NASA is moving into a new phase of space exploration, with major progress across human spaceflight, science missions, and advanced technology. In just one year, the agency has launched multiple crewed and science missions, test-flown new aircraft, and pushed forward plans for the Moon, Mars, and beyond. With Artemis II set to send astronauts around the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years, NASA is laying the groundwork not just for a return to the lunar surface, but for a sustained human presence in deep space.
Locust swarms can wipe out crops across entire regions, threatening food supplies and livelihoods. Now, scientists working with farmers in Senegal have shown that improving soil health can dramatically reduce locust damage. By enriching soil with nitrogen, crops become less appealing to the insects, leading to fewer locusts, less plant damage, and harvests that doubled in size.
People with spinal cord injuries often lose movement even though their brains still send the right signals. Researchers tested whether EEG brain scans could capture those signals and reroute them to spinal stimulators. The system can detect when a patient is trying to move, though finer control remains a challenge. Scientists hope future improvements could turn intention into action.
A large, decades-long study suggests that signs of ADHD in childhood may have consequences that extend well beyond school and behavior. Researchers followed nearly 11,000 people from childhood into midlife and found that those with strong ADHD traits at age 10 were more likely to experience multiple physical health problems and health-related disability by their mid-40s.
Scientists are warning that a little-known group of microbes called free-living amoebae may pose a growing global health threat. Found in soil and water, some species can survive extreme heat, chlorine, and even modern water systems—conditions that kill most germs. One infamous example, the “brain-eating amoeba,” can cause deadly infections after contaminated water enters the nose. Even more concerning, these amoebae can act as hiding places for dangerous bacteria and viruses, helping them evade disinfection and spread.
Chronic inflammation may be quietly reshaping the colon and making it more vulnerable to early-onset colorectal cancer. Scientists found that colon tissue in younger patients was stiffer, even in areas that appeared healthy, suggesting these changes may happen before cancer develops. Lab experiments showed that cancer cells grow faster in rigid environments.
Aging immune cells may be sabotaging the body from within. Researchers found that macrophages produce a protein that locks them into a chronic inflammatory state, making infections like sepsis more deadly in older adults. Turning off this signal reduced inflammation and improved survival in older models. The findings hint at future treatments that could dial back harmful immune overreactions.
Researchers have found that a natural aging-related molecule can repair key memory processes affected by Alzheimer’s disease. The compound improves communication between brain cells and restores early memory abilities that typically fade first. Because it already exists in the body and declines with age, boosting it may offer a safer way to protect the brain. The discovery hints at a new strategy for slowing cognitive ageing before severe damage sets in.
A distant Sun-like star suddenly went dark for months, stunning astronomers who quickly realized something massive was passing in front of it. Observations revealed a gigantic disk of gas and dust filled with vaporized metals, swirling around an unseen companion object. For the first time, scientists directly measured the motion of these metallic winds inside such a disk. The findings suggest that even ancient star systems can still experience catastrophic planetary smashups.
Pancreatic cancer may evade the immune system using a clever molecular trick. Researchers found that the cancer-driving protein MYC also suppresses immune alarm signals, allowing tumors to grow unnoticed. When this immune-shielding ability was disabled in animal models, tumors rapidly collapsed. The findings point to a new way to expose cancer to the body’s own defenses without harming healthy cells.
Falling space junk is becoming a real-world hazard, and scientists have found a clever new way to track it using instruments already listening to the Earth itself. By tapping into networks of earthquake sensors, researchers can follow the sonic booms created when space debris tears through the atmosphere, revealing where it traveled, broke apart, and possibly hit the ground.
Nearly 84,000 Genesis vehicles have an instrument failure issue.
Affected screens may suddenly reboot or briefly stop working.
The update addressing the issue is expected by early March.
Genesis just issued a new recall covering nearly 84,000 vehicles, but there’s no need to worry about misbehaving driver aids, parking outside, or a luxury SUV that might roll away on its own. Instead, owners are being told to disable their high-definition radio.
No, not because it might advertise another car brand, but because it can shut off the entire screen altogether while the car is in motion.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Genesis is recalling a wide range of 2025 and 2026 model-year sedans and SUVs after discovering that their digital instrument clusters can intermittently reboot and go blank.
When that happens, drivers may lose access to critical information such as vehicle speed, warning alerts, and fuel or battery levels for up to 10 seconds at a time.
Which Models Are Affected?
The recall covers six different Genesis models, totaling 83,877 vehicles in the U.S. These include the 2025–2026 G80, the 2026 G80 Electrified, the 2026 GV60, the 2026 GV70 and GV70 Electrified, and the 2025–2026 GV80. While recalls from Hyundai Motor Group often span multiple brands, this issue appears to be limited strictly to Genesis products.
The heart of the issue involves a software logic error in the vehicle’s head unit and integrated display system. Both HD and analog radio data are being written to the same memory location due to overlapping software routines.
Under certain conditions, that overlap can trigger a data overwrite error, causing the system to reboot and temporarily cut the display output to both the instrument cluster and infotainment screen.
Hyundai says it has received 237 reports related to the issue between late September 2024 and early January 2026, but no crashes, injuries, or fatalities have been linked to the problem so far.
A permanent software fix is expected by mid-March. Owners will be able to visit a Genesis dealer for an update, or download it over the air if their vehicle supports OTA updates. In the meantime, Genesis recommends that affected drivers disable the HD radio feature while on the road. That’s right. Back to FM and AM folks, at least for now.
Hyundai’s N Festival in Australia drew more than 350 cars.
Entry was AU$60, including track time and instructor support.
Non-N owners can attend through the new Nvy Track Sessions.
Building a loyal enthusiast following from the ground up isn’t something carmakers typically pull off overnight. For Hyundai, a brand that wasn’t exactly on anyone’s radar for fun, driver-focused cars to begin with, establishing its N performance sub-brand was not just about creating engaging machines. It was about cultivating a culture, and that’s a far more elusive achievement.
However, thanks to a host of owner-focused events, Hyundai Australia has done just that. There are now thousands of tightly-knit N owners across the country, helping the company’s creations become among the nation’s best-selling hot hatches. Not only that, but cars like the i20 N and i30 N have become genuine benchmarks in their respective segments.
In late November, the annual N Festival returned for its seventh iteration, but with a twist. Not only was the event open to N owners, but also to a select number of owners from other brands, so we decided to join in with a bright yellow Renault.
Nvy
Hyundai N Australia
The 2025 event was held at Winton Raceway, roughly two hours north of Melbourne. As interest in the N Festival has increased in recent years, it’s no longer just an event run over Saturday and Sunday, but for the first time, it was extended to a three-day event. For eager owners wanting to get onto the track, there’s no better event.
More than 350 cars attended in December. To join in, all that was required was a AU$60 ($40) entrance fee. In return, owners get ample time on the track, a gift bag of N merchandise, and tutelage from experienced driving instructors. This makes it an absolute bargain, particularly since regular track days usually start at upwards of AU$300 ($200).
New to the 2025 N Festival were the ‘Nvy Track Sessions.’ These sessions were open to 20 non-N car owners each of the three days. To participate, you needed to receive an invitation from an N owner and to pay the same fee. I managed to secure a spot for my Renault Megane RS275.
On Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, participants were split into six groups of 20 cars, with one group for the non-N cars. Each group had five 15-minute sessions on the track, totaling 75 minutes across the day. For pretty much anyone not named Max Verstappen, that’s more than enough track time.
While I’ve done plenty of track days in the past, this was the first one in my Renault. The chassis and brakes are standard (for now…), although I have had it fitted with sticky Continental SportContact7 road tires, and the engine modified with a new intake, blow-off valve, intercooler, downpipe, and tune. It’s good for 219 kW (294 hp) and 445 Nm (328 lb-ft) of torque at the wheels, a healthy amount for the 2.0-liter turbo.
Hyundai N Australia
The temperatures were hot, pushing over 30° C (86° F) throughout my sessions, but my little French hot hatch performed flawlessly. There were some impressive cars in my sessions, like a new G80 BMW M3, an Audi RS5, a Porsche Cayman GT4, modified Toyota Supras, and a tuned Toyota GR Yaris, but I had no issue reeling each of them in and overtaking.
Just like the i30 N is considered among the best hot hatches on the market, the third-generation Megane RS275 was held in similarly high regard when it was launched. Honed on the Nurburgring, it felt right at home on the circuit, providing immense levels of grip, combined with superb stability under braking and great straight-line pace. Admittedly, my tires now look a little worse for wear.
Ns On The Track
Of course, it was the Hyundais that were the real stars of the day. Hyundai Australia brought along a slew of press cars for journalists to test out. I managed to snag some seat time in each of the company’s current models, including the i20 N, i30 N hatch, i30 N Sedan, and the potent Ioniq 5 N.
Winton Raceway is quite a tight, short track, perfect for hot hatches like those from Hyundai rather than high-horsepower monsters. The pint-sized i20 N proved to be the perfect companion for the circuit.
While the i20 N only has a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and is down more than 50 kW (67 hp) over the i30 N, it had no issue sticking with its bigger brothers on the circuit. It feels incredibly nimble and responsive, particularly around the circuit’s sweeping bends and tighter corners, often lifting one of its rear wheels as the front tires stick mercilessly to the track.
As standard, the i20 N comes with Pirelli P Zero NH tires, and they perform brilliantly on the track. As the day progressed, they did start to lose some grip, but importantly, they remained predictable despite the wear. The only issue I encountered was difficulties downshifting from 3rd to 2nd with the auto-rev match function enabled, something I also experienced at the N Festival back in 2022.
Extra Power, Extra Thrills
For those seeking superb on-track handling, combined with on-road comfort, and great straight-line speed, the i30 N hatch and i30 N Sedan remain among the best options on the market. While they may share a name, the i30 N Sedan has a longer wheelbase than the hatch and is based on a different chassis. In most of the world, it’s known as the Elantra.
In a straight line, the i30 N hatch is a little sprightlier. While both cars have the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and are advertised with the same 206 kW (276 hp) and 392 Nm (289 lb-ft), the hatch’s boost pressure peaks at 17 psi, whereas it usually sits around 14 psi in the Sedan. This is because the sedan has Hyundai’s controversial ‘Octane Learning Mode’.
To enable the full 17 psi, you’ll have to either drive in 8th gear between 109-159 km/h (68 -99 mph) for 5 minutes or more, or drive for 5 minutes or more in 44th or 5th gear at 40-70% throttle between 40-120 km/h (25 -75 mph). Obviously, this isn’t achievable on a track. Many owners I spoke to have had their cars tuned to unlock full boost without having to do this procedure.
The duo also feels quite different through the turns. Both stick extraordinarily well, providing enough grip to warp your face. However, the hatch is noticeably stiffer and feels a little lighter. By comparison, the i30 N Sedan feels more stable, owing to the longer wheelbase, and is easier to find the limits in. On the track, we prefer the hatch, but on the road, it’s the Sedan that stands out.
What the Ioniq 5 N Does Best
We also had the opportunity to do a few hot laps in Hyundai’s potent Ioniq 5 N. This is the performance car that has redefined what we thought was possible for an EV. Not only is it extraordinarily quick, but it’s also loads of fun to drive. It’s no surprise that Porsche and Lamborghini have benchmarked their EVs against it.
Obviously, the dual-motor powertrain makes the Ioniq 5 very quick in a straight line. However, because Winton’s straights are quite short, it doesn’t get much room to stretch its legs. Thankfully, it shines in other ways, particularly in its handling dynamics.
Thanks to some engineering trickery, it’s possible to shift the amount of power sent to the front and rear wheels. As such, the Ioniq 5 N can be driven effectively as a front-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive car. This means it is inherently more configurable and playful than Hyundai’s other N products. The downside? It’s electric, meaning it’s not so practical for track use unless a circuit has a DC fast charger.
Track Day Antics
The 2025 N Festival didn’t just include dozens of track sessions. This year, owners were also able to participate in a series of head-to-head rolling races to see who owns the quicker car in a straight line. There was also a Show’N Shine and an organized drive through some of the circuit’s neighboring country roads.
Australia’s N Festival has established itself as one of the best events on Australia’s track day calendar, and it’s easy to see why. It’s affordable, well organized, and welcoming. I’m sure it convinced some non-N owners to call up their local Hyundai dealership and place an order. As for me, used Ns remain out of my price range, so I’ll be keeping my French hot hatch.
Kia’s Meta Turismo concept mixes retro lines with EV hardware.
A production version could ride on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform.
Dual motors could deliver over 650 hp and sub-3s acceleration.
Kia’s 80th anniversary Meta Turismo GT concept wasn’t just a nostalgic design exercise; it was an absolute mic-drop moment. With its futuristic, yet 1960s concept-inspired lines and EV underpinnings, it offers a tantalizing glimpse at where Kia’s performance ambitions could be heading.
That got us thinking. Now that the Stinger has officially bowed out, and with Kia in need of a new halo model, what would a production-ready Meta Turismo actually look like? Here’s our take imagined as what could be called the EV8 GT.
Soft forms clashing with angular geometry: that’s how Kia describes its ‘Opposites Unite’ design language. In this imagined production model, the concept evolves into something more grounded yet still sharp, mixing vintage concept wedge proportions from the 1960s with flashes of Lamborghini aggression.
Up front, the Meta concept’s face has been reworked to better align with Kia’s current design language, featuring a low-set tiger nose and an active lattice grille. Carbon fibre is used generously across the front splitter, side skirts, and hood strakes, which flow cleanly into the wing mirrors.
Viewed from the side, our EV8 GT study is defined by a fastback roofline and cab-forward stance. While the angular side surfacing remains the same, we’ve added flush door handles and traditional pillars. Around the back, the rear is more restrained with halo-effect LED light bar, and a functional diffuser.
The Inside Take
The Vision Meta Turismo concept’s interior.
The cabin of the Meta Turismo concept is decidedly dramatic, but for production, it would be dialed back without losing its focus on the driver. Key elements like an augmented reality head-up display and smart glass would remain, while the overall layout would feel more grounded.
We’re also anticipating deeper AI integration, including conversational voice interfaces and tools like ChatGPT.
Hyundai Motor Group’s tried-and-true E-GMP architecture would be the obvious choice as a platform, as it offers 800-volt capability and Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) functionality. Handling-wise, the GT sports adaptive damping, torque vectoring, and rear-biased all-wheel drive to balance ride comfort with canyon-carving prowess.
Kia’s dual-motor setups are capable of 650 horsepower (478 kW) and 568 lb-ft of torque. We expect the EV8 GT to surpass this, with a 0-60 mph performance closing in on the 3-second mark. Like Hyundai Group’s other performance EVs, there will be simulated gear shifting and synthetic noise generation to accompany its rapid pace.
In a perfect world, solid-state batteries would make an appearance, yet commercial reality for this chemistry still appears a long way off. A safer bet would be a 100 kWh Li-Ion Phosphate (LFP) battery pack good for an WLTP range of over 435 miles (700 km).
BMW could offer EV and gas versions of the next 4-Series.
Shared 3-Series development keeps cost and risk lower.
New V8 and V12 engines meet Euro 7 with minor updates.
Despite the shrinking demand for coupes, BMW isn’t backing away from the segment just yet. A third-generation 4-Series is on the way, and it’s not just a box-ticking refresh. The new model looks set to play a bigger role in BMW’s long game, possibly offering both electric and combustion versions, plus a next-gen M4 flagship in the mix.
BMW has been producing the current-generation 4-Series since 2020, offering it in multiple forms including the Gran Coupe and the all-electric i4. The latter has held the distinction of being BMW’s best-selling EV to date, but that role is soon expected to shift to the i3 version of the next-generation 3-Series.
That transition has raised questions about where the 4-Series fits into BMW’s evolving electric and combustion plans.
While recently speaking with Autocar, BMW’s head of engineering and development, Joachim Post, emphasized that the 4-Series remains strategically important. He also pointed out that creating a new generation of the car would be relatively cost-effective, thanks to shared development with the next-gen 3-Series.
Platform Synergies Keep Coupes Alive
“The 4 Series is an important car for us,” he told the magazine. “It’s more sporty, and BMW is a sporty brand which has a clear heritage also on the performance side. It will play an important role also for the future. It’s not [as] expensive [as] making a completely new car and whenever we make a 3 Series or X3, we still think about the 4 Series or X4, to make it with synergies so that a derivative can be easily built out of the base.”
Post pointed to the benefits of what BMW calls “high synergies” between models like the 4-Series, X4, and X6. By leveraging shared components and platforms, BMW can build lower-volume body styles without incurring the full cost of starting from scratch. That gives models like the 4-Series a clearer business case, even in a less crowded coupe market.
If BMW does indeed launch a new 4-Series, it will follow the same path as the next 3-Series. That means we could potentially see both combustion and electric versions, each built on different platforms. The gas-powered model would use an updated version of the familiar CLAR platform, shared with the next-gen 3-Series, while the EV would ride on BMW’s Neue Klasse architecture, the same one underpinning the upcoming i3 and iX3.
Of course, there’s still a chance BMW could commit to just one direction, but for now, it hasn’t made that call publicly.
What we do know is that the Neue Klasse is already confirmed to support an electric iM3, which makes an iM4 Coupe feel entirely plausible. On the combustion side, BMW has also said the next M3 will stick with its six-cylinder engine in mild hybrid form, keeping the door open for a new gas-powered M4 Coupe as well. Whether we get both versions or just one remains to be seen.
If there’s an electric version of the 4-Series, expect a setup similar to the forthcoming i3, powered by BMW’s 108kWh battery pack. Rear- and dual-motor powertrains are also on the menu. Although Post hasn’t revealed performance targets, early indications suggest a range exceeding 500 miles is within reach.
Whatever BMW ends up doing, it’s obvious that the rest of the field is thinning out. Audi has dropped the A5 Coupe, and Mercedes has merged its C-Class and E-Class coupes into one model, the CLE. With fewer players still in the mix, BMW might find itself with a bit more room to maneuver on the sales front.
During the same interview Post noted that BMW has already developed its next-generation of engines to comply with Euro 7 regulations. This means the current twin-turbo 3.0-liter S58 straight-six of the M3 and M4 will live on, albeit upgraded with a mild-hybrid. He also confirmed that large V8 and V12 engines are safe, including the 6.75-liter V12 used by Rolls-Royce.
“We can fulfill Euro 7 with some optimization in the exhaust system – with things like the catalysts – so that’s why we have a big advantage in that Euro 7 is not that high an investment for us,” he revealed.
Alex Jeffrey Pretti, 37, was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed getting in adventures with Joule, his beloved Catahoula Leopard dog who also recently died. He worked for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and had participated in protests following the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs officer .
Alex Jeffrey Pretti is shown in an official U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs portrait.
“He cared about people deeply and he was very upset with what was happening in Minneapolis and throughout the United States with ICE, as millions of other people are upset,” said Michael Pretti, Alex’s father. “He thought it was terrible, you know, kidnapping children, just grabbing people off the street. He cared about those people, and he knew it was wrong, so he did participate in protests.”
Pretti was a U.S. citizen, born in Illinois. Like Good, court records showed he had no criminal record and his family said he had never had any interactions with law enforcement beyond a handful of traffic tickets.
In a recent conversation with their son, his parents, who live in Colorado, told him to be careful when protesting.
“We had this discussion with him two weeks ago or so, you know, that go ahead and protest, but do not engage, do not do anything stupid, basically,” Michael Pretti said. “And he said he knows that. He knew that.”
The Department of Homeland Security said that the man was shot after he “approached” Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun. Officials did not specify if Pretti brandished the gun. In bystander videos of the shooting that emerged soon after, Pretti is seen with a phone in his hand but none appears to show him with a visible weapon.
Family members said Pretti owned a handgun and had a permit to carry a concealed handgun in Minnesota. They said they had never known him to carry it.
Alex Pretti’s family struggles for information about what happened
The family first learned of the shooting when they were called by an Associated Press reporter. They watched the video and said the man killed appeared to be their son. They then tried reaching out to officials in Minnesota.
“I can’t get any information from anybody,” Michael Pretti said Saturday. “The police, they said call Border Patrol, Border Patrol’s closed, the hospitals won’t answer any questions.”
Eventually, the family called the Hennepin County Medical Examiner, who they said confirmed had a body matching the name and description of their son.
As of Saturday evening, the family said they had still not heard from anyone at a federal law enforcement agency about their son’s death.
Alex Pretti grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he played football, baseball and ran track for Preble High School. He was a Boy Scout and sang in the Green Bay Boy Choir.
After graduation, he went to the University of Minnesota, graduating in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in biology, society and the environment, according to the family. He worked as a research scientist before returning to school to become a registered nurse.
Alex Pretti had protested before
Pretti’s ex-wife, who spoke to the AP but later said she didn’t want her name used, said she was not surprised he would have been involved in protesting Trump’s immigration crackdown. She said she had not spoken to him since they divorced more than two years ago and she moved to another state.
She said he was a Democratic voter and that he had participated in the wave of street protests following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020, not far from the couple’s neighborhood. She described him a someone who might shout at law enforcement officers at a protest, but she had never known him to be physically confrontational.
She said Pretti got a permit to carry a concealed firearm about three years ago and that he owned at least one semiautomatic handgun when they separated.
Pretti had ‘a great heart’
Pretti lived in a four-unit condominium building about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from where he was shot. Neighbors described him as quiet and warmhearted.
“He’s a wonderful person,” said Sue Gitar, who lived downstairs from Pretti and said he moved into the building about three years ago. “He has a great heart.”
If there was something suspicious going on in the neighborhood, or when they worried the building might have a gas leak, he would jump in to help.
Pretti lived alone and worked long hours as a nurse, but he was not a loner, his neighbors said, and would sometimes have friends over.
His neighbors knew he had guns — he’d occasionally take a rifle to shoot at a gun range — but were surprised at the idea that he might carry a pistol on the streets.
“I never thought of him as a person who carried a gun,” said Gitar.
Federal immigration officers deploy tear gas at protesters after a shooting Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
Pretti was also passionate about the outdoors
A competitive bicycle racer who lavished care on his new Audi, Pretti had also been deeply attached to his dog, who died about a year ago.
His parents said their last conversation with their son was a couple days before his death. They talked about repairs he had done to the garage door of his home. The worker was a Latino man, and they said with all that was happening in Minneapolis he gave the man a $100 tip.
Pretti’s mother said her son cared immensely about the direction the county was headed, especially the Trump administration’s rollback of environmental regulations.
“He hated that, you know, people were just trashing the land,” Susan Pretti said. “He was an outdoorsman. He took his dog everywhere he went. You know, he loved this country, but he hated what people were doing to it.”
Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit and nonpartisan newsroom. Subscribe to our newsletters to get our investigative stories and Friday news roundup.This story is published in partnership with The Associated Press.
A bill moving through the Wisconsin Legislature would offer low-interest loans to small dairy farmers to boost efficiency as the state’s dairy industry rapidly consolidates into larger industrial operations.
But ahead of the state’s legislative session, which resumed in early January, major farm and dairy industry representatives pushed for changes that would allow large industrial farms to access the loans, according to lobbying communications and draft legislation obtained by Investigate Midwest through open records requests.
The state has lost nearly 18,000 dairy farms over the past two decades and, as of 2022, has roughly 6,000 operating dairy farms, with small-scale farms dwindling rapidly.
Wisconsin dairy farms with fewer than 500 cattle have decreased 67% since 2002. Almost every county in the state has lost at least half of its small farms in that same time, according to an Investigate Midwest USDA data analysis.
Senate Bill 323, introduced in July 2025, would set aside $20 million to create an innovation program for dairy farmers in the state to fund the purchase of new equipment or expand animal health practices to produce more milk. Farmers would apply through the state’s agriculture department.
Bill authors said farmers could also use the funds to develop manure management plans, create products from manure and improve animal health and outputs to produce higher-quality products, such as buttermilk. Medium and small dairy farmers can access up to $500,000 administered by the state’s agricultural department.
The bill was passed by the Senate 18 to 15 on Jan. 21 and can now be heard by the state Assembly.
Dispute over dairy herd sizes
Sen. Rob Stafsholt
State Sen. Rob Stafsholt, a New Richmond Republican who authored the bill, said economic sustainability has been an issue brought to him by farm operators throughout his rural, northwestern district.
“Some of the technology that can make farmers as efficient as possible and would help the smaller guys to compete with the bigger guys is often financially out of reach for our small and medium farms,” he said.
The Wisconsin dairy industry is worth nearly $53 billion, and its farms have become increasingly larger in recent years, while the overall number of farms continues to decrease. This trend has created legal clashes between rural towns and dairy farms across the state.
Bigger farms increase profitability by working with consolidated dairy processing companies. Small operations also work with large-scale processors but often rely on boutique dairy product sales, such as those from small-scale creameries or co-ops.
Cost is a major factor in the decline of small farms. The cost of operating a dairy farm in the U.S. has nearly doubled in the last decade, while the price farmers receive for their milk has fallen 15% in the same time frame, according to an analysis of USDA data.
The Wisconsin Farm Bureau and the Dairy Business Association, lobbying and advocacy groups for the state’s dairy and agriculture sector, both asked bill authors to remove the bill’s limit on the number of animal units a farm could have to apply for funding.
In Wisconsin, animal units are a metric primarily used to determine whether a farm meets the threshold for being considered a concentrated animal feeding operation, otherwise known as a CAFO. A single animal unit does not equate to a single animal. For example, a dairy cow is the equivalent of 1.4 animal units, while it would take roughly 30 chickens to equal a single animal unit.
Farms with 1,000 or more animal units have to apply for additional permits through the state’s Department of Natural Resources to manage waste. As farms get larger, increased waste can lead to runoff and pollution problems for nearby communities and waterways. Livestock runoff has been linked to cancers, infant deaths and miscarriages.
The current bill language sets an applicant’s limit at roughly 999 animal units, or roughly 700 dairy cattle.
In a letter to the bill authors, the Wisconsin Farm Bureau requested that the cap be removed, allowing the size of the farm to be part of the determination when applying for funding, rather than disallowing a larger farm from applying altogether.
“By aligning the program’s design with its intent, the bill can more effectively support on-farm innovation and ensure that Wisconsin farmers of all sizes have the opportunity to modernize, improve herd health, and maintain our state’s leadership in agricultural innovation,” the letter stated.
The Dairy Business Association, a trade group headquartered in Green Bay and operated by a board of executives with ties to CAFOs across the state, dairy processors and cheesemakers, told lawmakers in a letter that the state’s large farms provide stability to the milk supply and should be a part of the funding pool.
“A strong dairy economy depends on participation from farms of all sizes,” the letter states. “If this program’s eligibility criteria exclude large farms, the ripple effects will weaken — not strengthen — rural Wisconsin.”
Records show that Dairy Business Association lobbyists met with bill authors soon after the bill text was circulated in early June 2025 to discuss the herd size provision and other concerns with the legislation. The Dairy Business Association did not respond to requests for comment.
Rep. Clint Moses
The office of state Rep. Clint Moses, a Menomonie Republican who co-introduced a similar bill in the state’s Assembly, provided an early draft of a bill amendment to Dairy Business Association lobbyists ahead of the release of the amendment, according to an Aug. 5, 2025, email.
Despite meetings with lobbyists to express concerns about the bill’s language regarding herd size, the language has not changed to remove the animal unit cap.
Darin Von Ruden, president of the Wisconsin Farmers Union, said that if the legislation caps farm size, the funding will help more farmers. He said the Wisconsin Farmers Union supports maintaining the animal unit limit in the current legislation and will continue to watch the bill closely.
“The dollars that are available there could be easily swallowed up by two or three of the biggest farms in the state, and then nobody else will be able to be a part of that process,” Von Ruden said.
Stafsholt, the senator who introduced the bill, said that the original purpose of the bill was to support small and medium-sized farms and that keeping a limit on animal units will stop large farms from taking larger pieces of the program’s budget.
“Going forward, I have no intention of switching that number,” he said.
Bill addresses dairy’s undocumented workforce
The bill also points to the realities of drafting legislation affecting the dairy industry and navigating the sector’s open secret: undocumented labor.
Draft legislation shows bill authors intent on blocking farms that use undocumented labor from qualifying for the loan program. The current version of the bill would only allow farms that employ workers who are authorized to work in the state to apply for the program.
There are no definitive counts of the number of undocumented laborers working on Wisconsin dairy farms, but research estimates that nearly 70% of the state’s dairy industry relies on undocumented labor.
“I don’t have an issue with (farms) doing what they are doing,” Stafsholt said. “It’s more about following the law. We want to make sure taxpayer dollars funding the dairy cattle innovation program are not necessarily being utilized by those who fail to follow the basic law.”
In September 2025, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested dairy farm workers in Manitowoc County as part of a larger raid in the area. This comes as ICE raids have hit major agricultural industries and cities, detaining workers and increasing anxiety throughout the labor force.
Lobbyists from both the Farm Bureau and the Dairy Business Association initially expressed concerns about the impact this limitation would have.
In an August email from a member of Stafsholt’s staff to the senator, meeting notes show that Dairy Business Association representatives expressed concerns about the original requirement that farms employ only individuals legally authorized to work in Wisconsin, but that language remains in the current version.
“After conversations with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection on how the bill provision will be facilitated and discussions with the bill authors, staff, and stakeholders, we are not prioritizing changing that provision,” Jason Mugnaini, a Wisconsin Farm Bureau lobbyist, told Investigate Midwest in December.
Masked federal agents on the scene near where a federal officer shot a Minnesotan for the third time in as many weeks. (Photo by Madison McVan/Minnesota Reformer)
This story has been updated.
A federal agent fatally shot a man in Minneapolis on Saturday amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, escalating tensions after another killing earlier in the month.
It was the third shooting by immigration officers in the city in three weeks – and the second to end in death. Democratic local and state officials immediately condemned Saturday’s shooting as protests ramped up, and Republican President Donald Trump threatened again to send military troops to Minnesota.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said federal agents killed a 37-year-old man whom officials believe is a U.S. citizen who lives in Minneapolis. Video of the shooting was captured by observers and posted to social media.
The man who was killed has been identified as Alex Jeffrey Pretti in a statement from Sen. Zaynab Mohamed, DFL-Minneapolis, and by the Star Tribune and TheAssociated Press.
Pretti, who grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, was an ICU nurse who worked at the Minneapolis Veterans Administration hospital, according to a Wisconsin Public Radio interview with his parents, who still live in Green Bay,
O’Hara said he had no information about what led up to the shooting but said the man, whom he did not name, was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry. O’Hara says police have not interacted with the deceased other than a few traffic tickets.
Protesters line streets
Hundreds of protesters gathered near where the shooting happened, despite subzero temperatures. Many wore gas masks and eye protection — common in the Twin Cities, where demonstrations started when immigration officers arrived in December.
Federal agents deployed tear gas and flash bangs to push back the crowds, which lined up at several intersections near the site of the shooting shouting, “Shame!” and “ICE out, f*ck ICE!”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey again urged the federal government to end its two-month immigration siege, which has brought 3,000 federal officers to Minnesota, or nearly five times the number of sworn Minneapolis police officers.
“How many times must local and national leaders plead with you, Donald Trump, to end this operation and recognize that this is not creating safety in our city?” Mayor Jacob Frey said.
Gov. Tim Walz said he’d spoken to the White House after the shooting, but he doesn’t have confidence federal officials will change their actions or leave the state. He said the Department of Homeland Security has rushed to judgement and is already slandering the man who was killed.
“Minnesotans: You know who you are, and you demonstrate it every single day,” Walz said. “And we damn sure know who these people are. The American public knows. This needs to be the event that says, ‘enough.’”
Law enforcement blocked off the streets and deployed tear gas to dissuade angry demonstrators from going near the site of the shooting, which was on Nicollet Avenue just south of 26th Street. Over 100 federal agents were on the scene after the shooting.
Federal officers unleashed a cloud of tear gas in the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis after a third Minnesotan was shot by the feds, Jan. 26, 2026. (Photo by Madison McVan/Minnesota Reformer)
O’Hara urged demonstrators to go home. State Patrol and other state law enforcement were there also in an attempt to keep the peace.
Video captures shooting
In a graphic video now circulating on social media, six federal agents appear to wrestle the man to the ground in front of the New American Development Center. One of the agents hits the man three times with what appears to be a firearm. Bystanders are surrounding the group and filming on their cell phones.
Over 10 shots can be heard in the video, but it’s unclear if more than one agent fired a weapon.
The Department of Homeland Security said in a social media post that officers were conducting a targeted operation in Minneapolis against someone illegally in the U.S. “wanted for violent assault,” when another person approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm handgun.
Video shows an agent in a gray jacket approach the man as he’s being held on the ground by multiple other agents and then walk away with what appears to be a gun in his hand, before shots are fired.
“The officers attempted to disarm the suspect but the armed suspect violently resisted. More details on the armed struggle are forthcoming,” Homeland Security said. “Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots. Medics on scene immediately delivered medical aid to the subject but was pronounced dead at the scene.”
U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino said in a press conference that the officer who shot the man is “highly trained” and served as a Border Patrol agent for eight years. Bovino said the agent has “extensive training as a Range Safety Officer,” to ensure people on a gun range are using it safely.
The parents of Alex Pretti, Michael and Susan Pretti, released a statement Saturday, castigating the Trump administration for slandering their son with “sickening lies” that they called “reprehensible and disgusting.”
They defended their son’s conduct, saying he was protecting a woman who had been pushed down by federal agents. “Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man. Thank you.”
Conflict between state and federal law enforcement
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which typically investigates law enforcement shootings, said in a social media post their agents arrived at the scene of Saturday’s killing at the request of the Minneapolis Police Department but were blocked from accessing the location by the Department of Homeland Security.
BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said that after BCA officials were blocked from the scene of the shooting, they obtained a signed judicial warrant to gain access. BCA officials returned to the scene, but DHS agents still denied access.
People react to copious tear gas and flash grenades deployed by federal agents near the scene of 26th Street West and Nicollet Avenue, where federal agents shot and killed a 37-year-old man Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, the third shooting in as many weeks. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)
The BCA began a joint investigation into the ICE officer shooting of Renee Good earlier this month before being abruptly shut out of the investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, hindering local prosecutors from being able to consider if criminal charges are warranted against the officer.
Walz expressed disbelief that the federal agents were able to leave the scene with little to no investigation.
“You kill a man and then you just leave?” the governor said. “Is there a single case in American history where you just, like, walk away and say, ‘I guess that just happened and we’re not going to clean up our mess.’”
Walz said the federal agents involved in the shooting will be held accountable.
“Minnesota’s justice system will have the last word,” the governor said.
Trump posted a rambling response to the shooting on his social media platform referencing U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar’s bank account and saying “what you’re witnessing” is part of a cover up for Medicaid fraud.
“The Mayor and the Governor are inciting insurrection, with their pompous, dangerous and arrogant rhetoric,” Trump wrote, reviving a threat to invoke the Insurrection Act and send military troops into the streets of Minnesota.
Accounts contradict Homeland Security
Homeland Security statements about the previous shootings have later been found to be false or misleading. After the Jan. 7 killing of Good, the department referred to her as a “domestic terrorist.”
A 911 call after a second shooting, of a Venezuelan man in north Minneapolis, suggests that the agent shot at the man as he was trying to escape into a house, which would contradict the Department of Homeland Security account that the federal immigration agent fired a shot defensively. In a sworn affidavit, an FBI agent confirmed that the agent shot the man when he had begun running toward the house, the Star Tribune reported.
As Reformer sibling publication Stateline recently reported, Homeland Security recently revised its account of a December shooting in Glen Burnie, Maryland, after local police contradicted its initial version. The agency first claimed both men injured in the incident were inside a van that ICE officers fired at in self-defense, but later said that one of the injured men had already been arrested and was in custody inside an ICE vehicle when he was hurt. The other man was shot twice and is facing two federal criminal charges.
In August, federal immigration agents fired at a family’s vehicle three times in San Bernardino, California. Homeland Security maintained the shooting was justified after at least two agents were struck by the vehicle, but available footage shows an agent breaking the driver-side window moments before gunfire erupted. Surveillance footage from the street does not show agents being struck by the vehicle.
The Saturday shooting comes one day after tens of thousands of people protested ICE in downtown Minneapolis in subzero temperatures.
The Minnesota National Guard has been on active duty for over a week, meaning that they are prepared to rapidly respond if they are deployed. Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt on Saturday requested support from the National Guard to help them provide security at the federal Whipple Building — the site of ongoing protests. It’s unclear how many guard members will be stationed there.
People react to copious tear gas and flash grenades deployed by federal agents near the scene of 26th Street West and Nicollet Avenue, where federal agents shot and killed a 37-year-old man Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, the third shooting in as many weeks. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)
Reformer Deputy Editor Max Nesterak and Reporter Alyssa Chen contributed to this report.
Minnesota Reformer is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Minnesota Reformer maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor J. Patrick Coolican for questions: info@minnesotareformer.com.
JFA Naval and the Le Havre Pilots are pleased to announce the delivery of the new pilot boat Saint-Michel. Built in Concarneau, this polyester composi...
Login
