Since the early 20th century, Wisconsin proudly claims the identity of America’s Dairyland while the state emerged as the nation’s leading producer of dairy products. Today, that reality is at risk as farmers struggle to retain workers and keep up with production. Undocumented immigrant laborers fill a large number of job vacancies in rural areas where the local labor force has been shrinking for decades. A 2023 survey conducted by the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s School for Workers found that approximately 70% of labor on Wisconsin dairy farms is performed by undocumented immigrants (Ibarra, et al., 2023). Historically, farms, and the trade, were passed down through family to the younger generation. However, today, the declining rural population, the increasing size of dairies, and the dangers of physical labor has left farm owners statewide struggling to find native-born workers. This labor gap is reinforced by outdated immigration laws.
WisPolitics | Priscilla A. Prado: Why Wisconsin’s dairy farms depend on migrant workers