Wisconsin dairy and livestock farms are using silo bags, bunkers and wrapped bales at a dramatically increased rate over the last decade. Each of these tools relies on low-density polyethylene, a plastic film that provides a low-cost method for storing high-quality forages.
A critical audit found that over the past 10 years, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has failed 94% of the time to take enforcement action on private industry and municipal agencies when water pollution limits were exceeded. DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp responds to the audit's findings.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has identified thousands of deer infected with chronic wasting disease over the last 17 years. But the total number of animals affected and the geographic breadth of the disease is at the heart of policy differences over how to address the disease.
Vegetables, fruits, whole grains and a variety of proteins are basic to good health. However most Wisconsin children and their families don't eat enough of these foods.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources conservation biologist J. Paul White said white-nose syndrome, a fungal infection, cause bats to wake from hibernation, forcing them into winter conditions they cannot handle.
Dane County has rich farmland, dedicated farmers and gardeners, and some of the best homegrown food in the country. But not everybody is able to enjoy the region's bounty.
Recently some of Wisconsin's biggest export customers have been purchasing fewer dairy products, and there is more competition on the international market.
Milk prices are cyclical, explained University of Wisconsin-Madison agricultural economics professor Brian Gould. While Wisconsin dairy producers saw an all-time high in 2014, an extended drop in prices will have a negative effect on the state's economy.
