Wisconsin agriculture lost a true friend when long-time Democratic State Representative Barbara “Bobby” Gronemus (D-Whitehall) announced that she will not run for re-election in 2008. Elected in 1982, Representative Gronemus has been an ardent supporter of our state’s rural and farm families. “Wisconsin agriculture had a great friend in Bobby,” said Laurie Fischer, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Dairy Business Association. “She was always on the side of family farmers and spent her entire legislative career working to better their lives.”

Representative Gronemus was a strong supporter of several issues that were important to the Dairy Business Association such as the dairy modernization tax credit and agricultural siting legislation. Both important pieces of legislation have greatly improved Wisconsin’s dairy industry over the past few years. “We commend Bobby for her years of hard work and leadership and wish her the best in her retirement,” said Fischer. “Over the next year and a half, we plan to work closely with her to continue to improve Wisconsin’s dairy industry.”

The Wisconsin Dairy Business Association is a statewide organization of dairy producers, vendors, allied industry partners, and professionals actively working to assure that dairy producers, large and small, remain an active, thriving part of Wisconsin’s economy, communities, and food chain. The DBA is dedicated to being proactive in helping to create and protect consistent water, environmental and waste management regulation.