Farmers at Wisconsin Farm Technology Days focus on the drought

BARABOO, Wis. — Hundreds of farmers made their way to Baraboo on Wednesday for the second day of the Wisconsin Farm Technology Days event.

With the Badger State experiencing some abnormally dry weather this summer, the drought was top of mind for everyone at Wisconsin Farm Technology Days.

Steve Roudebush is the president of Badger Steam and Gas. He is also a wheat, bean and corn farmer in the Dane County area.

He said farming this year has been tougher than years passed.

“We missed a few showers but our wet April and early planting carried us through,” said Roudebush. “The roots were able to get down deep enough, and we had timely rain right when the corn was tasseling.” 

May was Dane County’s sixth driest summer on record and while Roudebush did not seem very worried about the impact, it is having on his harvest this season.

“We will have a crop, not the crop we are used to, but we will have a crop,” said Roudebush. 

Randy Romanski, the secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, said this drought has the potential to hurt Wisconsin’s economy.

“We are water deficient in many parts of the state and that has an impact on farmers, that has an impact on crops and it has an impact on the marketplace obviously too,” said Romanski. 

According to the USDA, agriculture is a $104.8 billion industry in Wisconsin, and one in nine people are working in a job related to agriculture in the state.

Romanski said one of the best ways to find solutions in fighting the drought and to find out how Wisconsin’s farmers are holding up is at events like this one.

“Shows like Farm Technology Days are a good example of how agriculture is part of our past, present and future,” said Romanski. “There are actually field demonstrations going on right now so people can sign up to do a field walk or discussion so you can see best practices in action and learn something new.”

In order to adapt and survive, many farms are incorporating drone equipment, milking machines and self driving farm equipment; all things that were on display at the Farm Technology Days.

In Roudebush’s case, he has not adopted any technology on his farm yet; he is still relying on the good old-fashioned planning method. 

“A lot of thought gets put in long before planting,” said Roudebush. “This year you guess, it’s going to be a dry year, so you cut back on your population, watching your spending so it is just a lot of pre-planning, timing and working through it.”

For more, visit https://www.wifarmtechdays.org/.