Immigrant labor on Wisconsin dairy farms

WORT 89.9FM Madison · Jul 14, 2026 · 8m

Roughly 70 percent of the immigrants who work on Wisconsin dairy farms are undocumented, according to a recent UW study. That means a significant source of labor in one of the state’s key industries is at odds with the Department of Homeland Security. But Washington D.C.’s new guidance on seasonal labor visas could be a sign of hope amid the nationwide ICE crackdown. Pete Hardin and Bert Zipperer have the details, in this edition of “The Milkweed.” Image courtesy: University of Wisconsin-Extension via Flickr.