Series: The Dairy State Economy

Jonny Hunter (CC BY 2.0)

Series: The Dairy State Economy

Dairy is iconic in Wisconsin, with the production of milk and cheese a longstanding foundation of the state's identity and global reputation. This industry is a significant component of Wisconsin's economy, dependent on the fluctuations of international markets and tastes of consumers, with each affecting the livelihoods of farmers and their employees. Meanwhile, the structure of the business is changing, with the number of farms decreasing as their average size is increasing. Around Wisconsin, the direction of the dairy industry will define the future for producers and communities.

Wisconsin Farms See Upturn In Women And Millennial Producers... And Goats

Will Cushman

WisContext

The United States Department of Agriculture census documents a large and diverse farming economy in Wisconsin, but also one in flux.

Series: The Dairy State Economy

Series: Renewable Energy In Wisconsin

Facing Falling Prices, Farmers Search For A 'Field of Beams'

Video:

Will Kenneally

PBS Wisconsin

Stagnant milk and crop prices are causing farmers to seek out new sources of revenue. Some farmers who are renting their land to put down solar panels in an effort to turn a profit.

Series: The Dairy State Economy

How Can Farmers Adapt to Falling Milk Prices?

Video:

Frederica Freyberg

PBS Wisconsin

WisContext reporter Will Cushman delves into what declining milk prices mean for Wisconsin dairy producers. He highlights specific counties in the state that have shown stark declines in herd numbers, and discusses what the outlook is for future milk prices.

Series: The Dairy State Economy

Series: CAFOs, Manure And Water

7 Trends That Explain The Contours Of Wisconsin's Deepening Dairy Crisis

Will Cushman

WisContext

A maelstrom of economic and demographic forces are hammering Wisconsin's dairy farmers. But what's causing such exceptional distress in one of the state's iconic industries?

Series: The Dairy State Economy

Wisconsin's Place In A Bewildering Milk Pricing System

Will Cushman

WisContext

While the economic and human toll wrought by low milk prices have been documented, the factors that determine those prices can feel enigmatic or perhaps even baffling for people outside of the industry.

Series: The Dairy State Economy

Door County Couple Born Into Farming, Thriving By Diversifying

Video:

Zac Schultz

PBS Wisconsin

At 5 a.m. it's still dark outside, but the lights are on in the barn at Cherryland Dairy in Door County.

Series: The Dairy State Economy

Series: Wisconsin's Diverse Waves Of Immigration

Non-Profit Looks To Build Connections Between Midwestern Dairy Farms And Immigrant Workers

Madeline Heim

Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism

Roberto Tecpile often puts in 70 hours a week at the Rosenholm dairy farm in Cochrane — a village in Buffalo County where winter days are short and can be bitterly cold.

Series: The Dairy State Economy

Wisconsin Dairy Navigates Gaps In Immigrant Labor Policy

Julie Grace

WisContext

As farms and other agricultural businesses around Wisconsin struggle to find and retain employees, many turn to seasonal worker programs to hire workers from outside the United States to fill empty positions.

Series: The Dairy State Economy

Changes In Dairy Industry Spur Farmers To Pursue Novel Business Strategies

Julie Grace

WisContext

An increasing number of dairy farmers are adopting new sales practices, or are entirely shifting the focus of their business to keep themselves afloat and making money.

Series: The Dairy State Economy

'Last Generation' Farmers Face Tough Choice Between Selling Or Renting

Julie Grace

WisContext

For land-owning farmers facing tough economic circumstances, the decision to forgo another year's crop or to liquidate their livestock is not an easy one.