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Better Farming Ontario Featured Articles

Better Farming Ontario magazine is published 11 times per year. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


U.S. dairy farms rely on Hispanic workers

Monday, February 28, 2011

Many dairy farmers, even in Wisconsin, depend upon immigrant labour to run their operations, according to a veterinarian in Waupun, Wis.  Dr. Al Mertens stepped into a contentious and divisive debate over how to deal with undocumented workers in a guest column that appeared in the The (Fond du Lac) Reporter, in early January. Mertens wrote: "Dairy managers would like to avoid the language barriers and constant worries about immigration issues. They have enough problems managing their farms without adding more problems. But the truth is they can't find local Americans who want to fill the positions and show up to work . . . If we eliminated the Hispanic labour force the price of milk would increase and the banking industry would be forced to absorb a few billion more in bad loans as dairies fold.

"Our economy can't afford to send every illegal back to Mexico and replace them with a documented worker. The law abiding Hispanics that are here and working every day help everyone else eat cheap food and import cheaper goods." While comments on the website replying to the story were generally favourable, there was one strong suggestion that the entire dairy industry should be indicted for taking part in a criminal conspiracy. BF
 

Current Issue

March 2025

Better Farming Magazine

Farms.com Breaking News

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Thursday, March 13, 2025

As farmers across Canada prepare for the 2025 crop year, Statistics Canada says their planting decisions reflect a complex mix of factors including moisture conditions, crop rotation considerations, and market prices. Nationally, farmers are expected to plant more wheat, corn for... Read this article online

Grain Growers of Sounding the Alarm Over U.S. Tariffs

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Not surprisingly, the Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) is raising concerns over the United States' decision to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian grain and grain products, a move that could jeopardize the livelihoods of family-run grain farms and lead to higher food prices for American... Read this article online

International Women’s Day – Angela Cammaert

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

As International Women’s Day approaches on March 8, Farms.com is asking women in ag about what they’d tell their younger selves about being a farmer, to give a piece of advice to young women entering the ag sector, and to highlight a woman in agriculture they consider a mentor or... Read this article online

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