Preserve family farming JSOnline

Preserve family farming JSOnline


Posted: Feb. 3, 2010 |(1) Comments

The future of the family farm in Wisconsin is being threatened. The latest blow to family farming came last month, when the Department of Natural Resources approved a permit enabling Rosendale Dairy in Fond du Lac County to expand its operations from 4,000 cows to 8,000, making it the largest dairy farm in the state.

A family farm is defined as a farm owned and operated by a family, passed down from generation to generation. It was once the basic unit of our agricultural economy. A factory farm is a large-scale industrial farm operated by an agribusiness - a farm that operates as a factory.

Factory farms are threatening to replace family farms. U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics show that 61% of U.S. farm production comes from the nation's largest farms (8% of all farms), while only 39% of all production comes from the remaining 92% of small, family farms.

There are concerns about factory farms related to their impact on the environment and public health. Waterways can become polluted from pesticides and fertilizers used in large quantities on factory farms. There are threats to public health because of the use of toxic pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. There can be damage to the soil because of industrial farming practices. Yield and profitability tend to be of greater concern than environmental impact.

Organizations such as Family Farm Defenders and the Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice are fighting back to preserve family farms in Wisconsin. Organizations expressing concern about the Rosendale Dairy permit included the Sierra Club - John Muir Chapter in Madison and Clean Wisconsin Inc. In spite of objections from environmentalists and neighbors, the DNR has opened the door to megadairies in Wisconsin.

Support of local and regional family farmers in Wisconsin is essential in the fight against factory farms. Having lost the battle against the Rosendale expansion, environmental advocates and those interested in preserving family farming need to press for stronger legislation in Madison as well as in Washington.

Kathie Leemon of Delafield is retired from manufacturing. E-mail kathieleemon@ymail.com. For more information, go to the Web site of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection: www.datcp.state.wi.us
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