Farmer Exposes Immigration Failure: A Dairy Crisis?

A dairy farmer in Wisconsin is raising alarm about the increasingly severe labor shortages affecting the agribusiness sector, particularly due to governmental complacency regarding immigration reform. John Rosenow, who owns Rosenholm Dairy, asserts that the inaction of the U.S. Congress has persisted for nearly 40 years, worsening the labor shortage that is detrimentally affecting his operations and the broader industry.

Rosenow points out that existing visa programs, such as the H-2A program, do not meet the needs of year-round dairy operations. The article reveals that 13 out of his 18 employees hail from Mexico, and recent enforcement of outdated immigration laws has instilled fear in these workers, limiting their ability to visit their families.

Rejecting stereotypes about Mexican immigrants, Rosenow emphasizes the quality and dedication of his workforce, citing long-term employee, Cevero, who has been a steadfast part of his team for over 25 years. He warns of the dire economic impacts on dairy farms should the current workforce dwindle without reforms, casting a grim shadow over the industry's future viability.