In Focus: Wisconsin’s dairy industry seeks rebound

MADISON, Wis.— Mark Stephenson, director of dairy coverage evaluation at College of Wisconsin-Madison, stated provide chain points and inflated costs for provides are taking a toll on the dairy business. 

“These have been greater than ripples, I might say,” Stephenson stated. “They have been extra like tsunamis.” 

He stated enter prices on dairy farms are up, with even easy provides like fertilizer getting dearer. 

Stephenson additionally referred to as a scarcity of labor on farms “an actual downside” this spring. 

On the optimistic aspect, Stephenson stated milk costs are at report highs. 

“However we even have report excessive prices of manufacturing that milk, and that is chewing up quite a lot of these margins,” Stephenson stated.  

He stated some farms have offset feed prices by buying early. Others, based on Stephenson, have invested extra in automated milking techniques and different units that enable them to function with fewer individuals. He stated these farms are prone to have 12 months due to the excessive milk costs. 

Stephenson stated farms that did not take the above steps, or plan forward, may wrestle to remain afloat this spring and summer time.