Once a stalwart Republican, this Wisconsin dairy farmer is reconsidering his position because of ICE and immigration

Dairy cows wander and graze on O'Harrow Family Farm acreage.  

For decades, being a Wisconsin dairy farmer and voting Republican went hand in hand for Tim O'Harrow and his family. But GOP immigration politics and Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions are no longer in sync with the O'Harrows' experience and what they feel is moral, reports Sabrina Tavernise for The New York Times. Some family members are considering shifting their political alliances.

"Immigrant workers are the lifeblood of the O’Harrow farm, a four-generation family enterprise with 1,600 cows in northeastern Wisconsin," Tavernise writes. "But many of them will not travel to Mexico to see dying parents, or drive to nearby towns to visit siblings... because they are afraid of being swept up in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown."

The second Trump administration's approach to immigration doesn't make good business sense to Tim O'Harrow or his son, Joel, who runs the farm. Tavernise explains, "These workers oversee America’s milk. By one estimate, dairies that employ immigrant workers produce 79% of the nation’s milk supply, and the price of milk would double without them."

Tim O'Harrow knows conflicts over undocumented immigrant farm workers aren't a new problem. He's been talking to politicians in Washington and in Madison, Wisconsin, the state's capital city, for 20 years, asking them to create a visa system or path to citizenship for these vital workers. But politics have gone the opposite way.

"Washington has failed to make any meaningful changes, and Republican voters continue to be anti-immigration, particularly those in Wisconsin," Tavernise reports. "That has left the O’Harrows in an uncomfortable place — stuck between what they see as an obvious truth, that immigrants are essential to America’s food supply, and a national political mood hurtling in the other direction."

Tim O'Harrow told the Times, "I don’t know that I’m a Republican anymore. I don’t know what we are anymore.”

Both Tim and his son told the Times they would be open to voting for a Democrat in future elections. Tavernise writes, "And for the first time in 20 years, a Democratic primary will be held in their district, a sign that the party believes it has a chance to flip what has been a solidly Republican seat."

For more explanation on why a stalwart GOP family would consider voting for a Democrat, read the full story here.

Quick hits: Mississippi bans lab-grown dairy; Lawyers for Reporters; pay phones help boomers and zoomers connect

State-level bans like Mississippi's can restrict access to the 
 lab-grown dairy industry. (Photo by A. Chaudhary, Unsplash)

Mississippi is the first state to ban lab-grown dairy after passing a bill effective July 1, reports Karen Bohnert for Dairy Herd Management. Lab-grown dairy is "produced through precision fermentation or cell-culturing techniques" and often referred to as "fake milk," Bohnert explains. The bill, HB 1153, requires strict labeling requirements and updated authority to state inspectors to prevent the manufacture, sale and distribution of cell-cultured dairy throughout the state, Bohnert reports.

Lawyers for Reporters, created by the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice, is a free resource for American local and public-interest journalism organizations needing legal services, reports Tandy Lau for E&P Magazine. There's a five-person in-house legal team based in New York offering assistance, and they partner with outside counsel for extra support in farther areas. Managing Attorney Kay Murray told E&P they "really guide [journalists] to ensure that they've got the backup to get it right, that they are confident about getting it right [and] that their understanding with their sources is something that everybody is on the same page about." They hope to soon provide more support for investigative reporting and coverage of immigration issues as well. "If I was trying to quantify the value of [Lawyers for Reporter's assistance], it would add up to easily tens of thousands of dollars if not well into the six figures," Warwick Sabin, CEO and president of Deep South Today, told E&P.

A new study found a long-term shift in cancer death trends, with rural areas facing higher cancer death rates than urban areas in recent years, reports Dennis Thompson for U.S. News & World Report. Previously, between 1969 and 1971, “large cities had the highest overall cancer death rates, followed by small- to medium-sized cities.” However, rural areas had the highest rates in 2021 to 2023, and large cities had the lowest rates. Specifically, lung cancer deaths among rural men were 26% lower than city dwellers in 1969 to 1971, but 55% higher in 2021 to 2023. Researchers said the shift and continuously widening gap is “likely driven by limited access to health care, lower cancer screening rates, higher poverty, more smoking and other lifestyle and environmental factors” in rural communities.

In a new social experiment by Matter Neuroscience, two old payphones set up at a nursing home in Nevada and near Boston University allow "zoomers" and "boomers" to call each other from 3,000 miles apart, reports Scottie Andrew for CNN. Designed to help people feel less lonely, this pilot project will last at least a month, according to Matter Neuroscience. "Friendship could come in all ages. Wisdom can come in all forms, and we just want people to get out of their comfort zone and have a conversation," Matter Neuroscience social strategist Calla Kessler said.

GM announced it will be adding a day of factory
production to it heavy-duty truck line. 

General Motors is increasing its heavy-duty truck production, as consumer demand remains strong despite rising gas and diesel prices, reports Christopher Otts for The Wall Street Journal. GM's Flint Assembly plant in Michigan will operate six days a week now, rather than five, producing more heavy-duty versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups, Otts reports. Workers will be "mandated into overtime hours to cover the additional day of production," explains Otts. As gas prices have risen by about one-third since the beginning of the Iran war, GM's stock has declined about 10% so far this year, and forecasters predict new-vehicle sales to fall 6.5% in the first quarter.

20% of beef purchases today are from "beef-on-dairy" cattle

Roughly 20% of beef purchased by U.S. consumers is from
beef-on-dairy cattle. (Photo by Austin Santaniello, Unsplash)

Many Americans may not know that about 20% of their beef today comes from beef-on-dairy cattle, Taylor Leach reports for Dairy Herd Management.

Beef-on-dairy, which originates from female dairy cattle being bred to male beef cattle, has allowed for improved, higher-quality calves that benefit the dairy, beef and consumer sectors, Leach explains.

While beef-on-dairy started out as just a mechanism for reproduction in dairy cattle, Leach reports, the genetic advantages have proven to aid in the beef industry long-term, causing farmers to be more intentional with their sire selection.

Three of the major genetic improvements found to make beef-on-dairy better resemble native beef cattle include “fertility and calving traits for dairies, feed efficiency and growth traits for feedyards, carcass merit and consistency traits for the packers," Leach reports.

Not only is beef-on-dairy a better process for farmers, but the beef has proven to be good for consumers as well. Over the past five years, Matthew Cleveland of ABS Global told Leach, the quality grade has continuously improved. “Back in 2021, these animals graded 80% Choice or better. Today they’re leveling at about 92% Choice.”

Nick Hardcastle of Cargill North America similarly told Leach that from a marbling perspective, about two-thirds of beef-on-dairy cattle could qualify for upper two-thirds Choice. He also said they’re “grading well, adding stability to supply and proving they can hold their own in a system that demands both consistency and performance.”

In the 'Trump economy,' this dairy farmer and his family still struggle to make ends meet

Dairy farmer Derek Orth owns Jersey cows. (Dairy Star photo)

Since President Donald Trump took office in early 2025, some Americans have thrived, while others have been pushed to downsize or put off purchases to pay for the basics. The Wall Street Journal interviewed six Americans, including rural dairy farmer Derek Orth from Lancaster, Wisconsin, to see how they are doing in the "Trump economy," reports Jeanne Whalen of The Wall Street Journal.

Smaller dairy farmers in Wisconsin have been struggling to compete with bigger, more consolidated operations since around 2004. "Orth says he hasn’t had a good financial year in a decade. But higher costs are making things even more challenging these days," Whalen writes.

"We have a $100,000 tractor that hasn’t moved in three or four months because we don’t know if we can afford to fix it,” Orth told the Journal.

He has also been hit by incremental increases in his farm insurance premiums. Whalen reports, "But the accumulation of big increases that snowballed from 2022 to 2024 nearly quadrupled his bill over 15 years, to about $41,000."

Orth, his wife, Charisse, and their four children live rent-free in the farmhouse that Orth's parents own. The couple uses Charisse's income to cover most expenses. Orth told Whalen, "A lot of the income I make goes back into the farm, and what my wife makes is what we use for family living."

Over the past several years, the couple hasn't been able to sock anything away for retirement. Whalen reports, "He said he hopes the Trump administration’s recent efforts to promote dairy products could boost his business, and he appreciates that gas prices are 'fairly reasonable.'"

Read all six interview's by the Journal here. 

Agriculture leaders warn of possible 'widespread collapse of American agriculture' without significant changes

Nearly half of all U.S. farms are not profitable.
(Photo by Matthew Putney, DTN)

A bipartisan group of agricultural leaders representing nearly all sectors of the industry sent a letter to congressional agriculture leaders outlining how current farmer distress is so extreme that, if left unaddressed, the country risks a "widespread collapse of American agriculture." 

The missive identifies the primary causes of the current farm crisis and urges Congress to begin passing its recommended corrective actions immediately.

"The group charged that Trump administration policies 'have caused tremendous harm to U.S. agriculture' and are having long-term negative effects on the competitiveness of farmers and agriculture," report Jerry Hagstrom and Chris Clayton of Progressive Farmer.

The letter points out the stark realities that many American farmers face today: "Farmer bankruptcies have doubled, barely half of all farms will be profitable this year, and the U.S. is running a historic agriculture trade deficit. These metrics reflect a sharp reversal from record farm export surpluses and farm incomes experienced just a few years ago."

The letter cites multiple factors causing the crisis:

• Increased farm input costs driven by tariffs on fertilizer, farm chemicals and machinery parts
• Loss of export markets due to trade wars and withdrawal from trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership
• Weakening of international trade partnerships as traditional allies turn to other suppliers
• Disruptions to agricultural labor supply affecting dairy, fruit and produce, and meat processing
• Massive cuts to USDA staffing and agricultural research funding
• Reductions in foreign aid and domestic food programs

The group asked Congress to immediately take nine specific actions to begin restoring stability for American farmers, including exempting all farm inputs from tariffs, passing legislation for E15 ethanol, passing Trade Promotion Authority, completing review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, and passing a new farm bill and farm labor reform.

A letter synopsis and a copy of the letter, including the names and positions of all 27 signatories, are found here. 

Whole and 2% milk will return to public school lunchrooms soon

Like most school children, dairy cows love to eat.
(Adobe Stock photo)

After more than a decade of advocacy, whole and 2% milk will be served in public school cafeterias. "Congress has approved the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, marking a major shift in federal school nutrition policy," reports Taylor Leach of Dairy Herd Management. "The bill now awaits the president’s signature, with implementation expected as early as the next school year."

The new legislation reverses rules from the 2012 Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which aimed to reduce childhood obesity and lower kids' saturated fat intake by restricting school milk options to fat-free and 1%. The bill aimed for students to get the nutrition milk provides without the fat. 

And while the 2012 change was meant to improve children's health, it kept running into a major obstacle. "At home, many kids drink 2% or whole milk. And when the milk at school tastes different, the kids don’t drink it," reports Hannah Barthels of Farm Journal. "And they miss out on the nutrients dairy provides."

Multiple studies on whole milk's impact on childhood obesity have consistently shown that "milk fat has a neutral or even positive effect on health outcomes," Leach explains. "That evolving science, combined with changing consumer preferences, helped build bipartisan support for restoring flexibility in school milk offerings."

The addition of whole and 2% milk offerings in schools is also a big win for American dairy farmers. "School meal programs account for nearly 8% of all fluid milk sales," Leach reports. "The bill’s passage represents the culmination of more than a decade of effort by dairy advocates, lawmakers and industry stakeholders."

Quick hits: Dairy farming with a robot; CSA debate; Farmers' Almanac ends; rural hospital success; goodbye penny

A robotic milker takes the place of a hired hand as dairy
farmers face labor shortages. (Farm Progress photo)

Marlane Williams always dreamed of owning her own farm and milking her own dairy cows. Now she has both, along with a robot that helps out while she's at a day job that provides income stability. "Williams has held several jobs while trying to be a dairy farmer," reports Chris Six of Farm Progress. "She's owned a dairy farm in southwest Missouri since 2002 and says balancing both is tricky, but she feels blessed to have achieved her dream." Instead of trying to hire part-time labor, Williams purchased a Lely Astronaut milking robot to make sure her growing herd is milked twice a day.  

The debate over whether the Community Supported Agriculture model is dead or alive continues, with a fresh perspective from Ruth Katcher, who runs a thriving CSA for city folk in Brooklyn, New York. "I’ve been mulling over Lauren David’s thought-provoking article on whether we’ve outgrown the CSA model," Katcher writes for Offrange. "I have to admit she made some excellent points, especially about the appeal of models that offer more choice to consumers than traditional CSAs. . . . But the traditional CSA model has features I would hate to give up . . ." Read Lauren's essay here, and Katcher's full counter here.

Pecan trees don't have to be planted every year. 
(Photo by Elizabeth Hewitt, Reasons To Be Cheerful)

In a drastic turn from traditional row-crop agriculture, some Midwestern farmers are planting nut trees that are reviving soil depleted by corn and soybean plantings. "In 2017, Josh Payne planted 20 acres of chestnut saplings, growing commodity crops in wide rows between the trees," reports Elizabeth Hewitt for Reasons To Be Cheerful. "Payne is among a growing number of farmers looking to supplement or even replace common crops planted annually — like corn and soy — with various types of nut trees. . . which can provide a type of multi-generational resilience because they can generate income for decades."

U.S. Mint photos

The U.S. Treasury Department laid the U.S. penny to rest on Nov. 12 in Philadelphia after producing it for 232 years. Victor Mather of The New York Times reports, "Top Treasury officials were on hand for its final journey. No last words were recorded. The cost to mint the penny had risen to more than 3 cents, a financial absurdity that doomed the coin. The American penny was preceded in death by its smaller sibling, the half cent (1793-1857), and its cousin, the Canadian penny (1858-2012)."

Internal medicine residents at Billings Clinic 
in Montana. (Photo by Colton Adams via the Yonder) 

A community hospital in Billings, Montana, is bucking trends with its successful medical residency programs, which train new doctors who often decide to stay in the state and practice. "As rural areas across the country face worsening provider shortages and reductions in health care services, Billings Clinic is celebrating the success of two new residency programs training," reports Madeline de Figueiredo for The Daily Yonder. "Since launching its internal medicine residency program in 2014, Billings Clinic has graduated 75 physicians, with half now practicing in rural communities. The program’s outcomes stand out amid national trends, where only 11% of physicians work in rural areas."

After more than two centuries of publication, the Farmers' Almanac from Maine announced that 2026 is its last print run. "The 208-year-old, Maine-based publication that farmers, gardeners and others have relied on for planting guidance and weather predictions will publish for the final time," report Patrick Whittle and Kathy McCormack of The Associated Press. "The Farmers’ Almanac, not to be confused with its older, longtime competitor, The Old Farmer’s Almanac in neighboring New Hampshire. . . . The almanac cited the growing financial challenges of producing and distributing the book in today’s 'chaotic media environment.'" The first Farmers' Almanac was published in 1818.

U.S. dairy farmers see an increase in I-9 audits for immigrant workers as their newest labor challenge

Dairy farms need year-round workers to fill labor gaps. (Farm Journal photo)

Beyond international tariffs, bird flu and possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, U.S. dairy farmers have a new worry to add to their unpredictable livelihoods: I-9 audits. "Nervousness and frustrations are spreading across the dairy industry," reports Tyne Morgan of Dairy Herd Management. "With reported flaws in the E-Verify system, the audits are resulting in dairies being forced to fire employees who are found to have illegal documents and only given 10 days to do so."

When I-9 audits occur, worker documents are examined, and it's often discovered that "employees submitted either illegal paperwork or forms that weren’t theirs," Morgan explains. "There’s no way for a dairy to know. That’s what the E-Verify system is meant to do." 

Although only dairies in South Dakota and Texas have been audited so far, increased inspections aren't welcome news for dairy farmers, who often rely on immigrant labor to perform much of the constant and strenuous work required. Tyne explains, "The dairy industry seems to be on an island when it comes to finding a legal workforce. Dairies aren’t seasonal; therefore, they can’t utilize H-2A, and that’s something the dairy industry is pushing to change."

Donald Grady, the senior director of legislative affairs at the International Dairy Foods Association, views the H-2A program as something that can be modified to help dairies and off-site milk processing plants. He told Morgan, "We are looking to be able to expand the H-2A program so that dairy operations on-farm and in the plant can have another tool in their toolbox to meet their labor needs."

Despite the recent I-9 audit spike, "leaders within the dairy industry say for the first time in nearly two decades, there does seem to be momentum for changes to the H-2A program and address the pain points with the current immigration system," Morgan adds. The CEO of the Idaho Dairymen’s Association, Rick Naerebout, told Morgan, "We’ve not had this kind of traction with an administration ever on this issue. . . but we’re cautiously optimistic here in Idaho." 

Morgan adds, "Naerebout says after 20-plus years, he thinks agriculture finally has a legitimate chance at solving a problem that’s been plaguing the industry. And that solution needs to not only come from the White House, but the long-term fix needs to be addressed by Congress."