WISCONSIN— State Rep. Travis Tranel, R-Cuba City, is a sixth-generation dairy farmer. 

He said, like many industries across the country, agriculture is being hit hard by inflated prices and increased costs for equipment and other supplies. 

"The general consumer thinks things are going well in agriculture because prices are high, but that's only half the story," Tranel said. "The general consumer thinks things are going well in agriculture because prices are high, but that's only half the story," Tranel said. 

He said the price of things like fertilizer is up. Tranel added the price of gas being so high has a massive impact on agriculture, and he added supply chain issues lead to a lot of uncertainty if any equipment breaks. 

"Everybody is just trying to survive and do their best day-to-day to keep their head above water," Tranel said.

On a positive note, while Tranel said the dairy industry isn't as profitable as it was several years ago, circa 2014, he believes 2022 has so far been a better year for the state's farmers than 2020 and 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak.