Wisconsin Farmers Forced to Monitor the Weather and Politics

It’s a race against time for Wisconsin farmers. And Hans Breitenmoser considers the spring weather both his friend and foe.

“I just refilled the corn planter again,” the Lincoln County man explains. “I’m managing the daily logistics of seed, fertilizer, and machinery, while a contracted specialist handles the planting with a 12-row John Deere. So, I’m literally overseeing every moving part.”

Breitenmoser recently joined Pat Kreitlow, host of Mornings with Pat Kreitlow, to discuss the ongoing efforts to pass a budget that would only hurt farmers, along with the way it would impact low-income families who rely on nutrition assistance they provide. He tells Kreitlow he’s monitoring both national policy moves and Mother Nature on his family farm located about an hour north of Wausau. 

---

Listen to the full segment here:

---

“That’s my job,” he says. “Keep everyone moving. Keep things patched together when they break. And make sure we’re ready before the next storm rolls through.”

The latest US Department of Agriculture (USDA) report shows 86% of tillage is done across the state. Corn planting is 73% complete. That’s five days ahead of last year. Soybeans are close behind at 66%. But with sporadic and intense rainfall, conditions vary wildly. 

“My corn planter guy is only 25 miles away, and the rain we each get is completely different,” Breitenmoser says. “A few nights ago, we had washouts from a fast, hard rain. It tore up some of the fields that were just planted.”

The shifting climate means adapting by using more no-till methods along with cover crops to fight erosion. 

“We have to be smarter moving forward,” he says.

But fieldwork isn’t the only front line. Breitenmoser also weighs in on policy. He’s tracking the recent moves in Congress to slash food assistance in favor of farm subsidies and tax cuts. 

“It’s the old bait-and-switch,” he explains. “Throw around terms like ‘waste and fraud,’ and suddenly people are okay cutting SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) or the VA (Veterans Affairs). But these are programs that actually help our neighbors.”

And he isn’t shy about calling out what’s at stake: “A $290 billion cut to food aid isn’t saving anyone money except the billionaires. And rural economies feel the ripple. SNAP doesn’t just feed people. It circulates money close to home.”

Breitenmoser also draws a sharp contrast between small farmers and the ultra-wealthy political beneficiaries. 

“We have more in common with the folks who use SNAP than the billionaires writing the rules,” he says. “And the system is just… broken.”

There is a deeper story for Breitenmoser, too. And it revolves around resilience and roots. His parents emigrated from Switzerland in 1968, seeking opportunity.

“They couldn’t afford land back home,” he shares. “But here, they found a community, bought a farm, and learned the language – my dad at the feed mill and the tavern, my mom watching Sesame Street with us kids.”

It’s the classic immigrant story with a focus on hard work, community, and contribution. 

“And that used to be something we were proud of,” he says. “Now we talk like immigrants are a problem instead of a promise.”

As the conversation ends, Breitenmoser prepares for another long day of logistics, repairs, and watching the skies. 

“The month of May isn’t long enough,” he laughs. “But we get it done. That’s what farmers do.”