The milk-price roller coaster will flatten out a bit for Wisconsin dairy farmers in 2004, according to University of Wisconsin-Madison market analysts. Milk prices should average 50 cents to 70 cents per hundredweight higher than in 2003, but highs will be lower and lows will be higher. Wisconsin’s net farm income should total $1.1 billion to $1.3 billion in 2004 if higher milk prices prevail. That’s up from $950 million in 2003 and just $640 million in 2002, when milk prices plummeted, say agricultural economists at the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

At this time of year, most people are aware that some holiday plants, such as mistletoe and poinsettia, can be toxic. In addition, wintertime is the season for poisonings from a variety of toxins, especially in rural settings, says Donna Lotzer, poison education coordinator at the UW Hospital Poison Prevention and Education Center.

We’re seeing one effect of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s successful deer trapping and collaring program, aimed at tracking the movements of whitetails in the CWD intensive harvest zone around Mt. Horeb. Hunters are now spotting radio-collared deer, and wondering if it’s alright to shoot them.

Nina Leopold Bradley of Baraboo, Ron Caldwell of Arlington, Howard “Dan” Poulson of Palmyra, Orville and Marie Strachota of West Bend, and Gary Tauchen of Bonduel will receive Honorary Recognition awards Oct. 23 from the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

A soil stabilization method developed at the College has found a life-saving application in the deserts of Iraq and Kuwait. Developed to prevent soil erosion from hillsides and construction sites, the method also locks down dusty soils at helicopter landing sites.

Richard Daluge was recognized with the Professional Achievement Award from the National Agricultural Alumni and Development Association during their annual conference at Ohio State University in June.

A partnership between UW-Madison researchers, state potato growers, the World Wildlife Fund and the International Crane Foundation that has reduced industry reliance on toxic pesticides and enhanced farm profitability has been recognized with the United States Department of Agriculture’s prestigious Secretary’s Honor Award for Maintaining and Enhancing the Nation’s Natural Resources and Environment.

Scouring the genome of a wild Mexican potato, scientists have discovered a gene that protects potatoes against late blight, the devastating disease that caused the Irish potato famine.

A pin-head-sized parasitic wasp can find, parasitize and kill the soybean aphid, College entomologists have found.

Larry Satter”s career in dairy research spans five decades – years that have seen cow performance skyrocket and dairy farm numbers crash. Wisconsin had more than 100,000 dairy farms when Satter arrived at the UW-Madison in 1960. Today fewer than 17,000 remain.