Small dairy farms struggle to survive in Wisconsin

Small dairy farms are struggling in Wisconsin, but supporters are hoping for a comeback.

In April, the National Agricultural Statistics Service reported that Wisconsin dropped below 10,000 dairy farms for the first time since such records have been kept for nearly 100 years. The state’s smallest dairy farms with less than 49 cows are spiraling down toward the 3,000 mark.

But the Wisconsin State Journal reports supporters hope small dairy farms in Wisconsin will continue to survive and create a niche just like many of the state’s cheese producers have done.

A spokesman for the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board says the state’s dairy industry is seeing a renaissance. Wisconsin’s milk production rose to a record 27.8 billion pounds in 2014.