FRI AM News: WisBusiness: the Podcast with Dylan Vaca, the DeLong Co.; Evers urging USDA against cuts that could affect state’s forestry industry

May 23, 2025

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— This week’s episode of “WisBusiness: the Podcast” is with Dylan Vaca, brand and marketing manager at the DeLong Company.

He discusses the Clinton-based company’s approach to regenerative agriculture and sustainability, as well as its role in the agricultural commodity market.

About three years ago, the DeLong Co. received a $40 million USDA grant to advance what was then called “climate smart agriculture,” Vaca said. That concept has now evolved into regenerative agriculture, he explained, covering practices such as cover crops, reduced tillage and no-till operations, and nutrient management plans.

“Through two years now, we’ve been working with producers in the field to do practices that are recognized as regenerative … and essentially the funding that we won through that grant goes to the farmers in per-acre incentives, so that’s been really rewarding for us,” he said.

Vaca says the company’s strategy involves building infrastructure to help sustainably grown grain to “move seamlessly” through the supply chain.

The podcast explores the impact of some of these practices, which aim to reduce soil erosion and carbon emissions while saving farms money. It also highlights changes at the federal level to the programs providing support for such practices, as well as some nuances of the funding structure.

“We’ve enrolled, you know, over 230 or so growers and ultimately dispersed over $16 million of incentives to growers for doing these practices,” Vaca said, referencing efforts across multiple states. “We thankfully met those thresholds and can continue, but some other programs weren’t as lucky or didn’t have that opportunity.”

He also addresses the notion that regenerative agriculture can only work on small or “boutique farms,” arguing program results suggest otherwise.

“Farmers are implementing these practices … on real, working farms that are ultimately feeding thie commodity system,” he said. “At scale, regenerative agriculture, it’s about embedding resilience and ROI into every acre.”

Listen to the podcast and see the full list of WisBusiness.com podcasts.

— Gov. Tony Evers is urging the head of the USDA to “reverse and prevent any funding and staffing cuts” that threaten Wisconsin forests and the state’s forestry industry.

In a recent letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, Evers said he’s “deeply concerned” about how federal funding cuts and staff reductions will impact forests and forestry in Wisconsin, which exports more than $850 million in paper products per year.

“All Wisconsinites can agree that our forests, from the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest to the millions of acres of private forestland, are valuable resources, and we all must continue our work to protect and foster this resource,” he wrote.

Of the state’s 17 million acres of forestland, about 60% is held by private owners, the letter notes. Evers writes that potential cuts to programs supporting these private owners are “particularly alarming,” pointing to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program as an example.

This program offers technical and financial support to farmers and forest landowners for natural resource-related efforts, helping to develop conservation plans for addressing water, soil and air quality and other issues.

“Cuts to EQIP will reduce the number and availability of tools to assist Wisconsinites in protecting the health of their forestland from threats like invasive species and erosion,” Evers wrote.

He also says any cuts to staffing or funding for the Forest Products Laboratory would hinder existing efforts to develop new markets for forest products and improve forestland sustainability.

Earlier this month, the Wisconsin Council on Forestry sent a letter to Evers and legislative committee leaders raising concerns about the impacts of possible federal funding cuts.

Along with the issues he spotlighted in this week’s letter, the council said these cuts would jeopardize university education, forestry training and extension efforts, while restricting the ability of the state Department of Natural Resources to conduct reforestation projects, forest fire prevention, invasive species education and prevention, and other areas. The council also says federal funding currently supports tribal forest management.

See the release and Evers’ letter.

— We Energies is touting the PSC’s approval of two new natural gas plants as “an important next step” in the company’s efforts to meet growing energy demand in southeastern Wisconsin.

Meanwhile, opponents of the projects are slamming the move by the Public Service Commission, which unanimously approved We Energies’ plans to build natural gas plants in Oak Creek and the town of Paris, in Kenosha County.

The utility company says the new plants, along with other pipeline and storage facilities, will “provide critical energy” when it’s not available from solar and wind sources, as well as supporting more jobs and economic growth.

We Energies President Mike Hooper notes the company’s efforts to meet growing electricity demand in the region.

“We are making the grid cleaner and greener while ensuring the lights stay on — no matter the weather — because we know that’s what matters most to our customers,” he said in a statement.

But a number of environmental advocacy groups and renewable energy advocates have “strongly condemned” the PSC approval, arguing it marks a step backward for clean energy and community health in the state.

Jodi Jean Amble, deputy director of RENEW Wisconsin, said the approval “may feel like a setback” for clean energy and environmental advocates, but “the work continues.”

“We believe projects like Microsoft’s data center can and must be powered by clean energy going forward,” she said in a statement. “The technology exists for us to create a future run on clean, reliable, and affordable energy.”

And Abby Novinska-Lois, executive director at Healthy Climate Wisconsin, argues the approval “puts corporate profits above protecting the health” of families, the environment and the conomy.

“The PSC’s approval locks our state into decades of polluting fossil fuels at a time when we have cleaner, more affordable energy solutions available,” she said. “These gas plants will make people sick, while increasing utility bills.”

We Energies says it plans to start construction on both plants this year, which will be brought online “in the coming years,” according to the announcement.

See the release.

— Wisconsin home sales had a “significant downturn” in April, the Wisconsin Realtors Association reports, with a 10.4% decline over the year.

A total of 5,051 homes were sold in the state last month, down from 5,638 in April 2024.

The downtown follows March’s decline of 10.2%, though year-to-date home sales had a smaller decline of 3.4% compared to the same period of 2024. And WRA President and CEO Tom Larson notes April of last year was “a very strong month,” with the highest year-over-year growth seen in years.

“April 2025 sales were 14% higher than they were two years ago in April 2023, which is a solid month for home sales,” he said in the report.

Meanwhile, the state’s median home price rose 7.3% over the year to reach $322,000 in April.

Chris DeVincentis, chair of the WRA Board of Directors, notes Wisconsin is still a “strong seller’s market” statewide. But he points to some signs of improvement in smaller communities and rural areas.

“Potential buyers may want to consider expanding their home search into areas where supply is growing to increase their likelihood of success,” he said.

The report shows housing inventories rose 5.9% over the year to a 3.6 month supply in April, but WRA says that’s far below what’s needed for a balanced market. In rural counties, that rises to a 5 month supply.

See the report.

— Dem lawmakers have proposed a bill to increase child care funding, arguing the move is needed to stabilize the industry and support Wisconsin kids.

“We recognize in this country that all of us have a stake in making sure that every single kid has the opportunity to thrive,” Sen. Kelda Roys, D-Madison, said yesterday at a Capitol press conference. “Every kid. No one deserves to be left behind.”

The proposed bill would allot $480 million to the Department of Children and Families to make monthly payments and monthly per-child payments to certified child care providers.

Roys said this is the minimum amount needed “to stabilize and keep our child care industry afloat.”

DCF would have authority to determine eligibility requirements and set rules for how the payments may be used.

GOP leaders did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the bill.

— Marshfield Medical Center is the first health care provider in the state to perform an aerosol-based chemotherapy procedure, the hospital announced.

The center recently performed a pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy, or PIPAC, procedure, which is used to treat cancers that have spread inside the abdominal cavity. It involves introducing chemotherapy agents in the form of an aerosol directly into the affected area.

The hospital says the cancers being targeted this way are “notoriously difficult to treat,” and the new approach leads to a more uniform drug application and “potentially higher concentrations” at tumor sites with fewer side effects.

Dr. Rohit Sharma is a surgical oncologist at the center and the lead doctor for the procedure. He says the PIPAC procedure “significantly enhances” the center’s existing program focused on these types of cancer.

“It provides an additional therapeutic option for patients who may have exhausted other treatments or for whom traditional systemic chemotherapy is not well-tolerated,” Sharma said in a statement.

See the release.

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CONSTRUCTION

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EDUCATION

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ENVIRONMENT