I am often asked, what makes Wisconsin agriculture so special? That answer is easy – the people who work in agriculture, and the diversity of agriculture industries in our state. From cranberries to cows and mint to maple syrup, the long list of food, fuel and fiber products grown and raised in our state is a true blessing. The meat industry is certainly one to be proud of in Wisconsin. Meat packing companies have a rich history in our state, including one very important team sponsorship by the Indian Packing Company that funded the start of our beloved Green Bay Packers. Today, a variety of meat processing companies can be found across the state. Nueske’s Applewood Smoked Meats and the Nues

CTL Foods, Inc., a company from Colfax, provides the perfect ingredient for any dessert. They have been blending and packaging Soda Fountain® Malted Milk Powder for over 40 years. Thanks to real dairy ingredients in every batch, their malt has a premium, fresh malty taste. It is an award-winning product that took first place at the 2016 World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest in the Innovative Products category. Add two heaping tablespoons of the malted milk powder to your favorite ice cream shake to make a malt, or bake with the rich flavor to make pumpkin malt bars, peanut butter malt bars, and more! Their recipe for Malty Puppy Chow is delicious, and *caution* it can be addict

Kick off your holiday shopping this Thanksgiving weekend at the second annual Something Special from Wisconsin Holiday Market. The event, extended to two days this year, will run November 30 through December 1 in Johnson Creek. Mark the dates on your calendars to shop for unique, local Wisconsin-made gifts for everyone on your list. The holiday market, located at the Johnson Creek High School, is hosted by Berres Brothers Coffee Roasters and Café, and will feature some of Wisconsin’s finest products and services. Berres Brothers is a veteran-owned business, deeply rooted in their Watertown community. They are most known for their signature coffees, which are roasted and distributed right fro

This season, sweeten your holiday with local Wisconsin gifts. Support one of Wisconsin’s many beekeepers with the gift of locally sourced honey. In 2017, beekeepers in Wisconsin harvested 2.9 million pounds of honey. Honey is a completely natural sweetener; if the label on the bottle says “Pure Honey” you can be guaranteed that the only ingredient is what the bees have provided straight from the honeycomb. Interestingly, the color and flavor of honey differs depending on the bees’ nectar source (the blossoms) and can vary with the season. The most common flavors of honey in Wisconsin are buckwheat, clover, basswood, and wildflower. Pick up your next jar of wildflower honey from Dancing Bear

For decades, cheesemakers across Wisconsin have been crafting and perfecting cheese recipes. Whether the recipe has been passed down from generation to generation, or is an innovative original, the story of these cheeses are truly woven in to the fabric of our history. Certified Master Cheesemaker Sid Cook knows this well, as he has spent a lifetime in the cheese business. Sid is the fourth generation in his family to make cheese. Combined, there is over 1,000 years of cheesemaking experience in the Cook family. Sid fondly recalls growing up in a cheese plant, learning the family business. At the young age of 16, Sid received his cheesemaking license, and has since spent a lifetime crafting