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DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 21, No. 24
President Trump signs off on USMCA
Trade agreement to create level playing eld for dairy By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Dairy organizations across the nation echoed their support of the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement as President Donald Trump signed a bill to implement the trade deal Jan. 29, at the White House in Washington. “On behalf of dairy farmers, we are extremely grateful to get to this point,” Bob Huffman said. “This is a big win for farmers and the dairy industry as a whole.” Huffman is the CEO of First District Association based in Litcheld, Minnesota. The agreement, which was accepted by Mexico’s government last year also, now awaits Canada lawmakers’ approval to take effect. “I’m looking forward to it being signed and done,” said dairy farmer Pat Lunemann. “When (Canada raties it), maybe then we can get back to a new normal.” Lunemann and his wife, Jody, milk 850 cows and run 1,600 acres of land at Twin Eagle Dairy in Todd County near Clarissa, Minnesota. The Lunemanns’ youngest son, Alex, also farms with them. The purpose of the new trade agreement is to modernize and rebalance components of the North American Free Trade Agreement as both Canada and Mexico continue to be critical destinations for United States’ agricultural exports. In 2018, Canada accounted for 34% of U.S. agricultural goods exported to free trade agreement partners and Mexico 30%, according to the Ofce of the United States Trade Representative. Turn to USMCA | Page 5
February 8, 2020
From teen employee to farm owner Grotjan’s dairy farming journey comes full circle By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
EAGLE, Wis. – Once Jim Grotjan got his rst taste of farming at age 15, he never again considered another occupation. His rst part-time job at a nearby dairy farm would lead him into a lifelong career in the industry. Grotjan grew up on today’s equivalent of a hobby farm – 85 acres that was home to a couple horses and a dozen or so chickens. His father was a high school biology teacher in Milwaukee. Grotjan’s home was 3 miles from where he currently farms with his wife, Michele, near Eagle. His farm is the same place that his parents used to buy milk from once a week and the same farm he began working at years ago as a teenager. “I started working here and fell in love with it,” Grotjan said. “You couldn’t get me out of this place.” Grotjan milked cows, fed calves and did other chores as well as eld work on the 70-cow farm which was owned by two brothers. A true cow man, Grotjan Turn to GROTJAN | Page 6
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Jim and Michele Grotjan milk 200 cows near Eagle, Wisconsin. The Grotjans farm at the same place Jim began working at when he was 15 years old.
Gov. Evers proposes investment in rural communities
$8.5 million package to expand ag, dairy opportunities By Danielle Nauman danielle.n@dairystar.com
MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin dairy farmers and their surrounding communities have been feeling the brunt of hard economic times for several years. Elected ofcials serving in the state government in Madison all agree something needs to be done to help Wisconsin’s farmers and rural communities, but the ideas and methods of achieving a solution are as diverse as Wisconsin’s dairy industry itself. In his State of the State address delivered Jan. 22, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers
PHOTO COURTESY OF WISCONSIN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, shown here speaking at the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federa�on’s Ag Day Feb. 4 at the Capitol, unveiled what he called a three-prong program to help address issues faced by farmers and rural communi�es during his State of the State speech last month.
presented what he calls a threepronged plan, with legislation calling for nearly $8.5 million in funding, to bring relief and solutions to the problems facing rural Wisconsin. “We’re known as America’s Dairyland, but unfortunately, as too many families across our state know rsthand, our state continues to face challenges that we must work quickly to address,” Evers said in his address. “Our state has relied on the resilience and dedication of our farmers for generations, and in this state, nobody carries the burden alone. We need to be better partners for our farmers, agricultural industries and rural communities. So, today I am proud to be unveiling my Turn to AID | Page 6