Biofuel and corn advocates argue expanding the use of higher-ethanol gasoline could increase demand for corn and serve as a lifeline for farmers. Critics say it would lead to environmental and health costs.

The post Congress debates selling gas with 15 percent ethanol year-round permanently. Would it help Wisconsin farmers? appeared first on WPR.

Last month, seed seller Bayer and the U.S. Department of Justice reached an agreement to suspend parts of a seed loyalty program that regulators argued was anticompetitive and drove up prices. A researcher and independent seed company explain why they say the move was needed.

The post New agreement promises to boost seed variety for Wisconsin farmers appeared first on WPR.

Several Wisconsin companies signed deals to provide critical components for new data centers. An analyst told WPR these deals mean Wisconsin businesses are seeing new opportunities with the boom in AI data center development.

The post ‘This is a time to negotiate’: Recent AI data center deals signal boom for some Wisconsin businesses appeared first on WPR.

Significant changes to federal student loans will take effect July 1 and affect at least 1 in 5 Wisconsin borrowers.

The post New student loan rules take effect July 1. Here’s how Wisconsin borrowers could be affected. appeared first on WPR.

The documentary explores the experiences and achievements of eight LGBTQ+ elders in the Milwaukee area.

The post New film connects across generations to Milwaukee LGBTQ+ trailblazers appeared first on WPR.

The average price for a pound of beef hit a record-high $9.64 in April. Steak and ground beef prices are both up more than 14 percent compared to this time last year. An agriculture professor says these prices are on the rise and a butcher shop owner shares what he’s seeing.

The post Wisconsin sees record-high beef prices alongside high demand appeared first on WPR.

The public radio show “Reveal” explained in a recent episode that nearly one in five 911 dispatch centers in America’s 100 biggest cities fail to answer 911 calls within 15 seconds. But Dane County’s center has beaten those standards for years. A reporter explains his findings and a Waukesha County official details how her county turned its dispatch around.

The post New investigation unpacks challenges 911 dispatchers face in Wisconsin and nationwide appeared first on WPR.

Earlier this month, UW Board of Regents President Amy Bogost formed a 25-person search committee to find the next president of the state’s 165,000-student university system. She told WPR what issues are top of mind for the system’s next leader.

The post Head of Universities of Wisconsin Board of Regents defends Rothman firing, talks next system president appeared first on WPR.

A short film that recently aired on the Wisconsin Channel follows an Ojibwe photographer holding a ceremonial fire alive for four days and nights to guide his father’s spirit to the afterlife, while his father tries to reach him from beyond.

The post Ojibwe filmmaker explores grief and death in short film appeared first on WPR.

A spending bill crafted by Gov. Tony Evers and Republican leaders was voted down in the state Senate Wednesday. The head of the state’s technical college system explains why the heads of those schools were opposed to the effort.

The post Wisconsin tech college system president pushes back on failed bipartisan spending bill appeared first on WPR.

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As of this week, animal welfare organizations say they’ve completed the process of getting 1,500 beagles out of a Wisconsin-based facility that bred them for scientific research.

That process has involved a nationwide network of volunteers and veterinary professionals, said Amy Good, the director of marketing and development for the Dane County Humane Society.

“It has been a tremendous couple days so far, going into Ridglan every single day, bringing the beagles back,” Good said. “Then seeing so many staff and volunteers welcoming them with open arms, giving them those first snuggles, taking them out.”

On April 30, two nonprofits — Big Dog Ranch Rescue and The Center for a Humane Economy — announced they had purchased 1,500 dogs from Ridglan Farms for an undisclosed price.

Even after that deal, Center for a Humane Economy CEO Wayne Pacelle estimates there could be about 500 dogs still in Ridglan’s custody, though he said advocates don’t know the exact number. He said the Big Dog Ranch Rescue and The Center for a Humane Economy still hope to buy any remaining dogs in the coming months.

Hundreds of the Ridglan Farms dogs are expected to be adopted in Wisconsin, while the rest will go to homes out of state, advocates said.

The Dane County Humane Society is among the groups caring for some of the dogs. In all, that organization will stage a total of 500 Ridglan Farms beagles before they’re ready to be adopted out.

So far, the level of interest in adoptions has been explosive.

Fifty of the beagles will be adopted out through the Dane County Humane Society. But, as of Friday, roughly 1,300 people had filled out interest forms asking to take in one of the dogs, Good said.

“The reality is, there’s more people willing to adopt and foster these dogs than we have dogs,” Good said. “We’re really grateful for people’s willingness to open their arms.”

Ridglan Farms was the second-largest beagle breeder in the country, and activists have alleged that the facility has been guilty of animal abuse dating back nearly a decade. Ridglan Farms has denied those allegations.

A settlement between Ridglan Farms and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection will have the facility give up its state-level breeder license by July to avoid criminal charges.

In March, a group of animal rights activists broke onto Ridglan Farms property and took 22 beagles out.

In April, activists attempted another raid at Ridglan, but were met with tear gas, rubber bullets and pepper spray after law enforcement officials said some of the protestors acted violently. That confrontation resulted in more than two dozen arrests, according to the Dane County Sheriff’s Office.

The fate of the Ridglan Farms beagles has made international news and attracted intense interest on social media.

During a news conference at the Dane County Humane Society in Madison on Tuesday, pop star Debbie Gibson and Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler each snuggled Ridglan Farms beagles and joined advocates in calling for an end to scientific testing on animals.

Veterinary technian Danielle Fendrich was among the volunteers who traveled from out of state to care for the dogs.

She was part of a team that helped with medical exams on Tuesday afternoon from an area set up in a barn at the Dane County Humane Society.

As Fendrich worked with a wriggly puppy, she gave the dog occasional squirts of spray cheese to make the exam more pleasant.

“I think a lot of these dogs have very little handling,” said Fendrich, who lives in northern California. “So we want to make it as positive as possible for their first experiences around humans. Sadly, a lot of them lived pretty much their entire life in a kennel.”

Earlier this week, the Wisconsin Humane Society held events in Milwaukee and Green Bay, where about 20 dogs each will be rehomed.

Angela Speed is with the Wisconsin Humane Society and was in Milwaukee for the first transport of dogs. She told WPR dogs rehomed from research facilities require patient, quiet households to thrive.

“Some dogs may be very fearful, some may be curious,” Speed said. “But it can take dogs days, weeks, months or even years — depending on their individual personalities — to really learn what it’s like to be a beloved family member.”

Speed said of the roughly 130 dogs the Humane Society plans to transport this week, 90 will be immediately placed in foster homes. The other 40 will stay at Wisconsin humane societies or other shelters. But they’ve had hundreds of inquiries from people interested in adoptions.

“We’re talking about dogs who have lived in cages their entire life,” Speed said. “Everything is new. A toy, a treat, a collar, a leash, walking on grass or exploring with their nose. It’s a beautiful transformation to be part of.”

This story was originally published by WPR.

Welfare organizations complete transfer of hundreds of Ridglan Farms beagles is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Animal advocates have seen huge interest from people who want to adopt dogs that were taken from a Wisconsin-based facility that bred them for scientific research.

The post Welfare organizations complete transfer of hundreds of Ridglan Farms beagles appeared first on WPR.

As of May 1, some smaller Ascension Wisconsin ICUs in Mequon, Brookfield and Franklin are staffing critical care specialists by video call only — raising concerns from staff about patient outcomes.

The post Some Ascension ICUs not staffing in-person critical care physicians appeared first on WPR.

A new book co-written by James and Susan Patterson draws from Susan’s time as a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the late 1970s and early ‘80s. The pair discuss the book’s Wisconsin inspirations and how they write together.

The post New James and Susan Patterson book rooted in Wisconsin appeared first on WPR.

Two major health systems in Wisconsin have either just launched or are set to launch the first two proton therapy cancer treatment programs in the state.

The post 2 Wisconsin health systems launching cancer treatment programs new to the state appeared first on WPR.