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Wisconsin Farm Bureau members set policy

Wisconsin’s Farm Bureau delegates set their policy priorities for the next year. 

Delegates debated more than twice the usual number of resolutions at this year’s convention.  Vice President Dave Daniels says the resolution seeking support for a national dairy growth management program gained some support but failed on a 60-40 margin. “I was surprised. I thought it was going to be closer to 50% of the delegates would be voting for it.”

Daniels says there are still questions about the proposal most farmers want answers for. “I think the delegates would like to see more information on how that’s going to affect them, whether that’s going to hurt the export market, whether it’s going to help young farmers expand if they want to expand.”

Wisconsin Farm Bureau debated and voted on resolutions Monday. Delegates passed a resolution opposing depooling of milk by processors. For the first time, Farm Bureau delegates voted in favor of farm-to-consumer raw milk sales, and they voted to support the elimination of a redundant national test preventing volunteers from joining local fire and emergency medical service departments. Delegates supported a resolution to have animal-based protein in USDA-supported school lunch programs at all times, opposing the Meatless Monday trend in some districts. Delegates also made it clear they do not support the legalization of marijuana, but if it happens, they want 60% of the tax revenue from medical and recreational marijuana to be designated for local transportation aid.