Telling the Story of Wisconsin Agriculture
By Randy Romanski, secretary, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP)
Ahead of National Ag Day, March 19, I have had the opportunity to share the story of Wisconsin agriculture, with industry groups, legislators and consumers. Telling the story of Wisconsin agriculture is important for each of us, as the impacts of this industry are far-reaching.
Even those who are unfamiliar with how a cheese curd is made or how cranberries are grown, are impacted by the food, fuel and fiber produced by people in Wisconsin agriculture.
In Wisconsin, agriculture is engrained in our way of life. Most notably, we must all eat to survive, and our farmers produce delicious and nutritious vegetables, fruit, and dairy and meat products. While the food produced here is enjoyed within the state’s borders, Wisconsin products are also shipped to other states and countries.
Wisconsin’s food, fuel and fiber products shine a spotlight on our state, as they are exported around the world, with the help of the state’s Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports.
Part of the story of Wisconsin agriculture, is also how farmers interact with our natural resources. As part of their agricultural prac-tices, farmers are stewards of the land, working throughout the state, to protect the soil and water. By utilizing programs such as the producerled watershed protection program, nitrogen optimization pilot program and cover crop program, producers take care of the land that takes care of them.
Producers have shared with me, that enrolling in these programs makes sense.
About one in nine jobs in our state, are related to the agriculture industry and farms support communities across the state. To continue to prepare our workforce, the DATCP is recruiting for the next Wisconsin Agriculture Youth Council and we are actively engaged in agriculture education discussions, with industry and state agencies.
The DATCP is also continuing our work on the Meat Talent Development program, which includes curriculum and processing kits for high schools in the state, tuition reimbursement for Wisconsin technical colleges, and humane handling and food safety trainings for those already employed in the meat industry.
This program is just one of the ways we are working to support and build the agriculture workforce, for years to come.
Our lives are positively impacted by agriculture on a daily basis, and our communities, dinner tables and clothes would be much different, were it not for hardworking farmers.
I encourage you to talk to your friends, family and neighbors about the importance of agriculture. It’s an important story that impacts each of us.
