WORK.
% FORECASTS
FOR
RAIN
MAY
DAMPEN
% WEEKEND PICNIC
PLANS
BUT
IS
A
% MUCH
BIGGER
THREAT
TO
STATE
% FARMERS.
% A
STATUS
REPORT ON THE
% CHALLENGING
AND
WET
SPRING
AND
% EARLY SUMMER.
% LAST WEEK
THE
STATE DEPARTMENT
% OF
AGRICULTURE
ENCOURAGED
% FARMERS
WITH
FIELDS
STILL
TOO
% WET FOR
GRANTING
TO
TAKE
% ADVANTAGE
OF A
FEDERAL
% CONVERSATION
PROGRAM
FOR
LAND
% TAKEN OUT O
F
PRODUCTION AND
% CHANGED
INTO
GRASSLANDS AND
% OTHER
BUFFERS
AGAIN
FUTURE
% FLOODING.
% WE
GET AN
UPDATE
WITH
JIM
TOLT
HOLTE.
% HOW
ARE WISCONSIN
FARMERS
BEING
% AFFECTED BY THE
AMOUNT OF
RAIN
% WE'VE BEEN
SEEING
GOING BACK
% INTO
THE
SPRING?
% >>
HONESTLY, IT
VARIES
FROM
% PLACE
TO
PLACE
DEPENDING
O
N
YOUR
% LIKELIHOOD OF
GETTING
RAIN
AND
% ALSO
TYPES
OF
SOIL YOU HAVE.
% IN
GENERAL
IT'S
BEEN
MUCH
% DELAYED
FROM
NORMAL.
% SO
THERE'S
BEEN
FARMERS
THAT
% HAVE
LAND
THAT THEY HAVE
NOT
AND
% PROBABLY
WILL
NOT
PLANT
% CURRENTLY IN
THIS
SEASON.
% SO
IT'S
CHALLENGING.
% YET
EACH ONE
OF
US LIVES
BY
THE
% WEATHER A LITTLE BIT.
% I
MEAN, FOR
INSTANCE
TODAY
IT'S
% KIND
O
F
WARM
AND
MUGGY
OUT
AND
% THAT
IMPACTS US
ALL.
% BUT FOR
US
IN
FARMING
IT'S A BIG
% DEAL.
% WEATHER
IS A BIG
PART
OF
OUR
% DAY.%>>
IT
ALWAYS
IS.
% DIFFICULT GROWING CONDITIONS
ARE% A
WAY
OF
LIFE
FOR
FARMERS.
% BUT THIS
COMES
ON
TOP
OF
% DEPRESSED MILK
PRICES
AND
TRADE
% WARS
AND
LABOR
SHORTAGES.
% WHAT ARE
YOUR
MEMBERS
TELLING
% YOU
ABOUT
HOW THEY ARE
FARING
AS
% WE
HIT
WHAT SHOULD
BE
PEAK
% GROWING
SEASON?
% >>
WELL,
YOU'RE
EXACTLY
RIGHT,
% FREDERICA.
% THIS IS
ONE
MORE
CHALLENGE
BUILT
% ON TOP
OF
OTHER
ONES
THAT
PLACES% A LITTLE
MORE
STRESS
AND
STRAIN
% ON A
LOT
OF
FARMERS.
% I WISH
I
COULD
SAY
THERE'S AN
% EASY,
QUICK,
SIMPLE
SOLUTION.%
I DON'T KNOW
IF
THAT'S
TRUE.
% THE
WEATHER
CONTINUES TO
BE A
% PROBLEM NOT ONLY
WITH
THE
% PLANTING
SEASON,
BUT
NOW
AS
SOME
% STRUGGLE
TO
MAKE
DRY
ENOUGH
% WEATHER
TO
MAKE
HAY
AND THOSE
% SORT OF
THINGS.
% SO
THE
CHALLENGES
GO
ON,
% ALTHOUGH
I
WOULD
SAY
FARMERS
% KNOW THE
WEATHER CAN
BE
% DIFFERENT EVERY
YEAR
AND
SO
WE
% KNOW WE HAVE
TO
ADJUST
AND
WE'LL
% DO THE
BEST WE
CAN.
% >>
WITH
49 WISCONSIN
FARM
% BANKRUPTCIES LAST
YEAR,
T
HE% HIGHEST IN
THE
NATION,
ARE
% MARKET
AND
WEATHER
CONDITIONS
% RESULTING IN
SOME
FARMERS
% OPTING,
AS
WE'VE
SUGGESTED, FOR
% PUTTING
THEIR
LAND
INTO
% CONSERVATION RESERVE
PROGRAMS?
% >>
WELL,
I
THINK
THOSE
DIFFERENT
% OPTIONS
LOOK
INVITING AT
TIMES.
% THERE'S
CERTAIN
INSURANCE
% PROGRAMS AS WELL
AS
CERTAIN
% GOVERNMENT LAND
SET
ASIDE
% PROGRAMS THAT BECOME MORE
OF AN
% OPTION
WHEN
YOU
FACE
THESE
% CHALLENGES.
% AND
EACH ONE
OF
U
S
HAS
TO
MAKE
% THAT DECISION
FOR
OURSELVES,
% WHETHER IT
FITS
OUR CURRENT
YEAR
% AND LONG-TERM PLANS.
% SO IT
CERTAINLY IS A
% CONSIDERATION.%>>
WHAT
ELSE
CAN
FARMERS
DO
TO
% STAVE
OFF
FINANCIAL COLLAPSE?
% WE KNOW
IT'S
BAD
OUT
THERE.% >>
WELL,
I
WOULD
SAY
THAT TO
BE% A
FARMER YOU HAVE TO
BE AN
% OPTIMIST
TO
START
OUT
WITH
% BECAUSE
YOU
SPEND
QUITE A
BIT
OF
% MONEY AND
PUT A
LOT
OF
THINGS IN
% THE GROUND
ASSUMING
THEY'RE
% GOING TO
COME
OUT
AND
COME
% FORWARD
FOR
YOU
FOR HARVEST
IN
% THE FALL.
% SO
I
THINK
AMONGST
FARMERS
% OURSELVES, WE
NEED
TO
BE A
% POSITIVE VOICE
FOR
OUR
% NEIGHBORS.
% WE
NEED
TO STOP
AND
HAVE A
% CONVERSATION AT
TIMES
WHEN
YOU
% KNOW
SOMEBODY
IS
STRUGGLING
WITH
% THE
WEATHER OR
WITH
THE
FACT
% THEY
MAY
HAVE
NOT
PLANTED
OR
% HARVESTED THEIR
CROP
ON
TIME.
% SO A
LOT
O
F
TIMES
IT
GETS TO
BE% A SOCIAL
THING
THAT WE
CAN
HELP
% EACH OTHER
WITH.
% >>
ARE
FARMERS
LOOKING
FORWARD
% TO
GETTING
THE
NEW
NAFTA
% RATIFIED?%>>
WELL,
THE
NEW
NAFTA,
AS
% YOU'VE DESCRIBED
IT,
IS A
TRADE
% DEAL
THAT'S
BEEN
NEGOTIATED
% BETWEEN THE THREE
COUNTRIES
OF
% MEXICO, CANADA
AND
THE
U.S.
% AND WHILE
NEGOTIATIONS ALWAYS
% HAVE
UPS
AND
DOWNS
AND
THE
% RESULTS
ARE
ALWAYS
UPS
AND
% DOWNS,
IN
GENERAL
WE
WOULD
LIKE% TO
SEE
IT
COMPLETED
THROUGH
THE
% PROCESS AND
ACCEPTED
BY
% CONGRESS.
% BECAUSE IT WILL
PROVIDE
SOME
% MORE
CERTAINTY, BOTH
TO
OUR
% FARMERS
AND
TO
OTHER
BUSINESS
% PEOPLE ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.% >> ALL
RIGHT.
% JIM HOLT AT
THE,
THANKS
!