A recent survey found that on average, Wisconsin farms source 75% of their income from off-farm sources.
Dr. Steven Deller from the Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics at the University of Wisconsin Madison says over time the dependency on off-farm income has increased, and is no longer desired just for insurance.
He says off-farm income is now used to supplement the farm, where farms can essentially break even to maintain operations, but the farm family can make a living with other employment and income opportunities.
To keep farms viable in Wisconsin, he says opportunities for off-farm income need to be expanded.
Find more information about WIndicators and Dr. Deller’s findings at economicdevelopment.extension.wisc.edu/article-program/windicators/
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