National farm leaders hear local concerns 
by Mark Berglund
The Star News
October 8, 2009 —  A series of statewide listening sessions began in Medford Tuesday as National Farmers Union president Roger Johnson and Wisconsin Farmers Union president Doug Caruso gave an update on the group's priorities and listened to ideas and concerns from the audience. The Medford meeting drew 16 people to the Frances L. Simek Library. The mix included full-time dairy producers, full-time and part-time beef producers, some retired from the industry, three people from government agencies working on rural issues and a Medford City Council member.
The state of the current farm economy was discussed. Words like grave, gruesome, dire and ugly were used to describe the financial situation as prices paid to farmers for their products has plummeted this year.
The NFU position on the dairy crisis calls for maintaining Senator Bernie Sanders $350 million amendment to the 2010 agriculture appropriations bill, support for the Milk Import Tariff Equity Act, support of the Family Dairy Preservation Act to temporarily increase the Milk Income Loss Contract program benefits, the launch of the Federal Milk Market Order review as established in the 2008 farm bill, launch antitrust and potential market manipulation investigations by the Justice Department and Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the establishment of a long-term supply management program.
The current debate on health care reform was also high on the list of topics Tuesday. Like other independent, small businesses, farms are most likely to see the issue of skyrocketing health care and health care insurance costs first hand. Johnson said catastrophic health care costs are the number one reason for bankruptcy in the United States. "We have the most expensive health care system in the world and we are getting mediocre results from it," Johnson said. Johnson said the aging rural population, the injury risks associated with the job and the cost of buying policies for individuals and families all contribute to the problem. "To add insult to injury, you pay the premium with after tax income," Johnson said.
The National Farmers Union position paper says the organization supports universal, affordable and accessible coverage for all Americans, regardless of health status, employment or financial situation. Other priorities for congressional action include the establishment of a public insurance plan option available to all citizens, enhanced regulation of the non-group insurance market, and a variety of measures to enhance the support and development of rural healthcare outlets, the emphasis of prevention and wellness programs which link local food producers directly with consumers.
Johnson was elected to his post in March. He comes from a multi-generational farm background and first became involved in the organization's youth program. His background includes serving as North Dakota's elected agriculture commissioner — the equivalent to Wisconsin's appointed secretary of agriculture.
Caruso recently took the job after the resignation of Sue Carlson, who moved to North Dakota after her recent marriage. Most recently, Caruso was chief executive officer of the Wisconsin Farmers Union Speciality Cheese Company from 2003 until earlier this year when he was appointed administrator of the USDA Farm Service Agency.
The statewide tour went to Amherst from Medford. Other stops included Fond du Lac, Cambridge, Plain, Cashton and Eau Claire.
The tour comes on the heels of the recent fall legislative fly-in event as farmers and ranchers, including 17 from Wisconsin, met with members of Congress and the executive branch to discuss the top agricultural issues of the day.

Return to main
Go to next story