Brad Olson on Trade, Health Care Costs and Wisconsin Farmers

Frederica Freyberg:
In a sea of not great news, Wisconsin farmers could see a boost after President Donald Trump met with China this week. As a result of the talks, China promised to restart buying U.S. soybeans after halting such purchases in May. Wisconsin farmers waylaid by trade disputes could at least see a better market for soybeans, but they’re still facing trade trouble for beef, rising costs, and for the many farmers who, as small business owners, depend on Affordable Care Act health plans, hikes in premiums. We pick up now with Brad Olson, president of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau. And thanks a lot for being here.

Brad Olson:
Thank you for having me.

Frederica Freyberg:
So, all told, what kind of headwinds are Wisconsin farmers facing right now?

Brad Olson:
Well, just increasing costs, fertilizer, feed, all of those are increasing at a time when, when other than the price of fat cattle, everything is down. Corn are down, beans have been down. Milk is not good. So lots of — lots of headwinds out there. On the other hand, farmers have faced this in the past and are resilient.

Frederica Freyberg:
Are the input costs for things like fertilizer and feed having to do with trade?

Brad Olson:
Not so much. Certainly a little bit. I mean, if you, you know, from the potash side of things, 80% of our potash comes from Canada, so we certainly want good stable trade with Canada on that side to keep the potash prices normal.

Frederica Freyberg:
How welcome is the news that China will start buying soybeans again?

Brad Olson:
Oh, extremely welcome. I mean, a big deal not just in Wisconsin but across the nation to get China back, you know, maybe not this year, but the next two years of buying what they have in the past is exceptional good news for soybean farmers and all farmers across the nation.

Frederica Freyberg:
Is it expected that China will buy enough to kind of offset that country not buying since May?

Brad Olson:
Well, they’re going to buy roughly, you know, 12 million metric tons this year, which isn’t going to make up the whole difference. But at the end of the day, it’s going to make a big difference. And moving forward to ’26 and ’27 with that promise to buy back to the, you know, the same level that they had been is certainly going to help agriculture out in the long run here.

Frederica Freyberg:
What about beef producers in Wisconsin with President Trump’s plan to quadruple imports from Argentina. Is that a significant impact in this state?

Brad Olson:
I guess time will tell. You know, certainly it’s the first time that beef producers have been profitable in a number of years. So we’re certainly concerned and keeping an eye on that on a regular, very regular basis.

Frederica Freyberg:
As to this government shutdown and the fight over Affordable Care Act enhanced premiums or enhanced tax credits, how dependent are Wisconsin farmers on kind of marketplace plans?

Brad Olson:
Somewhat. Fortunately Wisconsin Farm Bureau is again this year going to try and get the Tennessee Health Plan passed here in Wisconsin, which would help farmers considerably that are in that in-between. Maybe don’t — are not eligible for the Affordable Health Care Act, but at the same point, can’t afford regular health care from, you know, companies across the state or the nation. So again, we’re working on trying to find that middle ground where we can — where we can help members out.

Frederica Freyberg:
And what does that health plan offered by the Farm Bureau do? I mean, what is that plan?

Brad Olson:
It’s just a health plan that — not necessarily insurance, but a plan that is typically, like I say, it isn’t for people who necessarily on the affordable health care, but also people who cannot necessarily afford it — it finds them, them people that are in between, right?

Frederica Freyberg:
And so that would require legislation from the state?

Brad Olson:
It would require legislation from the state and being signed by the governor. Fourteen other states around the nation have it.

Frederica Freyberg:
And what are those prospects for that happening?

Brad Olson:
A little better than 50/50, I think.

Frederica Freyberg:
Well, those aren’t bad odds, really. But…

Brad Olson:
No, no.

Frederica Freyberg:
Another kind of hot topic. The 2025 Farm Bill, the largest piece of which is SNAP, which we’re all talking about right now. How is work on that progressing?

Brad Olson:
Well, there again, we need not just for SNAP benefits, but everybody across the nation, farmers, everyone in day-to-day businesses. We need to get the federal government back up and going again. You know, you go to the airport, the TSA people aren’t necessarily being paid. We need those people to be paid. And hopefully here, hopefully this week we’ll see some movement and get the government open again and get those people paid, as well as get recipients of federal programs taken care of.

Frederica Freyberg:
You know, another issue that has been discussed in the ag world is labor and labor shortages. Is that something that Wisconsin farmers are increasingly struggling with?

Brad Olson:
Yeah, I think so. You know, it’s — agriculture is a labor-dependent business. And so it has always been that and we’ve just, you know, rural America, rural Wisconsin is shrinking. So we don’t have those neighbors and those other farm kids to necessarily fill those jobs.

Frederica Freyberg:
We leave it there. Brad Olson, thanks very much for your time.

Brad Olson:
Thank you very much.