F

Former Case warehouse houses

W E D N E S D AY,
llettuce, tilapia farm. Page 1D.
• Meat CSA offers profitable
alternative. Page 6B.
• New raw milk group pushing
for policy changes. Page 7C.
M A R C H 2 , 2 011

Volume 34, Number 6

32 Pages, 4 Sections www.thecountrytoday.com ★★★

Rural groups weigh in on state budget

By Megan Parker
Assistant Editor
Though Gov. Scott Walker’s
budget repair bill hasn’t necessar-
Pancakes offer ily been viewed as an agricultural
issue, Darin Von Ruden said he
options to worries about possible ramifica-
please any palate. tions for farmers.
Von Ruden, a Westby dairy
farmer and president of the Wis-
2B consin Farmers Union, said his
organization supports public
unions and wants erative effort could be affected Care in the budget repair bill.
to see them hang too by the same concept?” he BadgerCare provides insurance
onto their collec- said. “Groups of people work- to many farmers who can’t other-
tive bargaining ing together for the betterment of wise get insurance, he said.
rights. all — that’s basically what unions The Farmers Union also will
“The number of are trying to do is make sure that look at what changes are in Walk-
dairy farmers we workers are treated equally and er’s state budget proposal, includ-
have (in WFU), if fairly. The cooperative movement, ing regarding the Working Lands
you look through which started back in the ’30s, is Initiative, UW-Extension and
the whole big pic- Von Ruden the same concept.” townships, Von Ruden said.
ture of things, if Von Ruden said the organization
the labor unions start going out, is
there a possibility that the coop-
also is concerned about proposed
changes to Medicare and Badger- See BUDGET, Page 2A 4

RC&D
fighting
Jefferson County
farm specializes in
loss of
fresh rainbow trout. funding
1C By Sara Bredesen
Regional Editor
The National Associa-
Gardening: Spring tion of RC&D Councils
is almost here — is urging its members to
get tips on what to pressure legislators after
the U.S. House of Repre-
plant and when. sentatives voted Feb. 19 to
zero out RC&D funding
5B for the remainder of fiscal
year 2011 and all of 2012.
This is not the first time
in its 49-year history that
the Resource Conserva-
tion and Development
program has had to fight
to retain funding, but it
Photo by Shane Opatz is the first time fund-
ing has been eliminated
Eau Claire Farm Show ready to roll in the middle of a fis-
Rob Newman, a sales representative at Nortrax in Eau Claire, worked his way down from a John Deere front- cal year, according to the
end loader Monday during set-up for the Greater Eau Claire Farm Show. The show will be open from 9 a.m. association.
to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, and Wednesday, March 2, at the Eau Claire Indoor Sports Center off Highway
37. Parking and admission are free.
See FUNDING, Page 5A 4

Annual organic conference

sets participation record
Gone
Expert: Event’s popularity reflects For more infor-
grapes
growing interest in farming method mation about the Wisconsin native to coordinate
Midwest Organic and
We’re
By Danielle Endvick ics, many of which were
led by farmers, Jones said.
Sustainable Education state’s grape marketing
Regional Editor Service, visit www.
on the Michael Sligh, founding By Danielle Endvick ent things — marketing,
web LA CROSSE — Nearly chairman of the National mosesorganic.org. direct-to-consumer adver-
Regional Editor
3,000 people traveled to Organic Standards Board tising, events, compliance,
Already a print subscriber? La Crosse last weekend for and director of the Sustain- organic agriculture has Becky Rochester has and I worked in the cellar
Access our website content the 22nd annual Organic able Agriculture Program been successful because it traveled the world work- and did harvest,” Roches-
for free by signing up at at Rural is farmer-driven and based ter said.
www.thecountrytoday.com. Farming Conference. ing at wineries and study-
The record number of Advance- on common sense. The ing grape Her experiences inspired
participants was a far cry ment sector also promotes an produc- her parents in Wisconsin
To buy an online subscription, entrepreneurial spirit, he
call 800-236-4004. from the Foun- tion, but to plant their vineyard in
90 attend- dation said. her newest 2006. The family’s R Little
INDEX ees at the Interna- “This has taken off venture, Vineyard in Stoddard has
Classiieds............................. 2D first con- tional- against all odds,” Sligh serving grown to 3½ acres of cold-
Country Calendar ................... 3B ference, USA, said said. “It is indeed a real as grape climate grapes.
Dairy ..................................... 7C said Faye strong success story.” marketing Rochester also worked
Farm Business ....................... 5C Jones, attendance coordina- in marketing or as a cellar
Food...................................... 2B
Sligh
GMOs a concern
Gardening .............................. 5B execu- at the con- tor for the hand at wineries in Mar-
Horses .................................. 4B tive direc- ference The 2012 Farm Bill will Rochester Wiscon- lborough, New Zealand;
Letters .................................. 7A tor of the reflects a growing interest present new agendas for sin Grape Victoria and Tasmania,
Livestock ............................... 6B Jones Midwest in organics nationwide. the organic community to Growers Association, is Australia; and California.
Markets................................. 4C
Organic With more than $22 bil- pursue, Sligh said. bringing her back to the “I just kind of continued
Opinions ................................ 6A Contamination of crops
Outdoors ............................... 7B and Sustainable Education lion in annual sales, the Midwest. for about a year and a half
Woodlands ............................ 6C Service, which organizes U.S. organic food market by genetically modified Rochester began the to do various winery work
Yarns of Yesteryear ................ 1B the event. is the largest in the world, organisms — such as the position, which is funded around the world,” Roches-
Attendees came from Sligh said. recently approved Roundup through a specialty-crops ter said. “You gotta see the
CONTACT US “It continues to grow at Ready alfalfa — is one world, and if you can work
30 states and several coun- grant, in January.
The Country Today
tries, including England a brisk rate even in a down topic the agriculture indus- A La Crosse native, and do it, why not?”
P.O. Box 570
701 S. Farwell St. and Thailand, Jones said. economy,” he said. try must address, he said. Rochester attended Viterbo When she returned to
Eau Claire, WI 54702 “This is part of the food The U.S. Department “How do we prevent University before moving the U.S., her experience
Call: 800-236-4004 • 715-833-9270 revolution — it’s sweep- of Agriculture estimates GMOs from hurting organic to California in 2002. landed her a position as
E-mail: thecountrytoday@ecpc.com
ing the country,” she said. that in the last decade the farmers?” he said. “This is a In 2004, she was hired seasonal viticulturist in the
Subscribe: 888-833-9268 technology that cannot and
Place a classiied ad: 888-833-9268 “People really care about nation’s organic food retail as assistant wine club man- Russian River Appellation
Online: www.thecountrytoday.com their food.” sales increased 23 percent does not stay put.” ager at Bargetto Winery in in California.
The event featured more annually, five times faster Soquel, Calif.
than 150 exhibitors and 70 than food sales in general. “During that time I
workshops on organic top- Sligh said he believes See ORGANIC, Page 2A 4 got to do a lot of differ- See GRAPES, Page 2A 4
623799 2-27-11

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