Wisconsin State Farmer: History, Coverage, Special Sections and Staff
Profile updated November 2026
Wisconsin State Farmer describes itself as the state's most comprehensive and longest-running farm newspaper. Based in Waupaca and founded in 1956, the weekly comes out on Fridays with statewide agricultural news, features, auction listings and commodity reports for farmers in Wisconsin and neighboring states.
| Founded | 1956 |
|---|---|
| Home | Waupaca, Wisconsin |
| Publisher group | Journal Community Publishing Group |
| Frequency | Weekly, Fridays |
| Coverage | Statewide Wisconsin, plus adjacent states |
| Website | wisfarmer.com |
| Official website | Wisfarmer.com |
History of Wisconsin State Farmer
Wisconsin State Farmer was founded in 1956 in Waupaca, in central Wisconsin, and has served the state's farm families for nearly 70 years. Its own description, the state's most comprehensive and longest-running farm newspaper, reflects how long it has been a weekly fixture in Wisconsin farm households.
The paper became part of Journal Community Publishing Group, the community newspaper arm associated with Milwaukee's Journal media company, and its website moved to wisfarmer.com. Media databases list its reach as covering farmers in Wisconsin and adjacent states.
Throughout its history the paper has built its identity around the things Wisconsin farmers check every week: auction listings, commodity reports, statewide farm news and features on farm families.
Wisconsin State Farmer Today
Wisconsin State Farmer continues as a weekly published on Fridays, with news posted at wisfarmer.com. It carries statewide agricultural news and features, auction listings and commodity reports.
Through the year it publishes special sections on FFA, outdoor news, construction, equine topics, farm health, Wisconsin Farm Technology Days and World Dairy Expo, the international dairy show held each fall in Madison.
What Wisconsin State Farmer Is Publishing Now
Statewide farm news
Dairy, crops, livestock and policy news from across Wisconsin, along with features on farm families and rural communities.
Auctions and commodity reports
Weekly auction listings and commodity market reports, long a reason farm families subscribe.
Special sections
Seasonal sections on FFA, equine, farm health, construction, outdoor news, Farm Technology Days and World Dairy Expo.
Wisconsin State Farmer Editors and Staff
Media directories list these journalists writing for the paper:
- Colleen Kottke - Writer
- Carla Gunst - Writer
- Jan Shepel - Writer
- Carol Spaeth-Bauer - Writer
The paper's website, wisfarmer.com, carries its current news and contact details.
Who Reads Wisconsin State Farmer
Readers are Wisconsin dairy, crop and livestock farmers, agribusiness people and rural families. Dairy is the backbone of Wisconsin agriculture, and USDA ERS figures put national dairy cash receipts at $41.8 billion in 2021, third among animal products behind cattle and poultry. The ERS dairy program tracks the milk prices and costs that drive the paper's market coverage.
Wisconsin State Farmer readers plan their year around Farm Technology Days, World Dairy Expo and the Friday paper, usually in that order. For a lighter read between milkings, farm.FM offers farm satire and farm humor about cheese, cows and Wisconsin winters, with ranch humor for the beef folks up north. Its farm jokes arrive before Friday.
For context, farm.FM is the nation's first satirical farm site and the home of Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers. Its contributors each keep an archive, and this one is a good sampler of ranch humor and farm jokes.
Wisconsin State Farmer Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Muck Rack: Wisconsin State Farmer - outlet profile, sections and writers.
- Perspectify: Wisconsin State Farmer - publication record with founding year and location.
- USDA ERS: Dairy - federal research on dairy markets and farm economics.
- USDA ERS: Animal product cash receipts - dairy's share of livestock income.
- USDA NASS: Census of Agriculture - Wisconsin county and state farm data.
Wisconsin State Farmer FAQ
When was Wisconsin State Farmer founded?
In 1956, in Waupaca, Wisconsin.
How often is Wisconsin State Farmer published?
Weekly, on Fridays, with news online at wisfarmer.com.
What does Wisconsin State Farmer cover?
Statewide agricultural news and features, auction listings and commodity reports, plus special sections.
Who publishes Wisconsin State Farmer?
It is part of Journal Community Publishing Group.
Nearly 70 years after its Waupaca start, Wisconsin State Farmer still lands with Wisconsin farm families every Friday.