Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation: 2010 ‘Farm Bureau Picks’

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

November’s election, the animal welfare debate, a big win for farmers on water quality rules, a great growing season and a number of high-profile leadership changes were the top stories for agriculture in 2010.

(This is the annual review of the WFBF president’s selection of the top state agricultural stories over the past year.)

MADISON — 2010 will likely be best remembered as a year where Mother Nature smiled on Wisconsin’s growing and harvesting seasons. Wisconsin farmers successfully sought favorable water runoff regulations known as NR 151, while the debate over animal welfare ensued. The outcome of November’s election was also one of the factors that led to a number of high-profile leadership changes impacting agriculture.

These were agriculture’s top five stories of 2010, according to Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation President Bill Bruins, who made his annual year-end “Farm Bureau Picks.”

GREAT GROWING SEASON

Wisconsin farmers enjoyed great growing conditions in 2010 with warm temperatures and timely rains during the summer months. High-yielding crops were ahead of schedule and ideal weather conditions made for an outstanding harvesting season. This year stood in stark contrast to 2009, when cool and wet weather hampered crops from April through October, and an early December blizzard cut short an already abbreviated harvest season.

ELECTION RESULTS

“Undoubtedly the outcome of November’s state and federal elections will have a big impact on agriculture,” said Bruins.

Wisconsin voters elected Republican Scott Walker as governor and allowed the GOP to take back strong majorities in the State Senate and Assembly. Nearly one-third of the 99-member State Assembly will be newcomers when the next Legislature is sworn in on January 3. A Walker Administration will also mean changes in personnel and policy at the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP).

On the federal side, voters painted Wisconsin an even deeper shade of red by replacing Democrats, Congressman Steve Kagen and Senator Russ Feingold, with Republican political newcomers Reid Ribble and Ron Johnson. Republican Sean Duffy was elected in Wisconsin’s open 7th Congressional seat. The successful candidates expressed support for lower taxes and smaller government during their campaigns.

LEADERSHIP CHANGES

Prior to the landmark election, Congressman Dave Obey who had represented parts of northern Wisconsin in Congress since 1969 announced he would not seek reelection in November.

“It was one of the high-profile leadership changes that 2010 will be remembered for,” Bruins said.

Tragedy struck this summer as a drowning accident in Lake Superior led to the untimely passing of DATCP Secretary Rod Nilsestuen. Deputy Secretary Randy Romanski was later named his successor.

In the fall it was announced that Molly Jahn, Dean of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences would be stepping down as of early 2011.

“Farm Bureau looks forward to being a part of the process to select a successor who will mirror Dean Jahn’s commitment to Wisconsin agriculture,” Bruins said.

ANIMAL WELFARE

A topic that made national headlines in 2010 was the ongoing debate over animal welfare. The mission of the deceptively-named Humane Society of the United States was a hot topic at the Ag Day at the Capitol event that the Wisconsin Farm Bureau hosted last February. The HSUS posted political gains in farm states like Ohio and Missouri this year. California’s agricultural industry grappled with the ramifications of HSUS-backed proposition that voters there approved in 2008.

“To continue an honest dialogue with consumers about how animals are treated on Wisconsin farms, the Farm Bureau and other ag groups hosted the online Farmers Feed US sweepstakes from July through October,” said Bruins. “Consumers registered to win a year’s worth of free groceries by viewing videos taken on eight Wisconsin farms.”

NR 151

“It might not have made a lot of headlines, but the passage of the water runoff regulations known as NR 151 was a big win for farmers in 2010,” said Bruins. “Earlier this year hundreds of farmers attended hearings and successfully convinced the DNR to make their proposed rules workable for production agriculture.”

Farm Bureau appreciated the method the DNR took to this process and was pleased that other environmental groups supported the changes as well. The rewrite of NR 151 turned out workable for farmers and helpful in protecting the environment.

“Farm Bureau Picks” of the top issues of 2010:

* A Great Growing Season

* November’s Election Results

* Leadership Changes

* Animal Welfare Debate

* Successful Rewrite of NR 151

Next week Bruins will announce the second half of his annual “Farm Bureau Picks” on the five issues that he predicts will dominate headlines in 2011.