News

Local Farm Bureau leader hopes dairy growth management gains support

A Wisconsin farmer is hoping producers can come together and support a dairy growth management proposal to help preserve more family dairy farms. Joe Bragger tells Brownfield, “It’s hurting our communities. Unity is going to be very important.”

Bragger milks cows and is active with Wisconsin Farm Bureau.  He tells Brownfield the Dairy Revitalization Plan authored by dairy economists Mark Stephenson and Chuck Nicholson at the University of Wisconsin can help stabilize milk prices, helping more farmers stay in business. “In 1991, we had over 32-thousand dairy farms in Wisconsin. The statistics are coming out that we’re falling under 30-thousand in the entire United States now.”

Local chapters of both Farm Bureau and Farmers Union are taking the conversation to farmers in a series of informational meetings.  Leaders with both groups are hoping the growth management plan can become part of the next farm bill.

Bragger is also a former State President for Wisconsin Farm Bureau.