VENTURE VIEW Q&A:
PROMOTING THE VOICE OF THE FARMER
KEY TO 2022 DAIRY SUCCESS IN WISCONSIN
Kim Bremmer, Executive Director of Venture Dairy Cooperative, discussed the challenges facing the Wisconsin dairy industry as we all head into 2022.
Venture View: Kim, what do you see as the key issues facing the Wisconsin dairy industry as we head into 2022?
Kim Bremmer: Well, there are many, but above all else ensuring the Voice of the Farmer is included in key decisions. Farmers are continually bombarded with politically-driven regulations and negative market impacts due to decisions made at dinner tables that claim to include farmers rather than actually including them.
Across the state farmers are contributing to Wisconsin’s economy, its communities and the nation’s food supply, and doing it more efficiently and in a more environmentally protective manner than ever before. Better advocating on behalf of farmers and helping farmers find and use their voice will help ensure that these messages are heard.
VV: Milk pricing always is a key issue. What role do you see the actual voice of the farmer playing with the pricing issue?
KB: We need to bring meaningful change to milk pricing and make sure farmers can provide input. This doesn't come in the form of bloc voting or seemingly "secret" formula changes in the farm bill. Milk prices always fluctuate, and although we appear to be driving forward, the crash in the rearview mirror remains visible. Negative producer price differential (PPDs), farmers unable to use their risk management tools, etc. continue to be concerns moving forward.
Farmers are smart enough to understand policy, the markets and the issues that drive them, so when decisions are made by a select few in a less than transparent manner, it sows frustration. That approach needs to change. We can do better, and it's time to roll up our sleeves, do the hard work and come up with a real solution that includes the actual voice of farmers...not just processors and those who claim to best represent farmers.
VV: How does the plant-based industry impact all this? What is your reaction to the news media and others labeling plant-based products as offering nothing more than fair competition?
KB: Competition is great and makes everyone better and stronger, but not when everyone doesn't play by the same rules. The dairy industry is ultra-focused on sustainability and has even committed to becoming "net zero" by 2030. Yet the plant-based industry reports little to no similar metrics and still markets a perceived “sustainability” advantage. We don't have adequate standards of identity for milk labeling being enforced. We continue to lose shelf space to the plant-based industry and combination products, even when their sales are still a small percentage of the total beef and dairy foods market.
At the end of the day, the more fluid milk we sell, the better the milk price is for all farmers. Yet few are committed to helping promote 100% cow’s milk. More and more processors are moving into the plant-based space, and our national checkoff continues to develop combination products that dilute the nutritional superiority of our wholesome milk, as well as dilute our great story of sustainability and the benefits of dairy farms to the environment. Consumers clearly showed us how much dairy meant to them through the pandemic as demand for dairy products spiked to new levels - lets capitalize on it! The actual voice of the farmer needs to drive more cooperative board room decisions and checkoff direction.
VV: How can elected officials help?
KB: When you think about elected officials, people often think of state officials and national representatives. But local elected officials have a huge impact on the farming community. We see an increase in decisions being made at the local levels of government that negatively affect farmers every day. People get elected to local town and county boards with agendas and activist philosophies and too often, believe their authority is greater than the law. Unfortunately, they really cannot be stopped outside of a courtroom. Farmers and agricultural stakeholders need to be more engaged with issues at their local level of government and get on their local ballot. I meet people all the time who want to know the ways they can support their local farmers...my immediate answers are “eat cheese and butter, drink milk and run for local office.”
VV: What about regulators?
KB: Farms, particularly CAFOs, are often made scapegoats by environmental groups and state agencies as they continue to point blame for negative environmental conditions. Our state regulatory agencies need to work better with farmers, rather than continually against them. Since farmers frequently get little to no credit for environmentally sound practices and positive contributions, it is time to step up and say that enough is enough. Farmers are the heroes, not the villains like is so often told in the narrative. The necessary advocacy in today’s business and regulatory climate needs to hold firm to that message. The future success of the dairy industry in Wisconsin, as well as improved soil, water, air, and habitat, does not require more negotiated regulations...the key lies in innovation. I cannot think of a more problem-solving innovative group of people than farmers. The Farmer Voice and input are the most important pieces to progress, not additional regulations.