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Farmer says ag service isn’t always there when needed

A Wisconsin farmer says parts and service need to be more available during key times like planting and harvest.

Raymond Dietrich raises crops for his dairy near Green Bay.  He tells Brownfield when it’s time to roll, a weekend breakdown can be a serious problem. “Down time for us is huge, and yet it seems like the service industry doesn’t care. Their workers are bent on five days a week, eight hours a day, and that’s it.”

Farmers commonly keep common maintenance items on hand, but Dietrich says when something else breaks, there’s no progress until Monday. “We’re a seven-day-a-week operation and nothing moves when you want to get it fixed on Saturday or Sunday.”

Dietrich says it would be nice if more parts and service providers extended their hours during the spring and fall.