Wisconsin farmers are finally getting some relief from the ongoing drought as rainfall across much of the state has improved crop conditions.  That’s according to the latest crop progress report from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, which shows harvesting of oats, winter wheat and potatoes is proceeding ahead of

A computer science professor at UW-Madison says certain AI tools pose a cybersecurity threat when in the wrong hands, and urges skepticism about potential defenses.  In a presentation held as part of Madison’s Forward Festival, Prof. Somesh Jha yesterday discussed how experts in the field are looking to preempt the

A Madison-based nonprofit called Maydm plans to ramp up growth after being selected for a five-year, $500,000 grant award.  The organization aims to support girls and youth of color in 6th grade through high school as they pursue education in STEM fields, offering workshops, summer programs and paid internships.  Maydm

A group of Wisconsin partners is seeking a “regional tech hub” designation from federal officials focused on personalized medicine and biohealth technology.  According to yesterday’s announcement from the consortium of 15 public and private sector organizations, this designation by the federal Economic Development Administration could result in between $50 million

Manufacturers in rural areas are more vulnerable to disruption from the transition to electric vehicles, according to a WEDC official.   Flannery Geoghegan, senior director of policy at the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp., yesterday discussed findings from a recent study focused on the state’s electric vehicle supply chain strategy. She spoke

Wisconsin crop forecasts for this year are down across the board, as farmers in parts of the state continue to grapple with drought conditions.  The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reports state corn production is expected to be 515 million bushels, which would be 6 percent lower than last year’s

Scientists in Madison have developed a method for turning plastic waste into more valuable materials, according to a new study.  The work was led by George Huber, a professor of chemical and biological engineering at UW-Madison. In a release from the university, he says “there’s a huge market” for the

In the 1860s, traveling to Walworth County’s Geneva Lake by horse-drawn wagon or carriage was no easy task. That changed in July 1871, when the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad was extended to the town of Lake Geneva, cutting the trip to less than a day from the Windy City. Three

Figures tracked by MMAC are showing a “slow, steady path upward” for Milwaukee’s economy, according to the group’s latest economic trends report.  The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce yesterday released its June report, showing 14 of the 23 factors included in its analysis saw year-over-year improvements that month.  While that’s

GOP lawmakers are touting a bill that would provide a transportation tax credit for blind employees as a way to boost Wisconsin’s workforce.  Rep. David Steffen, R-Green Bay, and Sen. Rob Hutton, R-Brookfield, are currently circulating the bill for cosponsorship. In a memo sent to all state lawmakers, they note

A group of southeastern Wisconsin landlords wants to suspend several administrative codes that govern how they interact with tenants, while opponents argue the code is the law.   In a brief filed recently in Waukesha County Circuit Court, the landlords argue the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection codes are

The head of the American Nuclear Society is congratulating Janesville-based SHINE Technologies for achieving a “milestone moment” in developing fusion technology.  The company yesterday announced it has demonstrated visible Cherenkov radiation produced by fusion “for what is believed to be the first time in history,” according to the release. This

State officials are now developing an implementation plan for more than $1 billion in federal dollars coming to Wisconsin through the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program.  During a meeting of the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access, Broadband Expansion Manager Rory Tikalsky yesterday provided an update on BEAD planning

Ubicept, a Boston tech company based on research done at UW-Madison and MIT, recently closed on a $8 million investment round that included WARF.  The startup says it’s “redefining boundaries in the field of computer vision” by developing a perception system and image processing algorithms that use imaging sensors in

Fewer Milwaukee businesses expect to see year-over-year sales increases for the third quarter, according to the latest MMAC survey.  The Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce’s Business Outlook Survey found 56 percent of surveyed businesses expect real sales to rise in the third quarter of this year compared to the same

Buell Motorcycles founder and former Harley-Davidson engineer Erik Buell has announced performance details for his new electric FUELL Fllow motorcycle.  The 73-year-old East Troy motorcycle engineer’s latest creation is an all-electric motorcycle aimed at urban and suburban riders with more torque — or tire twisting power — than a new

Wisconsin small businesses last year secured more than $1 billion in federal contracts for the second year in a row, according to the latest U.S. Small Business Administration figures.  The federal agency this week announced more than $5.9 billion was spent on federal contracts in Wisconsin in fiscal year 2022,

TitletownTech now has $95 million in assets under management after recently closing on a $70 million fund.  The Green Bay venture capital firm yesterday announced 27 new and existing investors contributed to its second fund, including the Green Bay Packers and Microsoft, which collaborated to launch the firm in 2019. 

UW-Madison researchers have created a new wireless network system that dramatically improves energy efficiency.  That’s according to an overview from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, which is seeking commercial partners to help develop the system. WARF says the technology is well-suited to the “smart agriculture” industry, where it could connect