THE HEARTBREAK OF WAR AND TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES ARE HITTING HARD
ON THE HOMEFRONT.
WISCONSIN DAIRY FARMERS KEEP HEARING ABOUT AN ECONOMIC
RECOVERY AND YET THEIR COST FOR DOING BUSINESS WAY OUT PACES THE
PRICES THEY GET FOR MILK.
IN OUR ONGOING MONEY MATTERS SERIES, "IN WISCONSIN" FREDERICA
FREYBERG SHOWS YOU HOW FARMERS ARE STILL WAITING FOR RECOVERY
DOWN ON THE FARM IN PLYMOUTH.
>> THE ACREAGE OUT BACK OF THE DAIRY FARM WILL SOON BE GRAZING
LAND FOR HIS 200 COWS.
THEY'LL BE EATING GRASS TO SAVE ON THE BACK BREAKING COST OF
FEED.
>> IT'S PRETTY TOUGH.
>> I AM A LITTLE PROBABLY AFRAID OF WHAT'S COMING IF MILK PRICES
DON'T IMPROVE.
>> THE PRICE FARMERS HAVE BEEN GETTING FOR THEIR MILK FOR THE
LAST SEVERAL MONTHS IS THE LOWEST IN 25 YEARS.
>> IT'S PROBABLY ALMOST HALF OF WHAT WE WERE MAKING LAST YEAR.
>> AND THEIR COSTS FOR THINGS LIKE FEED AND SEED AND
FERTILIZER HAVE ONLY GONE UP AND THEN THERE'S HEALTH CARE.
>> JAMES JUST HAD SURGERY ON HIS SHOULDER THIS LAST FEBRUARY.
WE HAD TO PAY THOUSANDS.
I'M STILL PAYING ON HIS HOSPITAL BILLS.
>> SHEBOYGAN COUNTY DAIRY AGENT HEARS IT EVERY DAY.
>> THEY SAY TO ME THAT THEY DON'T KNOW HOW THEY'RE GOING TO
MAKE THE NEXT MILK CHECK LAST.
A LOT OF TIMES THE MILK CHECKS ARE SPENT BEFORE THEY RECEIVE IT
IN THEIR BANK ACCOUNT.
>> MILK PRICES FOR FARMERS ARE THE RESULT OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
A COOL SUMMER MEANT COWS PRODUCED MORE SO THE PRICE IS
HIGH EVEN AS SOME FARMERS WENT OUT OF BUSINESS AND DEMAND ON
THE EXPORT MARKETS OF CHEESE AND NONFAT DRY MILK FELL INTO THE
BASEMENTS THIS YEAR.
GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS LIKE PRICE SUPPORTS DO OFFER WISCONSIN
FARMERS SOME NEEDED RELIEF.
>> THE EXTRA MONEY THAT WE JUST GET MONTHLY FROM THE MILK
PROGRAM HELPS TO JUST KIND OF TAKE THE EDGE OFF OF SOME OF
THOSE BILLS THAT WE CAN'T PAY.
>> AG EXPERTS SAY INCREASINGLY IN THIS MARKET AND IN THIS
ECONOMY, DAIRY FARMERS ARE TURNING TO ANOTHER KIND OF
GOVERNMENT HELP MANY NEVER CONSIDERED BEFORE.
THINGS LIKE FOOD STAMPS, FUEL ASSISTANCE, HEALTH INSURANCE FOR
THE POOR.
>> THESE PRODUCERS TAKE PRIDE IN A PRODUCT THEY PRODUCE AND THEY
TAKE PRIDE THEY ARE SELF SUFFICIENT AND IT IS BREAKING
THEIR HEARTS TO EVEN HAVE TO CALL AND ASK, ARE THERE PROGRAMS
OR OPPORTUNITIES FOR ME THAT I CAN TAP INTO JUST TO GET ME
THROUGH THE NEXT MONTH?
>> THE YOUNGEST SON TIM WORKS ON THE FARM.
HIS THREE OLDER SIBLINGS LEFT FOR COLLEGES AND OTHER
PROFESSIONS.
>> I'M NOT REALLY SURE ABOUT WANTING TO CONTINUE TO DAIRY
FARM HERE.
>> TIM SAYS HE'S WATCHED HOW HARD HIS PARENTS HAVE WORKED AND
DESPITE THEIR WISHES, HE MAY NOT BECOME THE FOURTH GENERATION TO
RUN THE FARM.
>> THIS ISN'T REALLY A JOB.
IT'S A LIFE.
>> THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE REPORTS THAT SINCE
ABOUT 1950, 100,000 FAMILY FARMS HAVE GONE OUT OF BUSINESS.
MANY TIMES A RETIRING FARMER BECOMES THE LAST IN A LINE.
>> THEIR NEEDS ARE GOING OUT, THEIR BACKS ARE GOING OUT.
THEY CAN'T DO THAT MUCH LO AS THEY AGE BUT THEY DON'T HAVE
ANOTHER GENERATION, THE SONS OR DAUGHTERS COMING IN.
>> BUT THERE ARE GLIMMERS OF HOPE AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE
INTERESTED IN FARMING LIKE IN THE FACES OF KIDS TENDING FOR
SHOW ANIMALS AT THE SHEBOYGAN COUNTY FAIR.
>> YOU GUYS ARE READY?
>> TINA COLEMAN CALLS THIS A HAPPY TIME IN THE MIDST OF ALL
OF THE TOIL AND TROUBLE.
>> THIS IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF SHEBOYGAN COUNTY.
THIS IS THE CLIMAX OF THE SUMMER.
TO SEE THESE YOUNG KIDS TO HAVE PASSION AND HEART, IT IS A
BRIGHT SPOT AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FARMERS TO
SPEND TIME WITH THEIR FAMILIES.
THIS BRINGS OUR FAMILIES TOGETHER, GIVES THEM A BREAK
FROM THE EVERY DAY THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON IN THE FARM.
>> THINGS LIKE SENDING MILK OFF TO MARKET FOR PRICES THAT DON'T
ALLOW MOST FARMERS TO BREAK EVEN, MUCH LESS PROFIT.
EXPERTS SAY PRICES THAT WOULD ALLOW THAT ARE NOT EXPECTED FOR
AT LEAST A YEAR.
>> WISCONSIN AG EXPERTS SAY PRICES ARE STARTING TO EDGE
HIGHER BUT HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO TO REVERSE THE RED INK FACING
FARMERS.
THE PRESIDENT THIS MONTH SIGNED LEGISLATION THAT GIVES 350
MILLION DOLLARS IN EMERGENCY FINANCIAL RELIEF TO DAIRY
FARMERS.
THE REPORT YOU JUST SAW IS PART OF A MUCH LARGER PROJECT
INVOLVING JOURNALISTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY CALLED
PATCHWORK NATION.
IN COLLABORATION WITH PBS'S NEWS HOUR AND THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
MONITOR, WE ARE EXAMINING HOW ECONOMIC ISSUES ARE PLAYING
DIFFERENTLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
TO LEARN MORE JUST GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT wpt. org/InWisconsin.
AND CLICK ON "IN WISCONSIN."
YOU'LL FIND INFORMATION ABOUT PATCHWORK NATION.