He has no problem finding his cows but locating some of the other equipment needed is plaguing farmers like Luxemburg’s Dave Jauquet. Much like auto mechanic shops, parts to fix tractors and other farm equipment have been hard to come by since manufacturers cut down production due to pandemic protocols. Some suppliers are rationing certain products, forcing farmers to stock up on items when they can even if they are not needed for the time being. Jauquet says the hardest items to keep up with have been the personal protective equipment for hygiene reasons when handling and milking the cows.

The next bill that may be hard to swallow for farmers could be fertilizer, which has more than doubled in some cases over the last year.

Picture courtesy of Isabella Haen and the Kewaunee County Dairy Promotion