Legal and Community Needs Assessment
Authors: Armando Ibarra, Alexia Kulwiec, and Graci Austin-Nichols
The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School for Workers has released the Dairy Workers Study: Legal and Community Needs Assessment, a comprehensive report examining the challenges faced by dairy workers in Wisconsin. Conducted in partnership with Legal Action of Wisconsin’s Farmworker Project, the study highlights the difficult working conditions, legal vulnerabilities, and social isolation experienced by many dairy workers, who are predominantly Latinx immigrants.
Key findings reveal widespread workplace safety violations, lack of awareness about legal rights, and barriers to accessing healthcare, housing, and fair wages. Many workers also cited fears of retaliation and deportation as obstacles to advocating for better conditions. The report calls for strategic outreach, legal education, increased funding for civil legal aid, and improved workplace protections to address these urgent issues.
This study underscores the need for policy changes and community support to ensure the well-being of Wisconsin’s dairy workforce.