VOA Special Report

The Changing Face of Farming

The rapid growth of international markets has left many small family farmers feeling adrift. Some have looked to the Trump administration to make sure that their interests are protected in the new order, but not everyone agrees on what exactly protection should look like. Here’s one view from Galesville, Wisconsin.

Transcript:

I’ve been in this business for about 20 years now.

It’s been okay. I think with the depressed markets it’s been a little tougher financially as of late. But overall it’s been good.

People are uncertain but I think they also have to realize we’re in a completely different dynamic as a world. I’m amazed where our product ends up sometimes. We’re in a world market.

People don’t always like change but you’re going to have to go through it.

A lot of people feel we need to have our own country employed rather than having the Hispanics, from what I hear. But if we don’t have people that want to do the work, we have to have someone do the work. I mean, the work has to be done.

I think the country right now has the chance to go in a better direction. But I don’t know what that direction is exactly.

—Neal Burken, Farmer

Galesville, Wisconsin