News 04.26.17
26 April 2017 News
The Fond du Lac County Dairy and Livestock agent says she is concerned about the future of dozens of Wisconsin dairy farmers who face going out of business after a change in Canada’s domestic pricing policy evaporated demand for U.S. milk. Extension agent, Tina Coleman, says in Fond du Lac County there are four dairy farms with up to 180 cows directly impacted, and she worries about what that could mean for the future of the industry in general. Coleman says many dairy producers – some 3rd, 4th, and 5th generation farms – may be forced out of business. Grassland Dairy notified 58 Wisconsin farms this month that the company will stop buying their milk on May first and Coleman says she is concerned that this may be the tip of the spear.
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Nobody is injured in an armed stand off with a suicidal subject in Waupun. Waupun police chief Dale Heeringa says around 11pm Sunday police were notified by a crisis hotline of a suicidal man. Heeringa says attempts to make contact with the man Sunday night and again Monday morning were unsuccessful. The Fond du lac Sheriff’s Office SWAT team was called to the scene at around 10:30am Monday. The 55 year old man was taken into custody without incident. The name of the individual involved has not been released. The incident remains under investigation by the Waupun Police Department.
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The Department of Natural Resources deems most of Wisconsin at a “high” or “very high” risk of wildfires following several days of sunny weather with no rain. The department has also halted burning permits in multiple counties with the concern that dry grass and high winds provide the perfect equation for a wildfire to start. John Lubbers, the department’s Forestry Team leader, says that when burning permits are allowed again, people need to “use common sense” and never leave a fire unattended. He suggests to burn in a safe location away from dry grass. Fond du Lac Fire Chief Peter O’Leary says he believes conditions will get better in a couple of weeks.
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The sale of homemade baked goods in Wisconsin would be allowed under a bill being circulated in the state Senate. Wisconsin and New Jersey are the only states that prohibit the for-profit sale of baked goods made in a home kitchen. There is a pending lawsuit filed by home backers in Wisconsin challenging the law. Similar bills have passed the state Senate with bipartisan support the past two sessions but died in the Assembly. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos opposes the bill, saying it creates an unequal playing field. The latest proposal from Sen. Sheila Harsdorf and Rep. Jim Ott, both Republicans, would allow up to $7,500 of home-based good sales each year. The seller would have to register with the state and meet requirements about labeling, training and documenting sales.
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A cheese factory in central Wisconsin is offering a lifeline to a handful of dairy farms threatened by Canada’s milk pricing policies that may force other farms to close. Mullins Cheese Vice President Bill Mullins signed contracts to buy milk from eight family-owned operations. A local milk processor, Greenwood-based Grassland Dairy Products, recently said it was dropping several farms because it lost millions of dollars when Canada changed its milk pricing policies in a way that favors Canadian farmers. That means dozens of dairy farms in the U.S. will no longer have a milk processor as of May 1. Wisconsin agriculture officials say Grassland canceled milk contracts with nearly 60 farms. As of Friday, about 40 didn’t have a milk buyer.
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Assembly Democrats are announcing the formation of a new coalition to advocate for gun safety violence even as Republicans contemplate letting people carry concealed firearms without a license. Reps. Terese Berceau, Melissa Sargent and Lisa Subeck held a news conference in the state Capitol to announce the creation of the Wisconsin Coalition for Gun Safety. The group includes physicians, clergy and social workers. Berceau also touted a bill she introduced in February calling for universal background checks for all gun purchases. The bill and coalition formation comes as Republicans who control both houses of the Legislature are considering a measure that would allow people to carry concealed guns without a permit and allow people to carry concealed on school grounds.
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