Wisconsin Dairy Business Association

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Thursday, September 09, 2010

Wednesday, September 23, 2009
DBA Producer Members Submit Letter to the Editor
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September 23, 2009

Few things in Wisconsin are more important than protecting our environment and assuring the long-term success of the dairy industry, a cornerstone of our state's economy. These goals are not mutually exclusive. Today's dairy farmers are committed to farming in a way that protects our natural resources while producing safe, nutritious and affordable dairy products for consumers in Wisconsin and around the world, while protecting our environment and contributing to the quality rural way of life we enjoy in our great state.

Today's dairy farms are different than they were 20 years ago. Just like every other sector of our economy, dairy farmers have had to change with the times to remain competitive with other states and other countries. So while our farms may be larger and more technologically advanced than two decades ago, our commitment to do what's right has never been stronger.

We take our obligation to the environment seriously, as do state regulators. Farmers are the original recyclers. We take the grain grown on Wisconsin farms, add value to it by producing dairy products to feed our nation and apply the organic nutrients in manure back to the soil to grow the next years' crops and to maintain healthy farm ground. Using this renewable resource of organic fertilizer lessens our dependence on petroleum-based fertilizers, reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the process.

Larger dairy operations must comply with environmental regulations that are more stringent than those applied to our municipal sewage treatment plants. Permitted dairies in Wisconsin are held to a "zero discharge" standard. By law, large dairies must apply the valuable nutrients found in manure in a way that assures there is no discharge of that manure to any body of water. By contrast, our municipalities are allowed to discharge in some instances untreated wastewater directly to rivers and lakes across the state and to land apply municipal biosolids with phosphorus many times the level that farmers are allowed.

Research conducted at the University of Minnesota and published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers indicates that larger farms do a better job protecting the environment because they have the resources to hire environmental specialists dedicated to managing environmental issues.

But size is not the issue. What counts is our commitment to produce safe, nutritious and affordable dairy products for you and your family, to create jobs and support local economies, to provide a future for the next generation of family famers, all while protecting our environment and contributing to a quality rural way of life in Wisconsin. That's a commitment you can count on from all of Wisconsin's dairy farmers, regardless of size.

Submitted by the following proud Wisconsin dairy farmers:

Quantum Dairy, LLC

Richard Wagner

Sugar Creek Farm, LLC

Jeff Handschke

Mystic Valley Dairy, LLC

Mitch Breunig

Jon-De Farm, Inc.

Dean, Todd and Liz Doornink

Soaring Eagle Dairy

Julie Maurer & Jim Fitzgerald

Brandvale Dairy

Steve & Mary Brand

Pagels Ponderosa Dairy LLC

John Pagel

Badger Pride Dairy LLC

Son-Bow Farms, Inc.

Jay & Kristi Richardson

Omro Dairy LLC

Jim Ostrom, John Vosters

and Todd Willer

Da-Ran Dairy, LLC

Gerald, Randy & Dave Stahl

Heartwood Farm

Laura Daniels

Burnside Dairy, Inc.

Jason Weisenbeck

SunRay Dairy, LLP

Paul & Julie Larson

Chapman Farms

Gail, Duane, David

and John Chapman

Majestic View Dairy, LLC

John Haskins

Ron & Terri Abing and Family

Sunburst Dairy Inc.

Brian & Yvonne Brown

Hallet Dairy Farm LLC

Randy Hallet

Mar-Bec Farms

Marty Hallock

Lake Breeze Dairy LLC

Mark and Laurie Diederichs

Brian and Lynn Gerrits

Lynn and Catherine Davis

Ron and Chris Schwenck

Rick Schwenck

Doug and Janice Thiel

Roger and Gail Thiel

Roman and Joan Thiel

Doerfer Bros Inc.

Richard, John and Gary Doerfer

Fetzer Farms Inc.

Betsy, Paul, Steve & Joe Fetzer

Hillsprairie Dairy LLC

Steve & Kelli Mitchell

Jeff & Bobbi Mitchell

Hiemstra Dairy LLC

Josh & Roberta Hiemstra

Robert Hiemstra

B & D Dairy

Brian Lepianka

Danette Ossmann

Emerald Dairy, LLC

John Vrieze

Rosy-Lane Holsteins LLC

Lloyd& Daphne Holterman

J.M. Schmidt & Sons, Inc.

Betley Farms LLC

Jack & Gloria Betley

Jeff & Jena Betley

J-Springs Dairy

Judy Springstroh, Amber Springstroh

Tami Ziegler

Tidy View Dairy, Inc.

Jim Ostrom, John Vosters

and Todd Willer

Larson Acres, Inc.

Ed & Mike Larson

Four Cubs Farm

Gary, Chris & Ben Peterson

Norm-E-Lane, Inc.

Jerry Meissner

Misty Morning Dairy LLC

Randy & Rose Mouw

Baudhuin's Grandview Dairy LLC

Bob & Rob Baudhuin

Ripp's Dairy Valley

Chuck, Gary & Troy Ripp

Condon's Dairy Farm

Robert & Lisa Condon

Fietzer Dairy Farms, Inc

Craig & Melissa Fietzer

Banker's Scenic-View Farm

Jack Banker

Brandner Dairy, LLC

Mike, Linda and Damon Brandner

S&S Ag Enterprises LLC

Randy & Dena Schmidt

Miltrim Farms Inc

Tom & Lorene Mueller

Scott & Kathy Trimner

Ocooch Dairy

Dr. Jim Mlsna

Knut Sons, Inc.

Cottonwood Dairy LLC

Jim Winn

Rolling Hills Dairy Farm, LLC

Wanda, Kevin & Scott Gaedtke

Kim Kroll

Roecker's Rolling Acres LLC

Gerald & Margaret Roecker

Randy & Ruth Roecker

Beck Dairy Farms, LLC

David & Mary Beck

Michael & Tammy Beck

Van De Walle Farms LLC

Leland & Ann Van De Walle

and Family

Five Star Dairy, LLC

Lee Jensen

Pond Hill Dairy

Keith Moritz

Merry Water Farms

Keith ,Ken, Walter, Mary York

and John Tueting

Kutz Dairy

Ron, Aaron and Allan Kutz

Four Mile Creek Dairy

Jim and Audrey Kusilek

Mueller Dairy Farm LLC

Mark & Nancy Mueller

Clover Hill Dairy LLC

Joe & Chris Bonlender

w/Sara & Brett (children)

Kinnamon Ridge Dairy, LLC

Country Aire Farms LLC

Rosendale Dairy

Jim Ostrom, John Vosters

and Todd Willer

Baldwin Dairy

John Vrieze

Virhada Holsteins

Micke Dairy LLC

Brian Micke

Duescher's Legendairy Farms

Keith Duescher

Central Sands Dairy

D&D Hawkins Farms Inc.

Dennis Hawkins

Dairy Dreams LLC

Don Niles

Rowekamp Farms

Bill Rowekamp

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