Wisconsin Farmer Calls Election Results a Disaster for Agriculture

He is a Wisconsin farmer and known for being an outspoken advocate for rural communities. Hans Breitenmoser has deep concerns about the incoming administration and its impact on the state’s agricultural sector. Breitenmoser discusses how labor issues and tariffs could hit farmers hard with Todd Allbaugh, guest host of UpNorthNews Radio. 

“The election outcome is an unmitigated disaster for the state’s agriculture-related businesses,” Breitenmoser explains. “Trump criticized immigration policies that overall target essential farm workers, many of whom come from outside the U.S. Our dairy and meat industries rely heavily on these workers and sending them home or restricting immigration threatens to collapse Wisconsin’s agricultural economy.” 

Breitenmoser calls a dairy farm along the rolling hills of Lincoln County, a half-hour north of Wausau his home. And before him, it was his parent’s farm when they moved from Switzerland in 1968. Now he’s emphasizing the reality that Wisconsin farms depend on both documented and undocumented labor to operate efficiently.

“This economy doesn’t work without these people. It will be at a full stop,” Breitenmoser says.  

He also tells Allbaugh the likely reintroduction of tariffs will be disastrous for ag.

“Tariffs often result in retaliatory measures against U.S. agricultural products, such as Wisconsin cheese, soybeans, and ginseng,” Breitenmoser explains. “The last time we saw tariffs under the Trump administration, local ginseng producers suffered major losses. There’s no reason to believe it will be different this time.”

He’s frustrated but Breitenmoser will continue to raise awareness about the challenges ahead. And he is calling on both policy-makers and voters to better understand the harsh economic realities facing rural America.

“People have been misled, and now they’re about to find out by just how much,” he says. “I’m urging my neighbors and fellow farmers to prepare for a challenging road ahead.”