As rural housing becomes harder to find, one Wisconsin dairy is building more than a workforce by providing homes for nearly all of its employees and helping families put down roots in the community.
On dairy farms across the country, the labor challenge no longer stops at hiring. Producers are working to build operations where employees want to stay long term, raise families and create a life in rural communities.
But in some areas, one of the biggest obstacles has become housing. Affordable rentals are scarce and employees willing to work on farms often struggle to find a place to live nearby.
At Brey Cycle Farm in Sturgeon Bay, Wis., employee housing has become part of the long-term business strategy. What started with one farmhouse has grown into a network of homes, apartments and rentals that now house nearly the farm’s entire workforce...
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Leo's notes: The Breys’ approach highlights how workforce housing increasingly overlaps with immigration, economic development and community sustainability. Perhaps most notably, the farm’s strategy reframes housing not simply as compensation, but as part of organizational culture and employee investment. In regions where housing supply remains constrained, employers willing to directly participate in housing delivery may gain a significant competitive advantage in attracting and retaining workers.
Ken Notes: This is a double edged sword, it is a great idea for creating quality housing for employees but needs some regulations or legal representation to prevent the 2026 version of indentured servitude. I know some larger city hospitals and doing something similar for nursing and support staff.
Also note the photo is from a development in Darlington WI - not the Brey farm...
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- - Volume: 26 - WEEK: 21 Date: 5/18/2026 5:39:46 PM -