Virtual Fencing Becomes Better Option And UW-Madison Monitors Federal Funds

Technology is often something talked about in production agriculture, but you might be surprised at what levels. Karen St. Germain is the Director of Earth Science at NASA.  She shares with Ben Jarboe the work they do to support US farmers and says they are looking for more farmers to work with to further their research.

Smoke alert for Wisconsin!  Stu Muck says there's an air quality advisory in effect for the entire state until 6 a.m. Saturday because of wildfires in Canada.

If you're familiar with an electric fence for your backyard as pet control, then you might be able to get your arms around farms using the same concept.  Virtual fencing has been discussed for a while, but now a researcher at Oklahoma State University is working on refining the technology so farms can use it in wide open spaces. Dr. Ryan Reuter, a professor of animal and food sciences at Oklahoma State University, says animals would be fit with a collar that allows them to sense when they're close to the fence.  He acknowledges that some animals will learn faster than others, just like some farmers will grasp how to manage the technology faster than others.

Ivy league schools have found themselves in headlines when the federal government removes funding or stops supporting research efforts.  The financing uncertainty isn't limited to just colleges of a certain tier.  Stephanie Hoff talks with UW-Madison College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Dean, Glenda Gilaspy, on where she worries about funding being cut.  Gilaspy also says they're expecting a very large freshman class on campus this fall, and how they're planning to handle the load.

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