Winter Weather Causing Problems with Farm Buildings
Monday, February 25th, 2019 -- 8:58 AM
(AP) -Wisconsin’s unrelenting winter weather is causing a buildup of snow that’s damaging some farm buildings across the state.Brian Holmes is a retired agricultural engineer for University of Wisconsin-Extension. Holmes tells Wisconsin Public Radio that some farm buildings are buckling under the weight of snow because their strength is typically compromised by being older and housing damp environments. Holmes says farm structures are also exempt from state building codes so there aren’t standards for how strong they must be built. Lauren Langworthy of Blue Ox Farm says recent snowfall was too heavy for her high tunnel, which bent to a point of becoming unusable.
The Wheeler farmer says other producers have experienced similar damage. Holmes says winter weather will likely become more destructive as spring nears and snow becomes wetter and heavier.
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