Laurie Fischer Executive Director Dairy Business Association   Bio | Contact Info | Hi Res Photo |Word Doc | More Story Leads

Introduction

The dairy industry is still very much family-run businesses with the involvement of producers who love their industry and their dairy cattle. For many producers who are modernizing and attempting to increase efficiencies or increasing herd size to help provide income for additional family members joining the farm operation, there are serious challenges, issues such as regulatory and legislative concerns (in relation to modern animal operations), environmental stewardship, waste management and air quality. Another challenge affecting everyone involved in dairy farming is to help educate those not involved in agriculture about the crucial role the dairy industry plays to support the economy and the production of quality food.

Laurie Fischer is the Executive Director of the Dairy Business Association (DBA) of Wisconsin. DBA is an eight-year-old organization comprised of dairy producers, corporate sponsors and industry professionals dedicated to creating a favorable business climate. In her role with DBA, Laurie is an active voice speaking for the modernization of the dairy industry at the State and Federal Capitols.

How is the dairy industry faring in Wisconsin? Are we moving “Forward” as our State Motto says?

In 2007, Wisconsin’s dairy producers and dairy processors experienced modest growth and increases in return on investments. In the coming year we expect this trend to continue. In recent years, Governor Jim Doyle and legislative leaders played a key role in reversing the declining trend in the dairy industry. Today the Doyle administration has partnered in our vision for a secure future for Wisconsin’s dairy industry. The positive atmosphere and the progressive polices of the administration have reenergized and encouraged the industry’s growth.

While the dairy industry is growing and modernizing, it is doing so in an environmentally protective manner. In partnership with regulatory agencies, the dairy industry is applying innovative improvements and practices that are protecting our environment by turning waste into energy and applying other innovations which will grow our economy, create new job opportunities and improve the quality of life for the citizens in Wisconsin.

Talk about the Green Tier Charter and what this means for Wisconsin and its dairy producers?

In November 2007, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Secretary Matt Frank signed a Green Tier Charter between the DNR and DBA. DBA prides itself on its members’ commitment to the principle of environmental stewardship. The DBA’s Green Tier Advancement Project (DBA-GTAP) represents an advancement of those principles. DBA-GTAP was formed and organized for the purpose of entering into this charter with the DNR. The charter is designed to help producers take necessary steps to bring their dairy operations above and beyond compliance and receive privileges from DNR for participation. The charter provides individual support for producers to educate them on the practices and procedures they must comply with using Environmental Management Systems (EMS). The charter is also designed to assist all dairy-related operations from producer to marketer to build capacity by using sound environmental practices and processes. Through this charter, DBA-GTAP has made a commitment to actively encourage all producers, regardless of size, to submit applications for their individual participation. John Vrieze, DBA’s president at the time the charter was signed, said it best when he noted that the charter “paves the way for a new future between WDNR, dairy producers and processors."

Senator Herb Kohl recently announced an appropriation which was recently signed by the President to help fund the “Environmental Compliance Cooperative Agreement” program. What is this program and how will it work?

Agribusiness in Wisconsin is fortunate to have excellent representation in Washington. Senator Kohl was successful at earmarking nearly $180,000 of the 2008 Federal Agriculture Spending Bill to provide funding for the Environmental Compliance Cooperative Agreement. The funding for this project could not have come at a better time. Agriculture is rebounding in our state, and the type of assistance this project will provide will be in the form of technical, engineering expertise and on-site visits. These are the services that operators need when they begin growing and modernizing their dairy operations. An important benefit of operating this program through a producer organization is that producers are more likely to turn to those they trust and have a relationship with for environmental guidance. We view this project as a supplement to the important and outstanding work being conducted by the WDNR and the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) staff. I believe the technical assistance provided through this grant will result in Wisconsin producers complying with all regulations, while ranking higher for federal programs as they grow their businesses.

In May, the Livestock Facility siting law will have been in place for two years. Your association took this law on as a top priority initiative and worked very hard to see this law implemented. On occasion, we hear some rumblings about it. From your perspective, how is the law working?

According to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), 16 permits have been issued with little controversy. The most common problem has been with producers not filing complete applications and then needing to provide more information. There have been a number of cases where local units of government did not fully understand their role in the process and in one or two cases, citizen opposition to an application became a news story.

Opposition to expansion existed prior to the livestock siting law as well. At that time, there were no consistent standards or rules, and there was no certainty or consistency on how permits were handled. DATCP reports on how the law is working, including when permits have been issued, when problems arise, and information on producers’ expansion.

In the majority of cases, the producer works with the local unit of government, the county land conservation office, and the DNR, when necessary. If there are no existing local codes or zoning laws that legitimately prohibit the operation and the producer’s plans meet the state standards, the permit is issued. Wisconsin livestock agriculture is allowed to grow if the applicant meets the stringent standards of the siting law.