From the
Ground Up
Farm Bureau members set to mull a variety of issues impacting rural Wisconsin By Paul Zimmerman
A
s a member, you know well that the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation is a grassroots organization that
works on behalf of farm families and others that support agriculture. A vital WFBF activity is policy development and implementation. Wisconsin Farm Bureau got its start in 1920 with farmers meeting to discuss issues of concern in order to devise ways, or policies, to resolve these issues. Every year since, county Farm Bureau members have met and discussed pertinent issues as part of Farm Bureau’s policy development process. This local involvement culminates
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Rural Route
with voting on the proposed policies at county Farm Bureau annual meetings. Those resolutions are then sent on for discussion at the state Annual Meeting in December. There is not a Farm Bureau activity that is more important than policy development and implementation. We encourage you to become involved in your county’s policy development process this summer and fall, and make sure your voice is heard. In order to help with this discussion, WFBF’s Policy Development Committee and the American Farm Bureau Federation surface issues for county Farm Bureaus to consider during their
policy development process. This year’s state issues suggested by the PD Committee are: 1 Health care is not only a federal issue, but a state one as well. Members are encouraged to discuss state medical assistance programs such as BadgerCare, Family Care and Senior Care. 2 Current Wisconsin law requires the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to oversee the financial condition of dairy processors, grain dealers and some vegetable processors in order
wisconsin farm bureau federation