For Immediate Release: February 9, 2010

Contact:
Scott Schultz, executive director
sschultz@wisconsinfarmersunion.com
(715) 723-5561

2010 Wisconsin Farmers Union Convention: "Family Farms: The Real Deal"
Senator Feingold, Representative Kind, Mayor Barrett among speakers

The call for a thorough review of Wisconsin's livestock siting law was among special orders of business approved Feb. 6-7 during the Wisconsin Farmers Union's 79th annual convention.

Convention delegates said the law should consider the social, economic, and environmental effects that extremely large livestock operations might have on rural communities.

Other special orders of business call for:

• Advancing state policies encouraging the use and production of homegrown renewable energy.
• Continuing federal investigations of concentration in the agriculture industry.
• Extending farm credit to provide the capital necessary for farmers to survive the recession.
• Support for university extension programs, especially for underserved rural communities.

Members also expressed support for the regulated legalization of direct farmer-to-consumer raw milk sales.

During the convention, family farms were the touted as the "real deal."

More than 300 Farmers Union members and guests gathered to reflect on the past year and to look to the future. Delegates debated and approved the organization's policies for the coming year and high-profile speakers and special guests discussed the strengths of Wisconsin's family-style agriculture while members.

On Feb. 6, Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., encouraged farmers to continue to work together to better serve their needs. Later in the day, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, a gubernatorial candidate, spoke about the importance of creating and keeping jobs in Wisconsin -- particularly for farmers and rural communities -- and committed making that effort a priority if elected.

U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., expressed his support for the Department of Justice investigations into agricultural anti-trust practices. He also discussed his efforts to push for additional Small Business Association attention to the plight of rural entrepreneurship.

Sue Carlson, president of Wisconsin Farmers Union from 2003 to September 2009, was presented with the Builder Award, the highest honor for service to the Farmers Union.

Eleven young people were inducted as Torchbearers -- graduates of the Farmers Union program -- joining more than 1,500 other alumni.

North Dakota Farmers Union President Robert Carlson and Margaret Krome Michael Fields Agricultural Institute policy director, talked about the opportunities for farmers in a clean energy economy. On another panel, Rick Stadelman, Wisconsin Towns Association executive director, and Vicki Elkin, policy initiatives director at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, discussed requirements for farmers to gain eligibility in the recently-enacted Working Lands Initiative.

 

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