Farm numbers are declining. Wisconsin author and fourth-generation farmer Brian Reisinger says some of these farm exits are natural, but there are other factors at play that have pressured farms out of business. He explores these elements in his new book, “Land Rich, Cash Poor.”
The book explores agriculture’s untold history through the lens of his own dairy farm family that operates Reisinger Hilltop Farms in Sauk County, near Spring Green. While dairy was the farm’s identity for several generations, the family recently diversified after selling the dairy herd in 2021. Today, the Reisingers raise beef, heifers, and crops.
Two years ago, Brian decided to tell the story of his family’s four generations on the farm from World War I through COVID-19. And he paired it with the history of the American economy. Brian wanted to pinpoint the underlying reasons for declining farm numbers. In addition, he wanted to explore solutions that could keep the agriculture sector strong.
Brian reminds us that not all farm exits are sad stories. Farmers retire (no one can work forever) and sometimes the next generation doesn’t want to take over. Consolidation of farms has also been a tool to support more family members on a farm or to keep the neighbor’s land in production if they exit the business, he explains.
However, in “Land Rich, Cash Poor,” Brian outlines eras of economic devastation and government policies from the Great Depression to the Farm Crisis that he argues, could have been preventable or at least not as bad for U.S. agriculture.
What about the title of the book? It refers to the nature of farming. Brian explains that land is valuable, but if you sell your land, you could lose everything. If you keep your land, it’s becoming more of a struggle to make a living.
