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Podcast: MID-WEST FARM REPORT - MADISON
Episode: WI Maple Syrup Producers Rally After Blizzard Plus Asking Tough Dairy Questions
Description: Wisconsin dairy operators are trying to find their way to profitability through 2026, but it's complicated. Stephanie Hoff asks some tough questions of Leonard Polzin, Dairy Markets and Policy Outreach Specialist, UW-Madison Division of Extension. While specific data is often private, the IDFA estimates roughly $11 billion in capital expenditures across 50 projects in 19 states. Major processing growth is concentrated in a "T" shape: running through the middle of the country (Texas, Kansas, Dakotas) and across the Northern U.S. (Washington, Idaho, Wisconsin, and New York). The industry is grappling with "hazy" data regarding how much of this investment is truly new capaci...