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Wisconsin Ag Secretary Brancel to retire
Wisconsin Ag Secretary Ben Brancel speaks at Farm Technology Days 2017 in Kewaunee County
Wisconsin’s Ag Secretary will retire next month. Ben Brancel announced he will leave Wisconsin’s Department of Ag, Trade, and Consumer Protection while at a meeting in Tomahawk Thursday.
Ben Brancel is a fifth generation farmer from southwestern Marquette County. He started serving the public as a state representative in 1986 and then became Secretary for the first time in 1997 under former Governor Tommy Thompson. After serving as state director of USDA’s Farm Service Agency, Brancel became the state liaison for the UW College of Agricultural and Life Sciences in 2009. In 2011, Governor Scott Walker put Brancel back in charge of the ag department.
Brancel says, “My first job was a farmer, and my last job will be a farmer.” He will assist his son and daughter-in-law who now run the farm. His last day on the job will be August 13th.
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Comments on the announcement of Ben Brancel’s retirement:
Governor Walker Statement on the Retirement of DATCP Secretary Brancel
MADISON – Governor Scott Walker released the following statement today after Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Secretary Ben Brancel announced he will be retiring from state service effective August 13, 2017.
“Ben has served with distinction as a state representative and speaker of the State Assembly, as DATCP secretary under both our administration and Governor Tommy Thompson’s administration, and as a leader of a number of agricultural organizations in our state. His leadership and counsel on agriculture and trade issues have been invaluable to me, and I thank him for his service and dedication to the people of Wisconsin. We wish Ben and his wife, Gail, all the very best as they begin this new and exciting chapter.”
Assembly Speaker Vos Statement on the Retirement of Secretary Brancel
Madison… Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) released the following statement regarding the retirement of Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Secretary Ben Brancel.
“I would like to thank Secretary Brancel for his three decades of public service at every level of government. Undoubtedly, our state is better off because of his commitment, dedication, and passion for the agricultural industry. I especially want to thank him for serving as a state representative and Assembly speaker.
“I would also like to wish Ben and his wife, Gail, the best of luck in his retirement and his return to their family farm.”
Ben Brancel’s 7/20/17 Announcement Letter:
Good afternoon,
At the Board of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection meeting today in Tomahawk, I announced my retirement from state public service. I will retire on August 13.
When I was in high school, a national trip by the 4-H organization gave me a chance to meet my Congressman, Melvin Laird. He instilled in me a desire to enter public service someday.
In 1986, the citizens of the 42nd Assembly District gave me an opportunity to start my service at the state level. Then, in 1997, Governor Thompson gave me another exciting opportunity to serve at a cabinet level position.
Life changed again in 2001 when I started my service as state director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency. In 2009, I became the state liaison for the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 2011, Governor Scott Walker gave me another chance to be the Secretary of DATCP.
It has been my pleasure to serve as Secretary. I have given this much thought about when is the right time to retire. I came to the conclusion that there always will be unfinished business to be done, but now is the time to return to my family’s farm full-time in Marquette County as we plan for our first ever production sale. My son and daughter-in-law are now the sixth generation to farm the land. My first job was a farmer, and my last job will be a farmer.
I especially want to thank Governor Walker for the privilege to serve in his cabinet. I am grateful that I was able to be part of this administration, serving farmers, protecting consumers and supporting businesses.
I am very appreciative of my leadership team and the entire staff at the department. The service the agency provides to the public is second to none.
I am humbled by the great opportunities I have had throughout the past three decades. My work has taken me around the world, something I never would have imagined when I was young working in my barnyard.
I have always said that in agriculture, we are a family. Thank you for letting me be a part of it.
Sincerely,
Ben Brancel
Tags: Ag Secretary, Ben Brancel, DATCP, Wisconsin
About time. He was and is totally ineffective.