MANITOWOC, Wis. (WFRV) – As we approach the country’s 250th birthday, local leaders want to highlight how the region’s dairy farming industry intertwines with our country’s history.
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“This is the heartbeat of the Midwest (for dairy farming), this is the heartbeat of Wisconsin,” Farm Wisconsin Discover Center Board Member Dan Natzke said.
About 150 years ago, the first people (mostly German immigrants) began dairy farming in Northeast Wisconsin. Natzke said the region has a good climate for this type of agriculture.
“They came from Germany, and they wanted land and an environment that was a lot like Germany,” Natzke said. “A lot of hard-headed, stubborn Germans came to Wisconsin and started farming.”
According to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, agriculture contributes over $116 billion annually to the state’s economy and supports 353,000 jobs.
There are about 5,100 dairy farms in the state, and they contribute $52.8 billion to the Wisconsin economy each year. Natzke is also a part-owner of Wayside Dairy in southern Brown County.
“I’m the fourth generation on this farm, and my kids are the fifth,” he said. “There really isn’t anything like it when you can work next to family and be able to farm together.”
The agriculture industry in Wisconsin, including the dairy farmers right here in Northeast Wisconsin put food on millions of plates across the country.
“We like cheese curds, everyone likes ice cream and cheese on their pizza and a cold glass of chocolate milk,” Natzke said. “Everyone enjoys those things and we’re part of that and can promote that.”
At the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center in Manitowoc, officials said their exhibits and programming highlight how Wisconsin’s dairy farming and agriculture industry fits in the history of our country.
“Somewhere here in Wisconsin, food is being processed and taken from the field to the table,” Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center brand manager Abigail Winkel said. “Consumers throughout our state can be proud of the agriculture industry that has been in our state and will continue to be here for generations to come.”
She also says that a lot of their programming gears towards kids with the goal of inspiring the next generation of farmers here in Northeast Wisconsin.
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“The history of America is something to be celebrated,” she said. “Each state brings something unique to our country and in Wisconsin, we are really proud that we are America’s Dairyland.”
Please click here to learn more information about the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center.
