MADISON –Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation President Kevin Krentz issued the following statement following the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announcement of a virtual listening session on the proposed Wolf Management Plan:
“Wisconsin Farm Bureau appreciates the Department of Natural Resources’ efforts to hear from the public regarding the Wolf Management Plan through a virtual listening session. However, we are disappointed the department has not scheduled an in-person hearing to ensure officials hear from those directly impacted by Wisconsin’s wolf population.
A virtual listening session without a Wisconsin residency requirement will allow non-residents to have excessive influence on the Wolf Management Plan. Wisconsin Farm Bureau, along with other state agriculture groups, will call on the DNR to hold an in-person public listening session located in primary wolf habitat.
The Wolf Management Plan must have buy-in from rural Wisconsin residents but allowing outstate activists to co-opt the process is not the way to move forward.”
Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation is the state’s largest general farm organization representing farms of all sizes, commodities and management styles.
