Release Date: May 1, 2017 Media Contact: Bill Cosh, Communications Director, 608-224-5020, william2.cosh@wi.gov
MADISON – Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Secretary Ben Brancel issued the following statement today:
“For weeks we have been working against the clock, trying to find a home for milk from dozens of displaced Wisconsin family farms before May 1. Today I am grateful to announce that 99% of the milk has found a home, and that plans are in place to assist the few farms who have not yet signed a contract.
“Thank you to the dairy processors and milk handlers who have stepped up to help our Wisconsin dairy farm families. I appreciate you making arrangements, if only for the short-term, to give these farms the opportunity to continue farming and make plans for the future. We understand the huge amount of work that had to be done to locate capacity, arrange transportation and complete contracts quickly.
“President Trump and Governor Walker have stood up for Wisconsin’s dairy industry and are working to create a level playing field so our dairy farmers and processors can thrive for many generations. We are focused on free, fair and transparent trade policies, and on reopening the Canadian market for all of U.S. dairy products, including ultra-filtered milk.
“I have said, and will continue to say, that the Wisconsin dairy industry is a family, and family looks out for each other. This past month has shown how our dairy family can come together in challenging times to accomplish great things. I am truly thankful for the efforts of the farmers, processors, milk handlers, lenders, agricultural organizations and our government partners. You are and always will be part of my family.”
DATCP’s Wisconsin Farm Center continues to be available to assist farmers. Contact the Farm Center at 1-800-942-2474.
