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Wisconsin Farmers Union seeks PFAS solutions

Farmers are discussing what needs to happen next to ensure clean water for generations to come. 

A main topic for Wisconsin Farmers Union’s summer conference is water quality and the spread of PFAS contamination.  State President Darin Von Ruden tells Brownfield the forever chemicals impact everyone. “As we’re looking at the PFAS issues, you know, it seems like it might be more of an urban issue but we’re seeing it in rural parts of Wisconsin, too.”

The recently-signed state budget has money to assist communities with PFAS identification and mitigation, and VonRuden says it’s important for everyone including farmers to get ahead of the problem. “When you look at what happened to the farm down in New Mexico where they had PFAS contamination and a whole herd of four thousand animals had to be destroyed because they couldn’t produce milk anymore, so it’s an issue that will be coming to light more and more.”

Von Ruden says there is a pond only 30 miles from his farm where PFAS contamination is so high, fish consumption advisories have been issued by the state.

President Darin Von Ruden discusses water quality with Brownfield’s Larry Lee from the Farmers Union’s Summer Conference at Kamp Kenwood near Chippewa Falls.