Are most Wisconsin dairy farms now owned by corporations?
Contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of dairy farms in Wisconsin are still family owned and operated. However the business structures that define the operation may look quite different than the single proprietor farm of two decades ago. It may mean that two or more families are combining resources under a new business structure to provide for a new generation of multi-family dairies. Or it may mean that parents and their children are establishing a working plan for an orderly succession that positions the business for long-term success. These are just two of the many examples of Wisconsin farmers applying solid business principles to their operations to preserve the viability and profitability of their farms for generations to come. Why is the number of Wisconsin dairy farms decreasing? It’s not just happening in Wisconsin, and it’s not just happening in the dairy industry. U.S. farm numbers have been decreasing for the past century. In the early 1900s, farms in the United Sta
