State efforts seek to protect farm tradition

Wisconsin is losing family farms at a rate of three or more per day. How does this loss of farms affect the economy? Rural communities?

According to the Wisconsin Farm Bureau, over 500,000 citizens derive employment from producing, processing or marketing agricultural products. The agricultural industry contributes $14.2 billion - 16% of all income generated in the state. In 1999, Wisconsin farmers produced and marketed milk, crops and livestock valued at $5.59 billion. Dairy production accounts for 57% of farm receipts.

Clearly, maintaining Wisconsin's agricultural strength will maintain Wisconsin's economic strength. However, looking at the economic contribution of farming paints only part of the picture. Farms are a part of Wisconsin's history and culture. The health of local communities has been built on rural families, connected to the land and to the civic and spiritual life of the community.

Analyzing the economic and public policy factors that have contributed to the current crisis in Wisconsin agriculture is complicated. Global and national trends and policies have led to agriculture that is more industrialized and more controlled by major players.

However, state and local governments also contribute to the situation for farmers. Sometimes, these governments are better equipped to deal with overwhelming situations. State and local officials who know families personally and have seen first hand the erosion of rural life can feel most acutely the real impact of the loss of family farms.

Recognizing the critical role the state can play in promoting viable family farms, the Family Farm Stewardship Campaign has united family farm, environmental, church, and citizens groups as well as farmers and activists to seek solutions to difficult circumstances facing family farms. The Wisconsin Catholic Conference has worked with the Campaign to develop legislation to preserve a family farm system.

The proposed legislation, dubbed the Family Farm Protection Act (FFPA), would:

-- Level the playing field so small to moderate sized family farms - the majority of Wisconsin farms - can be economically viable.

Most farms in Wisconsin (34,500) had gross sales between $1,000 and $9,999 last year. Farms grossing under $100,000 in sales represent 77% of all farms. (Wisconsin Agricultural Statistics Service, 2000). Yet the current agricultural economy trend is toward centralized ownership and monopoly control.

The FFPA would require state government to study anti-competitive practices and enforce existing laws prohibiting collusion. In addition, it would institute mandatory price reports in dairy and livestock marketing to provide accurate financial records of what processors pay producers.

-- Ensure environmental protection and healthy rural communities. The FFPA proposes enhanced environmental standards for large confined animal feeding operations (over 1,000 animals units). As of 1999, there were 60 livestock operations in the state that exceeded that 1,000. The proposal would, among other things, require that these large operations secure performance bonding before opening, have all permits in place before operations begin, and direct the state to develop air monitoring standards from industrial livestock facilities.

-- Invest in Wisconsin family farms. This would include low interest loans, low-cost strategies for modernization, and development of new agricultural enterprises.

The FFPA promotes expanding the Agricultural Development and Diversification grant program. In addition, it proposes market development to encourage local buying and directs the University of Wisconsin to target research to help small and moderate sized farms improve profitability. The proposal also includes grants to help farmers develop nutrient management plans and establish environmentally sound management practices.

While the proposal has not yet been introduced as legislation, proponents anticipate doing so this spring with possible inclusion of some financial components of the FFPA in the current state budget.

The Family Farm Stewardship Campaign is not the only group offering ideas to promote a healthy agricultural economy. A number of organizations are focusing on ways in which state policies can improve the economic viability of Wisconsin's farms. For example, some are pursuing tax revisions and seeking additional resources to fund research in greater efficiency and the development of new products and markets.

Health insurance is another concern. Some legislators are now promoting better access to state sponsored health care which has traditionally been inaccessible to farmers.

The Wisconsin Catholic Conference is following these issues on both a state and national level. Additionally, the WCC works with diocesan rural life offices to promote education on farm issues and current agricultural situations.

Farmers represent less than 2% of the state's population, but a significantly greater number of individuals derive their livelihood from the business of agriculture. Rural communities derive their spirit and character from local farms. And all of us, as consumers of food and fiber, are impacted by changes in agriculture.

Wisconsin is an agricultural state so the business of agriculture should matter to all citizens. Even more importantly, there is a special calling to the faithful to engage the issues of agriculture.

As Bp. Raymond Burke of La Crosse said, "We cannot hand over our God given responsibility to anonymous economic forces and interests. In the end, the solidarity of those who are not dairy farmers is the key to turning around an unjust economic structure which is destroying family farmers." (La Crosse Times Review, Feb. 17, 2000)

(Markeland is Associate Director of the Wisconsin Catholic Conference, the civil arm of the state's five Catholic bishops.)