June 7, 2023

By Lane Kimble

EVANSVILLE, Wis. — You don’t need to wait long to spot a tanker truck hauling milk out of Larson Acres farm in Evansville.

Five of them – totaling about 25,000 gallons – make the 16-mile drive to Grande Cheese Company in Juda every day.

Those trucks – and their need for safe and reliable roads – provide just one example among many of why it’s important for farmers and the transportation industry to connect.

Tuesday, the WTBA Board and staff had that chance, touring Larson Acres in Evansville ahead of the Board’s bimonthly meeting.

About 70 people work on the farm, caring for around 2,500 cows while tending to 5,500 acres.

Assistant Herdsman Brooke Trustem said, in addition to the milk trucks, her team relies on quality roads to support the shipments, feed, and heavy machinery they need to haul to, from, and around their land.

A five-mile-long hose line to move manure from the barns to the fields for fertilizer helps Larson Acres keep some heavy loads off the roads – saving time, money, and wear and tear.

“I’m the sixth generation and I really want to see the farm continue for another six generations to come.  So, definitely having good roads is a key part of that and making sure that farmers and the Builders Association are on the same page,” Trustem told us before the tour.