Mass deportation is a phrase that has frequented headlines with a new administration. It’s followed with some question marks for agriculture.
Cody Heller of Central Wisconsin Ag Services gives us a boots-on-the-ground perspective on what President Trump’s immigration stance looks like and how it could impact Wisconsin farmers.
Heller works in veterinary care, seed sales, and agronomy services. In addition, he farms 7,000 acres and operates a 3,000-cow dairy in Alma Center. Heller also consults overseas on dairy and crop farm development, and was a panelist during this year’s Wisconsin Agricultural Outlook Forum.
He says labor is a top concern in the agriculture sector, and right now, fear is driven by “mass deportation.” But Heller argues that “mass” is subjective. He says he believes the Trump administration’s focus will stay on criminals.
“I think that we’re going to look at a situation where hopefully a lot of that on-farm labor isn’t affected because farmers don’t generally employ criminals. That’s not any farmer’s mantra,” he says. “Across the state of Wisconsin, we’ve got over 10,000 to 15,000 undocumented workers just on dairy farms alone. The impact of deporting thousands… millions of immigrants would truly destroy the economy. It would hurt in the manufacturing fields, hospitality fields, construction fields — it’s going to have such a dynamic impact if there’s this mass exodus of labor.”
What Are Your Rights?
While Heller is not convinced that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is going to raid dairy farms, he asks listeners, do you know what to do if ICE does come knocking at your farm?
Heller recommends employers seek legal counsel to make sure their documents are in order in case there is a raid. He also recommends employers know their rights, referencing resources through the Division of Extension, such as if/when/how the government can come onto your property.
Extension Farm Law Specialist Kelly Wilfert has more details with Mid-West Farm Report:
