Wisconsin Farm Bureau delegates set policy, select winners

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Wisconsin Farm Bureau delegates set policy, select winners

Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Government Affairs Director says their annual meeting had delegates discussing new and familiar policy issues. Karen Gefvert says, “Twenty-nine proposed resolutions were on the docket today (Saturday), and we did those all on a virtual platform.”

Gefvert tells Brownfield their four main topics were meat processing backlogs, clean water, broadband, and dairy policy. “Grade A dairy permits obviously. That’s an issue for some of our members. High plate counts and being able to remedy those. Farmers are really interested in learning more about opportunities for profitability.”

Delegates voted to support broadband as a necessity, support an overhaul of the dairy pricing system, support local meat processing upgrades and student incentives to get more young people into the meat processing business.

Wisconsin Farm Bureau members also selected Julie Sweney as their 2020 Young Farmer and Agriculturalist Discussion Meet winner. Sweney grew up on a Dodge County dairy farm and is currently the Director of Communications and Marketing for FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative.

Natasha Paris is the Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Excellence in Agriculture Award winner. Paris is an agri-science teacher and FFA advisor at Ripon High School and operates a pasture-based livestock operation with her husband Jordan.