Continuity and Change: Amish Dairy Farming in Wisconsin Over The Past Decade^*

* The author wishes to thank the two anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments and useful suggestions for improving the manuscript.

Abstract

Changes in Amish dairy farming in Wisconsin over the past decade are seen in their growing numbers, the increased percentage of dairy farms that are Amish operated in the state, and the decreased share of the Amish population that is engaged in dairying. Use of technology in the Amish barn and fields represents both continuity and change. Among those Amish dairy farmers who utilize ten‐gallon milk cans to store and ship their milk, little change in use of modern technology has occurred, and their herds remain small. Among those Amish dairymen who have adopted bulk tanks for their milk, many have embraced a variety of additional technologies, including milking machines. These dairymen have increased their use of technology over the past decade, their herd sizes have increased, and they are more reliant upon milk sales for their income than Amish dairy farmers producing can milk. Keywords: agriculture, Amish, dairy farms, Wisconsin.

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Notes on contributors

John A. Cross

Dr. Cross is a professor of geography at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901-8642; [[email protected]].