As part of his Wisconsin Way agenda to lower costs, Mandela Barnes is announcing his plan to Protect America’s Dairyland by taking the rigged system that lets corporate monopolies price out Wisconsin farmers and standing up to Donald Trump and Tom Tiffany’s farm-killing price hikes.

“Wisconsin is America’s Dairyland. But for far too long, corporate greed and politicians like Donald Trump and Tom Tiffany have sold out our farms for massive tax giveaways to billionaires and corporate monopolies,” said Lt. Governor Mandela Barnes. “With my plan, we will take on the monopolies that are pricing out Wisconsin farmers and killing farms across the state. Family farming is the backbone and heart of this state, and I will do everything I can as Governor to put the needs of farmers first.”

“Wisconsin farmers need new markets to replace lost foreign sales due to trade wars. Mandela’s plans to boost ag processing capacity will help us replace markets and add value to our farm products,” said Les Danielson, a fourth-generation dairy and grain farmer from Cadott. “His plan to build the next generation of family farming shows Mandela is the right leader for farmers across Wisconsin.”

Mandela Barnes’ plan calls for enforcing antitrust laws to break up out-of-state monopolies that are pricing out farms, passing right to repair laws to let farmers repair their own equipment, and investing in the next generation of family farms by providing tax credits and downpayment assistance.

Tom Tiffany has voted with Donald Trump 100% of the time, including casting the deciding votes on extending Trump’s tariffs and flip-flopping to vote to continue the illegal war in Iran—policies that are killing farms across Wisconsin:

Mandela Barnes Agenda to Protect America’s Dairyland


Enforce Antitrust Laws and Break Up Out-of-State Monopolies:

  • Monopolies in meatpacking and other middlemen across the ag industry have been core to why farmers are struggling from not being able to negotiate fair prices
  • Mandela Barnes will take on those corporate interests as Governor and work with the Attorney General to enforce antitrust laws and break up monopolies that are hurting farms
  • He will also support the creation and expansion of local, independent meatpacking plants that offer farmers fair prices instead of corporate entities that price out farms

Fight Back Against Tiffany-Trump Tariffs That Are Killing Farms

  • Tom Tiffany cast the deciding vote to continue Trump’s tariffs which are killing Wisconsin’s farms and sending grocery costs skyrocketing for working families
  • As Governor, Mandela Barnes will sue the Trump administration and fight for a tariff refund to Wisconsin farmers and small businesses who bore the brunt of those price hikes

Pass Right to Repair Law:

  • Wisconsin farmers are losing millions each year because manufacturers refuse to allow farmers to fix their own equipment, instead forcing them to rely on specialty dealers that charge exorbitant prices
  • When Mandela Barnes is Governor, he will pass a Right to Repair law that lets farmers fix their own agricultural equipment by making manufacturers provide repair documents, parts, and tools available for fair prices
  • With this legislation, he will also still ensure companies can protect intellectual property rights and trade secrets

Expand Market Access for Farms:

  • Mandela Barnes will expand opportunities for farmers to sell Wisconsin-grown food to schools, hospitals, senior centers, and food pantries to give farmers new, reliable local markets for their crops and livestock
  • He will also expand local processing capacity and support cooperative development to give farmers and consumers more options
  • Barnes will create incentives to invest in biofuels, including sustainable aviation fuels, to give farmers more markets for their crops
  • He will create a state match fund for farmers and agriculture organizations to leverage so they can tap into federal funding opportunities that improve market access

Build The Next Generation of Family Farmers

  • Create tax credits to incentivize farmland owners to create a succession plan that protects their legacy and to sell or rent land to the next generation starting new farms
  • Implement a down payment assistance program to help prospective farmers purchase their first farm.
  • Invest in a Farmland Link program to connect farmland owners with farmland seekers and create a complementary grant program for boots-on-the-ground service providers that support farmers with farmland access and transition planning.
  • Expand agricultural education in schools across the state and support organizations like FFA and 4H that build strong relationships between students and Wisconsin agriculture.

Eliminate Frivolous Fees On Licensing, Livestock Registrations

  • Wisconsin has some of the highest licensing and registration fees in the Midwest, and those costs are passed down to producers, hurting our already struggling farmers
  • As Governor, Mandela Barnes will pass legislation to reduce bureaucratic fees and take the burden off Wisconsin farmers

Stop Corporations and Foreign Countries From Buying Wisconsin Farmland

  • Wisconsin farmland should be for Wisconsin farmers—not for New York hedge funds or foreign countries
  • Mandela Barnes will pass a law to ban foreign countries and out-of-state investment firms from purchasing Wisconsin farmland to protect national security and address rising land prices

Part of his Wisconsin Way agenda to make life better for Wisconsin families, Mandela Barnes’ proposal to Protect America’s Dairyland builds on his bold plans to lower costs and stand up to Donald Trump, including: