Dairy

The latest federal data shows sales of milk beverages turned around in 2024, increasing by 358 million pounds or just under 1 percentage point from the previous year.

Environmental groups are challenging a permit issued to a large dairy farm near West Bend that operated for years without one.

An outpouring of public comments prompted state agriculture officials to reduce planned fee increases for livestock markets, dealers and truckers.

“This is now a highly trained workforce with experience that is necessary to keep the industry going,” Francisco Guerrero said. “There would be no dairy industry without these workers.”

A large dairy with farms in Columbia and Dane counties is proposing to grow its herd by more than 60 percent in the next five years as part of plans to consolidate its two facilities into one location.

Tens of thousands of people attended the World Dairy Expo in Madison. The annual trade show also includes competitions, which some describe as akin to bovine beauty pageants.

A New York Times journalist traveled to Wisconsin to investigate how the health industry’s demand for whey products is changing the dairy business. A Wisconsin master cheesemaker said it is the way of the future.

The Trump administration’s recent tariff actions could make it difficult for Wisconsin dairy farmers to export excess milk products and for beef producers to access Chinese markets, state farm leaders said.

New federal rules under the Trump administration mean a Wisconsin ice cream maker and others must use ingredients without synthetic dyes by 2028. 

Wisconsin’s county fair season is around the corner. This will be the second year that exhibitors are required to test some of their dairy cows for avian flu before participating.