FREEDOM (NBC 26) -- The dairy state has lost over 1,600 dairy farms since 2017. Just this week, the Agriculture Secretary stated at the World Dairy Expo in Madison that the big get bigger and the small go out. But some of those smaller scale farms aren't listening to that message.
In Freedom, at J-Springs Dairy Farm, they continue business as usual with their 67-cow dairy operation. They have been in the business now for 54 years and say that it's important for their community, and especially their family, to keep their small farm in business. It’s something they are well aware is a struggle for many small farming operations.
"it's sad because a lot of them were our friends,” said Judith Springstroh, J-Springs owner. “you know we started farming together and like you say though, some of them just don't have someone to take it over, and they’re like my age or whatever and they just can't do it anymore."
Judi says her dairy farm is in good hands today, with her family’s non-stop efforts, and she hopes it will continue to be so for generations to come. As far as her response to the Ag Secretary's statement that there's no guarantee that small farms will survive, she says she doesn't pay attention to that and that it's all in God’s hands.
