Four More Family Farm 
Forums Scheduled 
Bringing Farmers and Activists Together 
to Save Family Farms is Goal

 
10/00

Wisconsin is losing family farms at a rate equivalent to three per day – faster than any other state in the country.  As the farm economic conditions force farm families off the land, Wisconsin’s family farms are being replaced by a new form of agriculture, industrial agriculture.

The Family Farm Stewardship Campaign, coordinated by Wisconsin Citizen Action, is bringing together family farm, environmental, church, and citizens groups as well as individual farmers and activists to seek a solution.  The Family Farm Stewardship Campaign has been  holding forums across the state for farmers, food quality activists, environmentalists, rural development advocates and anyone else who wants to help pass state legislation to preserve the family farm system of agriculture, promote healthy rural communities and protect our family farms and environment from a pending 50% increase in industrial livestock operations.

The forums have focused on developing support for the Family Farm Protection Act – an act designed to level the playing field for family farms while ensuring adequate environmental protection.

Forums were held recently in Monroe and La Crosse, more than 70 participants learned more about the problems facing Wisconsin’s family farmers, the environmental challenges for both large and small farms, potential legislative solutions and strategies for passing a Wisconsin Family Farm Protection Act.  “These forums have attracted a wide range of people from the community who believe our state needs to do more to protect its farmers, its food supply and its environment,” says Gerry Jaeger of the Wisconsin Farmers Union.

Four more forums have been scheduled for Menomonie, Madison, Green Bay and Waukesha.  The dates and locations for the events are listed below.

Menomonie Area
Tuesday, October 24, 2000
1:00-4:00 pm & 6:00-9:00 pm
Leisure Services Center
1412 6th St. in Menomonie

Madison Area
Wednesday, November 1, 2000
1:00-4:00 pm & 6:00-9:00 pm
Windsor United Church of Christ
4434 2nd St. in Windsor, WI

Green Bay Area
Thursday, November 9, 2000
1:00-4:00 pm & 6:00-9:00 pm
Brown County Public Library
515 Pine St. in Green Bay

Waukesha Area
Tuesday, December 5, 2000
1:00-4:00 pm & 6:00-9:00 pm
Waukesha County Technical College
800 Main St. in Pewaukee


For more information about the workshops or Wisconsin Citizen Action’s Family Farm Stewardship Campaign, contact Sam Gieryn at (608) 256-1250 or log onto Wisconsin Citizen Action.

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