When my dad passed away in 1966, our family lost their primary health insurance overnight. This is a story that has repeated itself through three generations of my family.
Back then, we could still buy coverage through our dairy plant. It wasn’t perfect, but at least we had options. Fast forward a few years. I married my wife, Betty, and we had four children. Betty was a registered nurse, and the only way we could afford health insurance was for her to work full time off the farm. That meant day care bills, long commutes and less time together. After paying for child care and gas, there wasn’t much left. But we had health care coverage, and that mattered.
Now, my kids are grown and, guess what? They’re facing the same struggle — a struggle that has become a generational crisis.
My son’s wife loves farming and she loves to be involved, but to get health insurance, she works off the farm for a local dairy cooperative. That comes with the price tag of $20,000 a year in day care costs for two kids while juggling an off-farm job simply because insurance is tied to employment.
My son misses her on the farm. My granddaughters miss their mom. Honestly, it breaks my heart.
Farming isn’t a 9-to-5 job. It’s early mornings, late nights and everything in between. When one parent has to leave the farm just to get health insurance, it hits the business and the family.
When health care forces off farm work and child care access is tight or nonexistent, it’s a recipe for stress overload, mental fatigue and family separation. That’s why affordable health care isn’t just money. It’s about mental health, lowering stress and emergency situations; child care, letting parents do the jobs they want; and family unity, keeping families together, both emotionally and physically
That’s why the proposal for Farm Bureau Health Plans matters to Wisconsin farmers. It gives farmers an option for affordable health coverage through Wisconsin Farm Bureau.
Not a mandate. Not a government program. Just an option that farmers in 14 other states have already had for years.
Here’s what this plan offers:
• Lower costs: In other states, Farm Bureau Health Plans have saved families 30-60% compared to Affordable Care Act plans.
• Comprehensive coverage: Doctor visits, hospital stays, prescriptions, maternity care, mental health and more covered.
• Flexibility: No open enrollment windows. Join anytime and never need to renew.
• Real impact: In states with similar plans, most enrollees were previously uninsured.
This bill won’t solve every problem, but it will do something important: keep farm families together.
Put parents on the farm instead of chasing insurance and ease the stress for the people feeding Wisconsin. Farmers in other states already have this choice; why not us?
Support Farm Bureau Health Plans and give farm families the choice to be where it matters most — on the farm with the people they love.
Learn more about Farm Bureau Health Plan by visiting wfbf.com/wisconsin-farm-bureau-health-plans.
Robert Nigh is a dairy farmer in Vernon County and member of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau.
