We get letters from vendors saying we have to raise our prices because of labor increases — which is understandable. We can’t pass those costs on to anybody. We have to look at our budgets, work on our budgets, and try to figure out how we’re going to make it work.

With the struggle of rising inflation, Julie and Jon not only thought of their future but also the future of their fellow dairy farmers.

We have neighbors that decided to exit the dairy industry and instead of producing milk themselves, they are continuing to farm their land and providing feed for our cattle.

With generations of farming under their belts, the Patterson’s said they are thinking of the future of young farmers and the potential economic struggle they might have.”The laws they pass, how they impact us, and how they are going to impact future generations to come — I don’t think we can just hope it’s going to be better because it doesn’t look like it will be if we aren’t fighting for it,” said Jon Patterson.