Farm structural change of a different kind: Alternative dairy farms in Wisconsin—graziers, organic and Amish

Abstract

Although the emergence of large confinement operations out of a system previously dominated by mid-sized confinement has been one major structural trend in Wisconsin dairy farming since the 1990s, a second structural trend has been the significant emergence of moderate-sized dairy farms using alternative management strategies: management-intensive rotational grazing (MIRG) (25% of Wisconsin's dairy farms), organic production (3%) and Amish farm production practices (5-7%). This paper presents the first systematic and representative comparative study on the structure, behavior and performance of multiple pasture-based dairy farm strategies. Wisconsin is an ideal site for this study given the prevalence of pasture-based farms, yet many of the findings here should be relevant for other traditional dairy states where similar types of alternative farm management systems are also emerging. Divergence with respect to farm strategy has implications for structure, technology and management adoption patterns as well as farmer satisfaction levels. Our findings suggest that alternative dairy farming systems are likely to become more prevalent on the agricultural landscape of Wisconsin.

‘Milk is Milk’: Organic Dairy Adoption Decisions and Bounded Rationality

“…The majority of interviews on farm management strategies were conducted between August of 2006 and June of 2008, solely by the lead author. They, too, were mostly randomly selected, though in a stratified manner to be representative of the diversity of dairy farming strategies in the region [2] [Farmers were categorized by the farm management type indicated on the surveys (organic, conventional or managed grazing), though a number of the farmers had since switched management systems between the time of survey completion and when the interview was conducted].…”

“…As such, many of its principles intersect very closely with organic management practices, and provided a strong platform for farmers considering the organic option. Managed grazing, another alternative farming practice which overlaps with organic, did not really take off until the mid-1990s [2]. In this context, the Smiths had to go further afield to find out about some of the main production practices that make organic dairy farming feasible.…”

“…In the years leading up to this interview study, organic dairy farmers in Wisconsin were more highly satisfied with income and overall quality of life than conventional dairy farmers according to statewide survey research [1,2]. At the time of the interview study, the growth in demand for organic milk was outpacing the growth in supply.…”

“…There was also a sustained price premium for organic milk and organic milk pay prices that the farmer received were much more stable than conventional milk pay prices that farmers received. Moreover, many dairy farms in Southwestern Wisconsin were well suited to convert based on their scale, biophysical features, and ongoing use of pasture as a significant source of forage for their cows [2]. A -Help Wanted: Organic Farmers‖ campaign had been launched in February of 2005, and was supported actively by several commercial and non-profit organizations.…”

“…Almost all of the 60 dairy farmer interviews in Southwestern Wisconsin were selected from a larger base of respondents from two random-sample surveys [2]. Nearly a third of the respondents were already farming organically, and most of the others had similar operations in terms of landscapes, scale of operation, and reliance on pastures for a significant share of the feedstock.…”