The Wisconsin Farm Center is fielding more calls this spring than they have during the first six months of their fiscal year.
The first half of the fiscal year (July-Dec 2021) brought 438 new inquiries to the Wisconsin Farm Center — this equates to over 3 calls per day, according to Program Supervisor Dan Bauer. The third quarter of the fiscal year (Jan-March) brought 278 new inquiries or nearly 5 calls per day. This is a more than 25 percent increase in the third quarter than in the first two quarters combined.
Bauer says this is a seasonal trend as farmers view their balance sheets this time of year. However, the Farm Center is seeing a renewed interest in farm transition planning, and that’s what most of the calls have been inquiring about.
Wisconsin Farm Center offers a variety of free and confidential services from ag dispute mediation and mental health to herd-based diagnostics and financial services.
The Wisconsin Farm Center at DATCP has been around since the mid-1980s. And since then, thousands of farm families have turned to the center for services. You can reach the Farm Center at (800) 942-2474. You can also email them at [email protected].
Visit the Farm Center online: https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/AgDevelopment/FarmCenterOverview.aspx
The Farmer Wellness Program within the Wisconsin Farm Center is there for farmers to reach out to if they’re going through a tough time or as a resource to better their mental health. Program Supervisor Dan Bauer shares more about the program, including their Rural Realities podcast series, in this interview with Mid-West Farm Report:
Learn more about the wellness program: https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/AgDevelopment/FarmerMentalHealthWellness.aspx
Wisconsin Farm Center recently launched a training program for professionals who work with farmers. The point is to help people outside of agriculture understand the social and physical dynamics of a farm. Program Supervisor Dan Bauer shares more in this interview with Mid-West Farm Report:
He says they’ve already got 40 people signed up to have access to the online modules. The free, virtual courses cover farmer stress, the financial unpredictability of farming, and navigating difficult conversations. The Wisconsin Farm Center encourages anyone providing services to farmers regularly to sign up whether you are a milk hauler, a veterinarian or an ag lender. Call the Wisconsin Farm Center at (800) 942-2474 to access the modules or visit: https://uw.ungerboeck.com/prod/emc00/PublicSignIn.aspx
