Agriculture
KEEPING WISCONSIN GROWING
"Agriculture is one of the pillars of America's Dairyland. It's not only fundamental to our state's economic success but also integral to our history and culture. While Wisconsin is renowned for our dairy products, the state's vibrant agricultural industry also grows a great variety of other produce. Wisconsin farmers lead the nation in growing potatoes, ginseng, cranberries, various processing vegetables, and many organic foods.
Since my days in the State Senate, I have spoken out on behalf of the family farmers in Wisconsin, promoting the needs of the industry and opposing market concentration. I have urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture to target research funds toward the needs of small and medium-sized family farms, and I have pushed for a Small Farms Advocate dedicated to protecting the interests of small and mid-sized farmers.
In the U.S. Senate I'm continuing to both push a number of measures to help keep our state's agricultural industry strong, and ensure Wisconsin's farmers are able to compete on a level playing field. The 2008 Farm Bill, which I supported, helped move us in this direction - but there is still much more work that needs to be done."
- Senator Russ Feingold
Shaping the 2008 Farm Bill – Russ's main goal throughout the Senate's consideration of the Farm Bill was to protect Wisconsin's small and mid-sized farms as well as promote a level playing field for all farmers, and, on balance, the Farm Bill made good strides in both of those areas. While it didn't go far enough in fixing the current farm subsidies programs, or tackling other much-needed reforms, farmers and rural communities in Wisconsin are better off because of measures in the 2008 Farm Bill.
Provisions in the Farm Bill authored or supported by Senator Feingold include:
• Farmer Tax Fairness: Provisions similar to Russ's Farmer Tax Fairness Act were included in the Farm Bill and updated the tax code to help family farmers remain eligible for Social Security and disability benefits.
• Ginseng Labeling: Russ has long supported requiring country of origin labeling for ginseng so as to protect Wisconsin's premium ginseng from lesser quality ginseng imports from other countries. He has introduced legislation in previous Congresses to do just that and he worked to make sure that the Farm Bill included a country of origin labeling requirement on ginseng to ensure consumers understand the quality of product they are purchasing.
• Rural Broadband: Building on provisions in Russ's Rural Opportunities Act, the Farm Bill clearly defined "rural" so that broadband programs and funds targeted for rural communities in Wisconsin stay in rural areas and are not used for various suburban developments.
• Local Foods: Building on another portion of Russ's Rural Opportunities Act, the Farm Bill included provisions that encourage the local purchase of food by local entities, as well as providing funding for local food programs.
• MILC: Russ worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to successfully restore the Milk Income Loss Contract program's reimbursement rate to 45 percent. The program is targeted toward small and mid-sized farmers.
• Better Oversight: Russ authored provisions in the Farm Bill that require dairy price reporters to be audited on a regular basis. He was also successful in getting report language to improve USDA oversight of dairy markets in the final bill.
• Office of Small Farms and Outreach to Beginning Farmers and Ranchers: Following up on his success in 1998 in creating the Small Farm Advocate at USDA, Russ was able to insert a measure to improve the authority and activities of this office in accord with a recommendation of the GAO for improved coordination.
• Local Livestock Farmers and Meat Processors: Russ strongly supported Senator Kohl's effort to help local farmers who use smaller, state-inspected meat processors so that their products would be made available in other states.
• Bio-Energy: Russ successfully amended the Farm Bill to require the federal government to continue its partnership with regional institutions that support local ownership in the bio-economy. The Farm Bill also included language based on Feingold's bipartisan legislation that gives priority to grants and loan guarantees to bio-refineries with significant local ownership.
Encouraging Economic Growth in Rural Communities – Senator Feingold is the author of the Rural Opportunities Act. This bipartisan legislation strengthens rural economies and helps people in rural areas create more opportunities for future growth. Russ's bill is supported by the Wisconsin Farmers Union, the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, and the Community Food Security Coalition.
Among other provisions, the Rural Opportunities Act would:
• Increase technical assistance to rural economies – including bringing affordable broadband and internet access to rural households.
• Improve existing programs that help beginning farmers and ranchers.
• Provide increased funding to new and existing energy independence efforts.
• Encourage schools to supply their cafeterias with locally produced products.
• Increase funding for some existing USDA programs – including those that both develop local markets and help farmers sell their products at local markets.
• Provide additional food vouchers to low-income seniors to be used at local farmers' markets.
Standing Up for Wisconsin's Dairy Farmers – Wisconsin is home to the best dairy producers in the world and Russ has continued to fight for their interests in the Senate. From successfully defeating the Northeast Dairy Compact, to successfully extending the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) program, Senator Feingold has consistently fought to level the playing field so that our dairy farmers are able to compete in a fair marketplace. Wisconsin dairy farmers shouldn't be disadvantaged simply because they produce a superior product.
Russ is the author of the Federal Milk Marketing Reform Act – bipartisan legislation that would prohibit the federal government from using transportation costs as the basis for pricing milk. The current federal pricing formula is fundamentally flawed because it creates regional disparities between the Upper Midwest and other parts of the country, and the Federal Milk Marketing Act resolves that unfair practice.
Some of the other Feingold initiatives that help Wisconsin's dairy producers include:
• The Quality Cheese Act – Legislation that would prevent the federal government from changing the definition of natural cheese to include imported milk protein concentrates, or MPCs.
• The Democracy for Dairy Producers Act – Legislation that would give individual farmers who belong to a cooperative a chance to have their voice be heard when their view differs from that of the cooperative's board of directors.
• Giving Wisconsin Farmers a Fair Shake – Too often, large agribusinesses include mandatory arbitration clauses in the contracts they sign with small and mid-sized farmers – giving these farmers only one option should a dispute regarding an agricultural contact arise. This is heavy handed on the part of large agribusinesses and is unfair to the family farmers across Wisconsin. That is why Senator Feingold and Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) introduced the Fair Contracts for Growers Act.
The bipartisan Feingold-Grassley legislation reforms the mandatory arbitration system by giving farmers the freedom to choose arbitration, mediation, or civil action in resolving such disputes – giving livestock and poultry farmers a fair shake in the process.
Recognition of Russ's Senate Voting Record – Senator Feingold is a five-time recipient of the Golden Triangle Award, most recently in 2009, presented by the National Farmers Union. The Golden Triangle Award is the given by NFU to select legislators who have shown strong leadership on agricultural issues. Senator Feingold received the highly selective award for his work on country-of-origin labeling, fair trade policy and initiatives on behalf of dairy producers.
Read more about Russ's work to keep Wisconsin growing
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