'Making it very difficult:' Rainy spring could spell disaster for Wisconsin farmers



WEST BEND -- The extremely rainy spring in southeast Wisconsin could spell disaster for farmers -- forcing many to go out of business.

Work never stops on the farm, but one of the biggest issues facing farmers headed into June was being able to get anything done at all.

"Well, my crop consultant told one of my neighbors that he's out scouting my fields in life jackets," said Bob Roden, farmer.

Roden's farm is in West Bend. He called the farming season frustrating.



"As you can see, it's going to be a long time before we try to get anything planted -- if we get anything planted in it this year at all," Roden said.

Soggy fields, drowned crops, and low prices are a recipe for disaster, said Patti Roden with the Wisconsin Farm Bureau.

"Some farmers don't have any crops planted right now -- and that's making it very difficult," Patti Roden said. "All the prices along the board have been very low for many years now."

That means those farmers trying to grow crops have no guarantee the crops will be good enough to sell or even survive.



"My family's farm has about only 25 percent of their seeds in the ground," Patti Roden said.

Rain-soaked farm fields



When farmers aren't getting payments, they're not making payments.

"A lot of them need to have a very good relationship with their local banker in order to make sure that payments are being made," Patti Roden said.

Bob Roden said he has what it takes to ride the storms out.

"That's the nature of a farmer. You always hope for a better year," Bob Roden said. "There's work to be done, no matter what on the farm."

Outside of controlling the weather, there is not a whole lot anyone can do to resolve this situation. Farmers told FOX6 News if you want to support them, go to farmers markets and buy their products.