By understanding both controllable factors, such as management, and uncontrollable factors, such as weather conditions, growers can evaluate risks and make timely, informed decisions to protect their alfalfa crops from winterkill.
Fertilization Guidelines for Mature Apple Trees
Fertilization Guidelines for Mature Apple Trees Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium Calcium Magnesium Boron Zinc Interpreting foliar nutrient analysis can sometimes be challenging for growers, particularly when trying to determine whether fertilizer applications are needed and at what rate. While leaf nutrient concentrations provide valuable information about the nutritional status of the trees, fertilization decisions should not […]
How Phosphorus and Potassium Move (or Don’t): The Agronomy Behind Stratification
Article Contents Introduction Agronomic Implications of Stratification Research About Stratification Key Takeaways References Introduction Stratification, or the unequal distribution of nutrients within the soil profile, has been well documented across Wisconsin, with the most concentrated nutrients existing within the upper 2” of soil in all fields. Having reduced or eliminated tillage on more acreage across […]
Positive Associations of Soil Organic Matter and Crop Yields Across a Regional Network of Working Farms
Farmers across Wisconsin and Minnesota have long known that healthy soil grows better crops. Now, data collected directly from working farms helps back that up with numbers. A study using fields from the UW-Madison Extension Discovery Farms program and Discovery Farms Minnesota found a clear connection between higher soil organic matter and higher corn yields, and the results come from real farms, not just research plots.
▶ Spring 2026 Ag Economics Outlook
Dr. Paul Mitchell provides a comprehensive update on agricultural policy and farm financial trends for spring 2026.
▶ Spring 2026 Ag Weather Outlook
Josh Bendorf explains near‑term and seasonal forecasts for temperature and precipitation, flooding risks, and soil temperature timing relevant to spring planting decisions.