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Recall atmosphere presents a challenge for farm lobbyist
The current recall effort against Governor Scott Walker and three state senators in Wisconsin has made the division in the state capital wider than ever. Paul Zimmerman is Executive Director of Governmental Relations for the Wisconsin Farm Bureau and he says legislators are still working together “but it isn’t the way it traditionally has been because of the on-going recall efforts.” Zimmerman says while the agriculture committees have remained relatively immune from the divisiveness, it is not the case with many other committees.
From his standpoint, he says legislators do welcome him into their offices because agriculture has been enjoying relative success of recent and they are happy to hear from an industry that is doing well.
One of the big issues WFBF is working on right now is a developing situation in Marathon County where law enforcement has been ticketing manure haulers who are exceeding weight limits on roads. The issue came up for discussion at the organization’s annual meeting and while there are concerns about inhibiting farmers trying to get their work done, there are also concerns about what it is doing to roads. As expressed from the floor of the convention, “these roads were not built to handle this and townships and other municipalities do not have the money to make them so.” Wisconsin Farm Bureau president Bill Bruins says he is going to appoint a task force to look at this issue and try to come up with some solutions.
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