NOW
TO
AGRICULTURE
NEWS
AND
% ONGOING
CHALLENGES
FOR
STATE
% FARMERS.
% GOVERNOR TONY EVERS
HAD
SOME
% CHOICE
WORDS
FOR
U.S.
% AGRICULTURE
SECRETARY SONNY% PERDUE IN
THE
AFTERMATH
OF
% PERDUE'S VISIT
TO
WISCONSIN THIS
% WEEK.
% EVERS
SAID
THAT
PERDUE
KIND
OF
% PUT
THE
POX
ON
SMALL
FARMING
AND
% AMERICA'S
DAIRYLAND.% HE
WAS
REFERRING
TO
COMMENTS
% PERDUE MADE
IN
MADISON
SPEAKING
% ABOUT THE
SIZE
OF
FARMS
% SURVIVING IN
TODAY'S
ECONOMY,
% PERDUE
SAID,
QUOTE,
BIG
GET
% BIGGER AND
SMALL
GO
OUT.
% "HERE AND
NOW'S" ZAC SCHULTZ% CAUGHT
UP
WITH
SECRETARY
PERDUE% AFTER THE
DAIRY
EXPO
APPEARANCE
% AND ASKED
HIM
TO
CLARIFY
HIS
% STATEMENT ABOUT
THE
DECLINE
OF
% SMALL
FARMS, WHICH
WAS
SHUTTING
% DOWN
LAST
YEAR
AT A
RATE
OF
TWO
% PER DAY.%>>
AGAIN,
WHAT
I
SEE
HAPPENING
% NATIONALLY, A
LOT
OF
THE
SMALLER
% DAIRIES
ARE
DOING
VALUE-ADDED,% SOME
OF
THEIR
OWN
PROCESSING,% ICE CREAM
OR
OTHER
TYPES
OF
% PRODUCTS AND
THEY'RE
BEING
VERY
% SUCCESSFUL.
% THAT'S
NOT
FOR
EVERYONE.
% BUT
IN
DAIRY
TODAY
THE
CAPITAL
% INVESTMENT IS
SO
GREAT
IT'S
% PRETTY
TOUGH OUT THERE.
% I
WILL
NOTE
THAT
THE
NEW
FARM
% BILL,
2018 FARM BILL,
PROVIDES A% HOT
OF
HELP
FOR
SMALLER
DAIRIES% THAT
WERE
NOT
HELPED
IN
THE
'14
% FARM
BILL.
% THAT'S A BIG CHANGE.
% I WOULD
ASK
THEM
TO
INVESTIGATE
% THAT
AND
APPLY
FOR
THAT
DAIRY
% MARGIN
COVERAGE
PROGRAM AS WELL
% AS THE
FARM
BUREAU
INSURANCE
% PROGRAM.
% IT'S A
RISK
MANAGEMENT
THAT
% HELPS
THEM
REALLY
HAVE A
MINIMUM
% PRICE
FOR
THEIR
DAIRY
PRODUCTS.% >>
IN A
STATE
LIKE
WISCONSIN,
% THERE'S AN
EMOTIONAL
ATTACHMENT
% TO
SMALL
FARMS.
% FOR
ECONOMIC REASONS
DO WE
NEED
% TO PUT
SOME
OF
THAT
EMOTION
% ASIDE,
UNDERSTANDING
SOME
FALL
% FARMS
WILL
HAVE TO
GO
AWAY?
% >>
THAT'S AN
INTERESTING% QUESTION.
% WHETHER
IT'S
FARMING O
R
ANY
% OTHER SMALL
BUSINESS,
THERE'S
NO
% GUARANTEED SUCCESS RATE.
% THAT'S UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE
WE DO
% HAVE A
SENTIMENTAL
ATTACHMENT TO
% SMALL FAMILY FARMS.
% IT'S JUST
THAT
THE ECONOMY
OF
% SCALE
IN
AGRICULTURE AND
THE
% ECONOMICS
OF
FARMING
HAS
BECOME
% SO
TIGHT
IN
RECENT
YEARS
THAT
% IT'S VERY DIFFICULT
TO
MAKE
% FARMING ON
SMALL
HERDS
OR
SMALL
% ACREAGE
THERE
UNLESS
YOU
ARE A
% HIGH-VALUE
TYPE
OF
CROP.
% AND
MANY
YOUNG
FARMERS
ARE
% BEGINNING IN
HIGH-VALUE
TYPE
% CROPS.
% LAST WEEK I
WAS
IN
MICHIGAN.
% THREE-ACRE
CUT
FLOWER OPERATION.% THERE
ARE
WAYS
TO
GROW.
% WE'RE ALSO
SEEING A
LOT
OF
% EFFORT
IN
THE
DIRECT
FARM
TO
% TABLE
MOVEMENT IN
THE
HIGH
VALUE
% OF
SPECIALTY
CROPS
THAT
YOUNG
% BEGINNING FARMERS
ARE
ACTIVE
IN.
% BUT
THE
COMMERCIAL IDEA OF
% GETTING
OUT HERE
AND
HAVING THE
% FINANCES
TO
BUY
1,000
ACRES
AND
% DO
COMMERCIAL
SCALE
FARMING
IS
% DIFFICULT THESE
DAYS.% >>
U.S. SECRETARY
OF
AGRICULTURE% SONNY PERDUE.
% FOR
REACTION
TO
HIS
REMARKS AS
% WELL AS
HIS
OWN
APPROACH
TO
% SUSTAIN WISCONSIN
FARMS,
WE
TURN
% NOW
TO
STATE SECRETARY
OF
% AGRICULTURE
DESIGNEE,
% PUBLIC-PRIVATE.
% THANKS
!
-- BRAD
PFAFF.
THANKS
FOR
BEING
HERE.
% >> THANK YOU
FOR
HAVING
ME.
% >>
SECRETARY
PERDUE
CAUSED
SOME
% CONSTERNATION THIS
WEEK
BY
% SAYING
FARMERS MAY
HAVE TO
GET
% BIGGER
TO
SURVIVE.
% HOW TRUE
IS
THAT?
% >>
WELL,
WE'VE
ALL
HAD
% ECONOMICS.
% WE
UNDERSTAND WHAT
ECONOMY
OF
% SCALES MEAN.
% BUT
WE
ALSO
UNDERSTAND WHAT WE
% HAVE HERE IN WISCONSIN.%WE H
AVE
THE
WISCONSIN WAY.
% OUR
FARMS
ARE
NOT
NENG
!
NEW
ENGLAND OR
% CALIFORNIA.%OUR
FARMS
ARE
CREATED HERE IN
% WISCONSIN.
% THEY'RE
O
F
ALL
SIZES, SHAPES
AND
% SCALES, TO
BE
HONEST WITH
YOU.
% WE ALSO
HAVE A
SYSTEM
OF
% AGRICULTURE IN
THIS
STATE
HAYES
THAT
% IS
BUILT
UPON
DIFFERENTIATION OF
% PRODUCT,
VALUE-ADDED.
% WE CAN
TAKE
THE
MILK THAT IS
% PRODUCED IN
THE
COUNTRYSIDE HERE% AND MAKE
IT
INTO
HIGH-QUALITY
% CHEESES THAT ARE
ENJOYED AROUND% THE WORLD.
% THAT
PROVIDES
VALUE
ALONG
THE
% SUPPLY CHAIN.
% IT
ALSO
EMPLOYS
PEOPLE NOT
JUST% ON THE
FARM,
BUT
ALSO
WITHIN
OUR
% SMALL
TOWNS
AND
YOU'RE
!
AND
OUR
RURAL
% COMMUNITIES.
% ANYTIME
SOMEBODY SAYS
GET
BIG
OR
% GET
OUT,
THAT
DOESN'T SIT
WELL
% WITH
OUR
FAMILY
FARMERS.
% WE
NEED
TO
BETTER
UNDERSTAND% WHAT IS
HAPPENING WITHIN
THE
% COUNTRYSIDE.
% AND
SO THERE IS
PRESSURE ON
THE
% COUNTRYSIDE.
% WE ALL
RECOGNIZE
THAT.
% BUT RATHER THAN
SAYING
YOU
% EITHER
HAVE TO
GET
BIG
OR
GET
% OUT, I
THINK WE NEED
TO
LOOK
AT% NEW
WAYS
IN
WHICH WE CAN
MAKE
% SURE
THAT WE
CAN
CONTINUE TO
% KEEP
OUR
FARMS
PROFITABLE
GOING
% FORWARD REGARDLESS OF
THEIR
SIZE
% OR
SCALE.% >>
SPEAKING
OF
GLOBAL
MARKETS,
% HOW
BADLY
HAVE
TRADE
POLICIES
% AFFECTED WISCONSIN
FARMERS?
% >>
THEY
DEFINITELY
HAVE.
% OUR
FARMERS HAVE BEEN HIT
WITH A
% TRIPLE
WHAMMY.
% WE'VE
HAD
DIFFICULT
WEATHER,
% FIVE
YEARS
OF
LOW
PRICES
AND
% INTERNATIONAL
TRADE
UNCERTAINTY.
% EVERYBODY'SBEING IMPACTED
IN
THE
% RURAL
COMMUNITIES
WHEN
WE DO
NOT
% HAVE
MARKETS THAT
ARE
OPEN.
% CHINA IS
THE
SECOND
LARGEST
% MARKET
FOR
WISCONSIN A
GRICULTURE% PRODUCTS.%WE
NEED
TO FIND
MORE
MARKETS.
% I AM
HAPPY
TO
SAY
IN
2018
% WISCONSIN AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS%
WERE
SHIPPED
TO
AND
ENJOYED
BY
% CONSUMERS IN
OVER
200
COUNTRIES.
% BUT WE
NEED
TO
RECOGNIZE WHAT
% HAPPENS
WHEN
ONE OF
THE
LARGEST
% TRADING
PARTNERS ALL
OF A
SUDDEN
% THEIR MARKET
SAYS
NO
MORE,
WE
% DON'T
WANT
YOUR
PRODUCT, WHAT
% ARE WE
GOING
TO
DO.
% AND
THAT
HAS
HAD A
DAMPENING
% EFFECT ON
OUR
FARMERS
AND
% RESIDENTS.%>>
LET'S
TAKE
ANOTHER
LISTEN
TO
% SECRETARY
PERDUE ON
THIS
MATTER.% >>
PRESIDENT
TRUMP HAS
BEEN
VERY
% GENEROUS
LAST
YEAR
AND
THIS
YEAR
% WITH
$12
BILLION
AND
$16
BILLION
% TRYING
TO
TIDE
US
THROUGH
THESE
% TRADE
DISRUPTIONS.
% BUT
LET'S
NOT
COUNT ON
THAT.
% EVERY
FARMER
WOULD
RATHER
HAVE A
% GOOD
CROP
AT A
GOOD
PRICE
THAN A
% GOVERNMENT CHECK
AND
LET'S
PLAN
% ON
THAT.
% IT MAY
BE A
TIME
WHERE
WE
DON'T
% HAVE
THE
OPTIMUM
PROFITABILITY
%
WE WOULD
LIKE.
% WE
HAVE
TO
SETTLE
FOR
JUST
ABLE
% TO DO
IT
NEXT
YEAR.
% PLAN
FOR
THE
MARKET
JUST
LIKE
% THEY
ALWAYS
HAVE
AND
IF
NOTHING
% HAPPENS IN
TRADE,
MAYBE WE CAN
% SEE SOME HELP
IN
THE
FUTURE AS
% WELL.%>>
WHAT CAN YOU
TELL
US
ABOUT
% THE
BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS
OF
% DIRECT
AID
AND
HOW THEY HAVE
% REACHED AND
HELPED
WISCONSIN
% FARMERS?
% >>
WELL,
FIRST OF
ALL,
THE
% FEDERAL
TAXPAYERS
HAVE
PROVIDED
% $28 BILLION
WORTH
OF
TRADE
% ASSISTANCE
TO
OUR
FAMILY
% FARMERS.
% THERE'S
NOT A
FARMER THAT
I
KNOW
% THAT
WOULD
NOT
RATHER
SELL
THEIR
% PRODUCT
THAN
RECEIVE
GOVERNMENT
% AID.
% NOW, WE
APPRECIATE THE
% ASSISTANCE THAT
THE
FEDERAL
% TAXPAYERS
HAVE
PROVIDED, BUT
% THESE FARMERS
DID
NOT
ASK FOR
% THIS.
% FARMERS
WANT TO B
E
ABLE
TO
SELL
% THEIR
PRODUCT.
% WE
UNDERSTAND
THAT
THERE'S
% GLOBAL
ECONOMIC PRESSURES
TAKING
% PLACE.
% WE RECOGNIZE THE
FACT
THAT WE
% NEED TO
HAVE A
PARTNERSHIP
AND A
% TRADING
RELATIONSHIP
WITH
% COUNTRIES THAT
IS
FAIR
AND
BALD.
% --
BALANCED.
% CHINA HAS
NOT
BEEN
FAIR
WITH% WHAT
IS HAPPENING HERE.
% BUT
WHY?
% AND
I
STILL
ASK
THIS
QUESTION.
% I HAVEN'T
GOT AN
ANSWER.
% WE
UNDERSTAND THE
FACT
THAT
% CHINA
AND
TECHNOLOGY AND
THEY'VE
% BEEN
TAKING
AMERICAN
TECHNOLOGY% AND
THEY
NEED TO
BE
HELD
% RESPONSIBLE FOR
THAT.
% BUT
WHY
ARE
OUR
FAMILY
FARMERS
% IN
WISCONSIN
BEING
HELD
% RESPONSIBLE FOR
THAT?
% LET'S
ADDRESS
THE
ISSUE
THAT'S
% TAKING
PLACE
WITH
CHINA.
% AND
I
WILL
ALSO
SAY
THIS.
% WHY
IS
AMERICA DOING
THIS
ALONE?
% LET'S DO
IT
WITH
OUR
PARTNERS,
% MAY THEY BE
IN
EUROPE
OR
% ELSEWHERE IN
THE
COUNTRY,
% BECAUSE WHAT'S
HAPPENING IS
% CHINA
IS
STILL
BUYING
% AGRICULTURE PRODUCTS.
% THEY'RE JUST
BUYING
IT
FROM
% OTHER
COUNTRIES.
% AND
SO WE
NEED
TO
ADDRESS
THE
% CHINA
SITUATION.
% BUT
THE
THING
IS
RIGHT
NOW
% THE
AMERICAN FARMERS AND
THE
% WISCONSIN
FARMERS
ARE
PAYING
THE
% PRICE FOR
THIS.% >>
HOW
FAR
DOWN
DID
THOSE
% BILLIONS
OF
DOLLARS GO TO THE
% REACH
OF
MAYBE
SMALL
FARMERS
IN
% WISCONSIN?
% >>
WELL,
IT HAS BEEN
BASED
UPON
% YOUR PRODUCTION
HISTORY.
% SO
AGAIN
IT'S
BASED
UPON HOW
% MUCH
CORN
OTHER
SOYBEANS YOU
% GROW
OR HOW
MUCH
MILK
YOU
% PRODUCE.
% AGAIN, IT IS
CAPPED
AT A
LEVEL.
% SO
IF
YOU'RE A
VERY LARGE
FARM,
% YOU
WILL
ONLY
RECEIVE A CERTAIN
% AMOUNT OF MONEY.
% BUT
THE
REST OF THE
--
IF
YOU'RE% A
SMALLER SCALE
FARM, IT
WILL
BE
% BASED
UPON
YOUR
PRODUCTION
% HISTORY.
% AND
SO,
AGAIN,
THE
ASSISTANCE IS
% APPRECIATED, BUT,
AGAIN,
MUCH
% RATHER SELL TO
THE
MARKETPLACE.% >>
CAN
WISCONSIN
RECOVER
FROM
% LOST GLOBAL
MARKETS?
% >> WE
CAN,
AND
WE
WILL
CONTINUE
% TO
FIND
NEW
MARKETS.% THIS
IS A
GROWING
WORLD,
AND
% IT'S A
PROTEIN-HUNGRY
WORLD.
% PEOPLE
WANT A
PROTEIN
DIET.
% WE
ARE A
PROCEED-RICH
!
PROTEIN-RICH STATE.
% WE HAVE
TO
BUILD
UPON
THE
% SUCCESSES THAT WE
HAVE.
% WE NEED
TO
IMPROVE
OUR
% LOGISTICS.
% WE NEED
TO
IMPROVE OUR
SUPPLY
% CHAIN.
% WE
NEED
TO
CONTINUE
TO
INVEST
IN
% OUR FARMERS
BUT
ALSO
WITHIN
OUR
% PROCESSORS AND
THE
ENTIRE
SUPPLY
% CHAIN TO BE
ABLE
TO
CONTINUE TO
% FEED THE
WORLD.% >> THERE
IS
SOME
GOOD
NEWS.
% IT
APPEARS
THAT
MILK
PRICES
SEEM% TO
BE
IN
RECOVERY.
% IF
FARMS AROUND
THE
PRECIPICE
OF
% GOING
UNDER,
WILL
THIS
HELP
% THEM?%>> IT WILL.
% BUT WE
NEED
TO
MAKE
SURE
WE
% BUILD
FOR
THE
FUTURE.
% WE
WANT A
WISCONSIN
AGRICULTURE% THAT
IS
SUSTAINABLE.
% THERE'S
THREE
IMPORTANT TEN
!
TENETS.
% IT
HAS TO
BE
CONSERVATION
% SUSTAINABLE.
% WE
NEED
TO
BUILD
UPON
THE
% TRADITION THAT'S
SUSTAINABLE.
% AGRICULTURE IS WHO WE ARE.
% IT'S
ON
OUR
LICENSE
PLATES.
% WE'RE
AMERICA'S