Wisconsin Farm Bureau: Statement on Supreme Court’s Larson Acres ruling
7/12/2012

Contact: Casey Langan, Director of Public Relations, 608-828-5711

MADISON – Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation’s Executive Director of Governmental Relations Paul Zimmerman issued the following statement on the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s 5-2 ruling on the livestock siting lawsuit involving Larson Acres of Rock County.

“The Wisconsin Supreme Court’s ruling on this challenge to our state’s livestock facility siting law is a huge win for Wisconsin livestock farmers.

This landmark law was created to provide clear and consistent frameworks for both the farmers who grow their livestock farms and the local governments that wish to regulate these farms in a scientifically-sound manner.

The law provides a roadmap for local units of government to implement the livestock facility siting process. So far, 23 counties and 41 towns have adopted the state’s livestock standards.

This law works as intended because most potential roadblocks are now clear at the start of an expansion project. The proof of this is the relative lack of public controversies over farm expansions since the law took effect in 2006.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, 70 permits for expansion were granted between May of 2006 and May of 2011.

The conclusion of the ruling said that the state legislature had taken steps to balance the important interests of protecting precious natural resources with encouraging a robust and efficient agricultural economy. Rock County’s Town of Magnolia stepped over those limitations set by the Legislature.

Agriculture contributes over $59 billion to Wisconsin’s economy. Dairy alone contributes to nearly half of that total.

Today’s Supreme Court ruling benefits any farm family that wishes to grow their livestock farm in America’s Dairyland.”