“That equals 7 billion pounds more milk that will be needed from our farms, so it’s a great opportunity to farms to grow production,” he said.

More milk means more cows and the ability for expansion. Matteson says growth on farms translates to more growth for nearby communities and schools.

“When there’s this kind of opportunity, it’s significant, not just for the dairy farm, but every single taxpayer in the community,” he said.

Matteson says while growth is a good thing, there are some significant issues that need to be addressed: one of them is the shrinking workforce.

Migrant programs for farm workers have been talked about, and their importance has been known by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle for years now.

“I believe we need strong border security. We need to know who’s coming across our border. But I’m also a very realistic person and I recognize that we have a population decline that’s occurring,” said Matteson.

Matteson continues to stress the importance of creating a program where migrant workers can work on farms legally, and he says if there’s a perfect time to do so, it’s now, while the dairy industry is at an all-time high.

“If they truly want to encourage farms to make the investment that is going to be necessary, they have to alleviate concerns of, ‘Where will we get workers from?’ Why wouldn’t you create a program where they can bring these people in and have them working, have them contributing to our society, instead of hiding in the darkness? Why do we want them hiding in the darkness or kicking them out of the country,” he said.

Matteson says another valuable resource is farmland. He says the county hasn’t lost much of its land yet, but it could become a possibility as solar farms and other private companies show interest in the area.

There is more to our interview with Jay Matteson. You can watch the full conversation, a 7News Extra, below.