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Farm Bureau leader concerned about potential feed shortages

Now that Congress has passed a disaster relief bill, Wisconsin’s Farm Bureau President is concerned about a potential new disaster that might need help from Washington.  Jim Holte says, “How is the Department of Ag going to deal with all of the prevented planting issues that we’re having as well as the loss of alfalfa through winterkill, and the potential that those two together could create some real challenges having enough forage for our dairy cattle through next winter.”

Holte tells Brownfield he’s hearing more from farmers dealing with excessive winterkill and late corn planting that are worried about not having enough feed to last until next spring, and he’s asking USDA for more program flexibility. “We need some understanding and modification in some of the rules in prevented planting so we can avoid some of those disastrous situations.”

Alfalfa winterkill was estimated as 25% severe and 18% moderate in USDA’s May 20^th crops report.

Congress passed disaster relief legislation earlier this week, but Holte believes that bill would not help farmers dealing with a feed shortage later this year and early next year.

Holte says Farm Bureau board members visiting House and Senate members are also emphasizing the need to ratify USMCA and address immigration reform.