VFA ENDORSEMENTS

The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation’s political action arm, the Volunteers for Agriculture® Committee, has announced its endorsements of candidates in key State Assembly and Senate races for the Nov. 3 general election.

“The farmers who make up the VFA Committee take their role very seriously," said WFBF Senior Director of Governmental Relations Debi Towns. "They recognize that these candidates are supportive of issues that are important to the farm families that make up Wisconsin’s agricultural

• Promote the economic and social well-being of farmers, rural families and agricultural interests. • Head off burdensome legislation and regulations. • Advocate for farmers’ and agriculturists’ interests amid a changing social, economic and political climate. community.”

Since 1990, the VFA has helped elect candidates who work for agriculture in Madison. The VFA Committee is comprised of 18 farmers from across the state. It was formed to give farmers a more direct role in electing leaders who best represent agriculture’s interests. The committee builds strong relationships with legislators of both parties to help achieve legislative priorities. For more information about the VFA, visit wfbf.com/ policy/vfa.

• Contributes directly to the candidate’s campaign committee. • Purchases advertising in support of candidates. • Motivates our members to vote for endorsed candidates.

population still farming, this has never been more critical.” – Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation President Joe Bragger

• Joel Kitchens (R-Sturgeon Bay), 1st District • Ron Tusler (R-Harrison), 3rd District • Jim Steineke (R-Kaukauna), 5th District • Gary Tauchen (R-Bonduel), 6th District • Rob Hutton (R-Brookfield), 13th District • Joe Sanfelippo (R-New Berlin), 15th District • Evan Goyke (D-Milwaukee) 18th District • Paul Tittl (R-Manitowoc), 25th District • Jessie Rodriguez (R-Oak Creek), 21st District • Jim Ott (R-Mequon), 23rd District • Terry Katsma (R-Oostburg), 26th District • Tyler Vorpagel (R-Plymouth), 27th District • Shannon Zimmerman (R-River Falls), 30th District • Amy Loudenbeck (R-Clinton) 31st District • Tyler August (R-Lake Geneva), 32nd District • Rob Swearingen (R-Rhinelander), 34th District • Jeff Mursau (R-Crivitz), 36th District • John Jagler (R-Watertown), 37th District • Mark Born (R-Beaver Dam), 39th District • Kevin Petersen (R-Waupaca), 40th District • Jon Plumer (R-Lodi), 42nd District • Don Vruwink (D-Milton), 43rd District • Travis Tranel (R-Cuba City), 49th District • Tony Kurtz (R-Wonewoc), 50th District

• Rob Stafsholt (R-New Richmond), 10th District • Mary Felzkowski (R-Irma), 12th District

American Farm Bureau’s iFarmiVote election toolkit gives you the information you need before voting, including access to your voting status, polling place, absentee ballots and more information about the candidates. Due to the pandemic, there are a lot of changes happening to how voting will take place. This toolkit has an entire team dedicated to keeping up with changes happening state-bystate and county-by-county so that no one will be unsure of how to cast a ballot. Visit fb.org/ advocacy/vote to learn more.

When you visit the website, pledge to vote in 2020. By taking the pledge, you are demonstrating how Farm Bureau members are civically engaged. When you take the pledge, a pindrop will be added to your location on a map of the U.S. to visually show the strength of the Farm Bureau family. • Todd Novak (R-Dodgeville), 51st District • Jeremy Thiesfeldt (R-Fond du Lac), 52nd District • Michael Schraa (R-Oshkosh), 53rd District • Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh), 54th District • Dave Murphy (R-Greenville), 56th District • Robert Brooks (R-Saukville), 60th District • Samantha Kerkman (R-Salem), 61st District • Robin Vos (R-Burlington), 63rd District • Rob Summerfield (R-Bloomer), 67th District • Nancy VanderMeer (R-Tomah), 70th District • Katrina Shankland (D-Stevens Point), 71st District • Scott Krug, (R-Nekoosa), 72nd District • Dianne Hesselbein (D-Middleton), 79th District • Dave Considine (D-Baraboo), 81st District • Ken Skowronski (R-Franklin), 82nd District • Patrick Snyder (R-Schofield), 85th District • John Spiros (R-Marshfield), 86th District • James Edming (R-Glen Flora), 87th District • John Macco (R-Ledgeview), 88th District • John Nygren (R-Marinette), 89th District • Treig Pronschinske (R-Mondovi), 92nd District • Warren Petryk (R-Eleva), 93rd District • Loren Oldenburg (R-Viroqua), 96th District • Scott Allen (R-Waukesha), 97th District

• Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan), 14th District

• Patrick Testin (R-Stevens Point), 24th District

With $8.4 million still available to support Wisconsin than $40,000. The payments were distributed on a sliding farmers who have faced financial challenges due to scale ranging from $1,000 to $3,000 with the average being the effects of COVID-19, the Wisconsin Department of approximately $2,500. Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection reopened the Additionally, Gov. Evers directed $15 million in CARES Wisconsin Farm Support Program for additional applications dollars to be used for funding a food security initiative. Through from Aug. 10 to 24. the COVID-19 Food Security and Wisconsin Products grant

Earlier this summer, Wisconsin received approximately process, DATCP distributed $5 million to 17 food banks, $2 billion through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and non-profit organizations and tribal nations to help them adapt Economic Security Act. Gov. Tony Evers committed $50 to infrastructure challenges they experienced as a result of the million to direct payments for farmers in the state. In the pandemic. first round of applications, DATCP distributed $41.6 million The remaining $10 million will be distributed across two of to nearly 12,000 farmers across 71 counties. Each recipient Wisconsin’s largest statewide hunger relief organizations. The received $3,500. two recipients demonstrated an ability to successfully network

This second round of funding was open to farmers whose with producers, processors, tribal nations and food banks from gross income from farming in 2019 was between $10,000 and across the state. $5 million. The initial round of funding was limited to gross Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation appreciates Gov. Evers farm income between $35,000 and $5 million. In the second and the many legislators who recognized the tremendous round, more than 3,300 individuals received the remaining impact the agricultural industry has on the state’s economy. $8.4 million in direct support to help cover economic losses WFBF is proud to advocate for its members and thanks farmers, suffered during the pandemic. Almost 60 percent of the second- processors and retailers who have worked tirelessly during the round recipients reported a gross income from farming at less pandemic to keep the food supply chain flowing smoothly.

Anzy Maerz has been hired as bookkeeper "I am excited to be part of the Wisconsin Farm II for the Wisconsin Bureau team and looking forward to learning as Farm Bureau Federation’s operations division. much as I can in the up coming weeks."

“We are excited to have Anzy join the Farm Farm Bureaus that are part of the county financial services Bureau team, her previous program. She also will answer questions county board members accounting experience will have on county financials and assist county Farm Bureaus with be an excellent asset to the government reports, fair stand filings, etc. organization,” Executive Anzy earned an associate degree in accounting from Madison Director of Operations Jeff Area Technical College. She came to WFBF from a local public Fuller said. accounting firm and began her duties on Sept. 14. Anzy and her

In this role, she will provide bookkeeping support to county husband, Nick, reside in Arena with their two children.

Agriculture plays a vital Family-owned farms, food processors and agriculture-related part of the economy businesses generated thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in nearly every Wisconsin of economic activity while contributing to local income and county, whether urban or tax revenues. While dairy is the number one commodity in rural, contributing both jobs most counties, other top commodities include grain, poultry and income. The economic and vegetables. Several counties have a strong green industry impact varies from county to presence that includes greenhouse and nursery operations. county as do the commodities Agri-tourism and farm-to-table businesses also are adding to represented. agriculture’s economic impact in counties throughout the state. “While the COVID-19 According to the “Contribution of Agriculture to the pandemic has had a Wisconsin Economy: Updated for 2017” study released by negative impact on jobs and Steven Deller, Division of Extension community development businesses throughout the economist and professor in the Department of Agricultural and state – including agriculture, Applied Economics at UW-Madison, statewide, agriculture Wisconsin farmers and farm is a $104.8 billion industry and provided 435,700 jobs. Other businesses continue to provide findings include: food for local and global • In 36 Wisconsin counties, agriculture impacts 3,000 or consumers,” said Dean and more jobs; five of those counties have more than 10,000 Director of UW-Madison ag-related jobs Division of Extension • In 42 Wisconsin counties, agriculture stimulates more than Karl Martin. $500 million in industry sales An updated UW-Madison • In 18 Wisconsin counties, agriculture generates more than study completed prior to $32 million in sales, property and income taxes the COVID-19 pandemic, Information about each county’s top commodities, the examined the economic number of people employed by agriculture-related impacts of agriculture at businesses and the economic impact are available online at the county level using data go.wisc.edu//i0ja99. from 2017. This research was done to help communities and agricultural “Although data for the leaders make informed decisions that leverage Wisconsin’s county reports does not agricultural strengths. The study was made possible because reflect activity in the recent months, it provides a of strong partnerships with the Wisconsin Department of basis and perspective of agriculture trends,” said Extension Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection; Dairy Farmers of Agriculture Institute Director Heidi Johnson. Wisconsin and Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation.