Extension’s New Farm Management Outreach Specialist to Focus on Farm Financial Risk Management

Jan 03, 2025

University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension is pleased to announce Sylvanus Gaku as the new Extension Farm Management Outreach Specialist, focused on farm financial risk management outreach education. This position identifies needs and provides outreach and education for solutions to the most critical issues facing Wisconsin agricultural producers in the area of farm financial risk management.

Profitable, healthy farm businesses are essential to Wisconsin’s $100 billion agriculture economy. Farmers must continually identify and evaluate opportunities and challenges to enhance their competitive position.

Financial risk is part of any farm business’s beginning, transition, or succession. Risk results from uncertainties surrounding policies and regulations, fluctuations in prices and costs, and increasing weather variability due to climate change, which affects both yield and quality.

Successful farms will depend upon skillful business management, requiring information, resources, and analysis for informed decision-making.

As the new Farm Management Outreach Specialist Sylvanus (Silva) Gaku will leverage his experience in agriculture economics and risk management to enhance the competitiveness of farms and the agricultural industry across Wisconsin. Silva’s previous research focused on farms’ use of debt, and alternatives and combination strategies for farm safety net programs. His Extension publications focused on the impact of farm policy, crop insurance, and weather shocks on producer income, well-being, and financial status. He has developed interactive maps and articles to inform farmers’s decisions for annual forage insurance, high coverage insurance policies, and payouts of ARC, PLC, and SCO -programs that aim to protect farmers from significant income losses due to fluctuations in crop prices or revenue shortfalls.

Silva earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Ghana, a Master’s in Economics from Cleveland State University, and in 2024 his PhD in Agricultural Economics from Kansas State University.

He served as a farm assistant, where he was involved in the cultivation and management of a wide range of crops, including both staple and specialty crops. This role allowed him to work in diverse agricultural environments, providing him with a broad understanding of various farming practices and techniques. His experience also gave him insight into the financial aspects of farming.

Silva started as a state outreach specialist on Dec. 16, 2025. His work will add value to that of partner organizations and community members through collaboration to develop and deliver educational programs for ag commodity and specialty crop industries across Wisconsin. His office will be at the new Extension Building at 3500 University Ave., Madison, Wis. Please contact Silva directly via email at silva.gaku@wisc.edu or by phone at 920-342-3180.

Source : wisc.edu

Video: Will the 2025 USDA December Crop Report Be a Market Mover/Surprise?

Historically, the USDA December crop report is a non-event or another dud report as the USDA reserves any final supply changes to the final report in January of the following year in this case 2026. But after the longest U.S. government shutdown in history at 43 days and no October crop report will they provide more data/surprise and make an exception?
Our China U.S. soybean purchase tracker is now at 26.6% or a total of 3.2 mmt but for traders it’s taking too long to unfold.
The final Stats Canada production report was bearish canola and wheat projection a record crop in both (it adds to the global glut of supplies) and bullish local corn and soybean prices in Ontario/Quebec thanks to a drought. It will not help the fund flow short-term, the USDA may need to offset it?
A U.S. Fed interest rate cut of another 25-basis point next Wednesday (probability 87.1%) could help fund flow and sentiment in stock and ag commodities into year end.
More inflows into Bitcoin this past week saw prices rebound back above 90,000 with support at 82,000 and resistance at 96,000.
A V-shaped bottom in cattle suggest the lows are in after Mexico reported another new world screwworm case. Lower weights, seasonal demand and higher U.S. beef select/choice values with a continued closure of the Mexican border to cattle will result in a resumption of higher cattle futures into yearend.
Australia is expected to produce its 3rd largest wheat crop ever at 36 mmt adding to the global glut of supplies.
Reports of ASF in hogs in Spain the largest pork exporter in Europe could see the U.S. win more pork export business long-term.
If the rains verify into next week of 3-5 inches for Brazil it would go a long way to fixing the dry regions from the last 2-months, but the European weather model has been wrong for the past 2-months!
Natural gas futures are surging to the 3rd price count as frigid hold temps set in.
CDN $ is also surging to end the week on a very resilient economy and better employment numbers suggesting no interest rate cuts next week.
Finally, the CFTC report showed funds were net buyers of soybeans but sellers of corn, canola and wheat. In real time the funds have gone back to selling as they take some profits.