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 OF 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 ON 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 OF 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, THE
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 US 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 OF 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