Kapanke: "It's An Exciting Time To Be In Agriculture"

By Joan Sanstadt - News Editor
Monday, October 2, 2006 9:26 AM CDT

Senator Dan Kapanke (R-La Crosse) addressed the board of the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) during its meeting held in La Crosse earlier this month.

Kapanke, who chairs the Senate Agriculture Committee, was welcomed by Board Chair Mike Dummer, who thanked the lawmaker for his "ag leadership on NR 243. I know your passion and level headedness for agriculture and for rules that can be understood and applied by producers."

For his part, Kapanke said he was "stunned" when he was named to chair the Senate Agriculture Committee during his first term in the State Senate. "Agriculture is very bipartisan in how we approach things - we fly under the radar screen and by working together can get things done.

"I am amazed at the time and work you people (the board) have done on siting. And I think we are close on NR 243. The real thing we're trying to do with operators in this industry - whether it is siting or NR 243 - is help them with their farm practices. This is not always understood this way," Kapanke said.

Responding to immigration concerns, Kapanke said it is "unfortunate it has become a political issue. As a nation we need to come together on this. It's a huge issue for agriculture. I don't think there is any argument that we should secure our borders."

Board Member Brian Rude asked Kapanke how the recommendations of the Working Lands Initiative steering group "could avoid becoming a political football for developers and builders - how can we keep Working Lands as an ag issue. If we lose control, the likelihood of doing something well will diminish."

Kapanke told the board "Working lands is something worth fighting for and I hope to go on the next tour to the eastern states."

Board Member Margaret Krome urged Kapanke to try to make the tour. "This is an issue that needs high visibility and leadership. It can be a healing issue. The WLI group found unity. But for the recommendations to go forward we need leadership - I really feel the time is now and you are the one," she emphasized.

"One of the WLI recommendations is to help farms be more profitable - that's protecting farmland. In our report, this is a key recommendation," she said.

Dick Cates urged WLI and the beginning farmer issue be considered together. We need the next generation to work the lands. Grassland farming is the lowest capital way of getting into farming. I'd like to see the legislature look at how these pieces tie together."

Kapanke asked the board, "What do we need in the next session - an ethanol bill?"

Dummer's response was that such a bill should have two purposes. "One, a statement that ethanol is important and two, creation of a market. As the ethanol industry grows, it is creating its own market. But biodiesel needs research support from the state budget - targeted dollars. I can't imagine that the state could make a better investment than in the biodiesel industry," he said.

Krome added, "Ethanol is only the first generation - a facility can be a biorefinery and I'd encourage you to position it as a biorefinery. It won't be an urban versus rural issue for very long - soon it will be about jobs," she said.

Enrique Figueroa asked "what do we do with health care reform? This will be an Achilles heel for agriculture if we don't do something about it."

Kapanke said he agreed the issues of health care, taxes and energy "all need addressing."

DATCP Secretary Rod Nilsestuen noted "the partnership between the board and the agriculture committee is real and it is great to have a chairman come forward to show it's working.

"The ethanol bill (during the last legislative session) was a real disappointment to the whole ag community. The governor has asked DATCP to be the lead agency to develop a comprehensive approach for the budget in the next session. We will see a strong local approach - to make it work it must be bipartisan. There is every reason for the state to see this as the biggest rural economic opportunity we have. The governor says 'think even bigger - to dairy competitiveness and bioenergy," Nilsestuen said.

Kapanke's final remark to the board was "this is an exciting time to be in agriculture."

Animal health

Dr. Bob Ehlenfeldt, the state veterinarian, said the two biggest issues for the animal health division at the present time are still chronic wasting disease (CWD) and Avian or bird flu.

The federal CWD rule was published on July 22 and Oct. 19, 2006 is the effective date. "Several questions are still open," Ehlenfeldt said. "The federal rule says it preempts all state rules."

On premises identification, Ehlenfeldt estimated Wisconsin registration is at about 75 percent, with some livestock and poultry premises still not registered.

Asked about the status of BSE in Canada and whether the feed rule was ineffective, Ehlenfeldt said the eight cases were found mostly in Alberta. "There may have been a gap until the feed on hand was used up. It's my opinion only, but it looks to me there probably was a noncompliant feed mill somewhere in Alberta.

"Since that cow that stole Christmas," Ehlenfeldt continued, "in the U.S., 785,000 cattle have been tested for BSE and 106,000 of those cattle were tested in Wisconsin. We've had extreme surveillance."

Questioned about livestock premises registration and the Amish community, Ehlenfeldt said some issues remained "but they are participating - sort of. They don't have a problem if we come out and register their premises for them - but they don't want to do paperwork for the government. Some have signed releases for dairy plant representatives to register for them."

Overall, "of the registered premises, between 700 and 800 do not list a phone number."

DATCP budget

By Nov. 13, the department has been asked to submit a budget reflecting a 10 percent reduction in expenses of operating programs.

Nilsestuen said, "the department has been asked to submit the tightest budget possible for continuing operational programs. Special initiatives would come forward in January, after the governor sees budgets from all of the agencies.

One of those special initiatives could be to control the Emerald Ash Borer. Nilsestuen said this insect "is a major challenge - if and when it comes across the border."

Ag education

Allan Herman, chair of the Wisconsin Leadership Council on Agricultural Education was on hand, along with many council members to present the council's first annual report to the secretary and the board.

Jeff Hicken, the new ag education consultant at the Department of Public Instruction, said "the state of ag education in Wisconsin is strong and continues to advance.

However, other states have moved forward faster than we have and are bringing in the whole picture - pre-Kindergarten through lifetime. Other states have brought partners to the table. For instance, in Illinois they may soon start a second school of agri-science in Chicago."

Hicken warned "significant change" could be seen in Wisconsin during the next three to five years due to retirements.

Hermann said ag education "is all about jobs - in categories broader than production agriculture. We're talking about jobs in food processing, agribusiness, the Green Industry and natural resources."

During the next legislative session, Herman said there would be legislation asking for a General Purpose Revenue (FPR) funding match for what we raise privately, up to an as yet unspecified limit."

Herman introduced council members who were present at the meeting. Nilsestuen thanked them for their work and said the need for it "was obvious. In truth your fresh look and breadth of vision has exceeded my expectations."

In other business, the board:

� Approved a scope statement for ATCP 140 - Marketing Orders. The proposed rule would update a number of current marketing orders, as well as the general rules under ATCP 140, to accommodate industry changes and facilitate orderly and efficient administration of marketing orders.

� Heard an update on efforts to develop the organic and grazing sectors of Wisconsin agriculture from Laura Paine, the recently hired economic development consultant who is working with the organic and grazing sectors.

� Agreed to hold its next meeting on Nov. 15 in Madison.

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