Here & Now

Farmers Union President on State Agriculture Policies

Frederica Freyberg:

A closer look now as to one reason the Republican-held State Senate rejected the governor’s nominee for ag secretary. Many in opposition to Brad Pfaff’s selection said it was his agency’s proposed changes to livestock siting rules for new or expanding operations in the state. The rules would include where livestock facilities could be placed, odor and runoff management and regulation of manure storage facilities. Farm groups and Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce were among those opposing the revised rules saying the regulations would be burdensome. The Wisconsin Farm Bureau says they would stifle the growth of the state’s ag economy. The Wisconsin Farmers Union and its president, Darin Von Ruden, take a different view. He joins us now from La Crosse. And thanks for being here.

Darin Von Ruden:

Thank you too, Frederica.

Frederica Freyberg:

What was your reaction to the rejection and ouster of the ag secretary-designee?

Darin Von Ruden:

Really disappointing and disheartening really. Brad grew up here in western Wisconsin on a family dairy farm and been involved in agricultural all of his life even though he was involved in politics. But he was involved in the ag side of working with Senator Ron Kind and also — Congressman Ron Kind and then also Senator Herb Kohl early in his career. So you know, he really knows the agriculture industry inside and out here in the state of Wisconsin and was really going to be a great spokesman for the ag industry here.

Frederica Freyberg:

Earlier you had said you thought perhaps the decision was political. How so?

Darin Von Ruden:

Well, you know I think just looking at some of the things that happened this summer with the Joint Finance Committee tying up the $100,000 on the mental health issue until the Senator Fitzgerald’s task force made recommendations and then one of their recommendations was actually for the Department of Ag to get that $100,000. Secretary — Senator Fitzgerald really didn’t like that backlash. But I guess what Brad was doing was calling a spade a spade.

Frederica Freyberg:

As for DATCP’s proposed rule revisions on new or expanding livestock operation, what’s your reaction to those who say that they would be burdensome, hurt agriculture and put people out of business?

Darin Von Ruden:

Right now in the dairy state that Wisconsin’s known as, we’re losing two dairy farms a day. So what is the real issue? It’s more economics than regulations. Farmers are not recovering what their costs are right now and haven’t been for five years now. We got to look at the economics and try to figure out how to get those into more of a balance so that more farmers stay in business.

Frederica Freyberg:

Do you feel like the revised rules are a good thing?

Darin Von Ruden:

Yes, I do. You know, especially when you start looking at what rural municipalities, townships, counties, some of the costs that they have in the permitting process for these large farms can run into the tens of thousands of dollars sometimes. And a lot of times, the counties only get $300 to $500 to look at that. So they’re using taxpayer money to offset the difference between what they’re receiving from their permitee and what their actual costs are. One of the things that the proposed new rule was going to do was going to allow these municipalities and townships to actually set a fee that they could recover their costs.

Frederica Freyberg:

I know that some people are saying these new revised rules, they’re not just for those largest CAFOs out there but for operations expanding to like 500 animals. The larger operations are really now part of our farming mix. Would you like to see them even more strictly regulated or prohibited even?

Darin Von Ruden:

We really have to look at that. When you look at the largest of businesses around the country, they’re really regulated more than the mom and pop shops are. As a 50-cow, organic dairy farmer, the only regulations I really have is trying to follow the organic standards that the consumers really want to see enforced. And those, yes, they cost a little bit of money but those consumers also are willing to pay that little bit extra to make sure the farmer stays in compliance with what the organic standards are. So looking at what larger farming operations are doing, too, if we look at how our dollars come back to us from the consumer, they can recover those costs from regulations if we look at how we price our product.

Frederica Freyberg:

We need to leave it there. Darin Von Ruden, thank you for joining us.

Darin Von Ruden:

Thank you Frederica.