Dairy Business Association is hard at work advocating for Wisconsin’s dairy farms, large and small, to keep the state’s dairy community strong. DBA provides an important voice for our dairy community at all levels of government, particularly at the state Capitol in Madison. We work with lawmakers and policymakers to advance science-based and practical, common-sense regulation and laws to support Wisconsin’s dairy farms and their significant economic impact.

 2025 Policy Priorities

Edge stands with our farmers in their commitment to seek effective and financially viable ways to protect and improve water quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We believe environmentally focused policies affecting agriculture should be guided by farmers, grounded in science, driven by the marketplace and sufficiently flexible to allow for innovation at the farm level. 

The dairy industry faces significant labor shortages, particularly in rural areas, making workforce accessibility and reliability a top policy priority.

The Upper Midwest is a powerhouse for cheese production. Ensuring opportunities for dairy through existing, expanding or emerging markets is essential to healthy growth. New and expanded markets through new trade agreements, renegotiated trade agreements and enforcement of existing agreements provide opportunities for market access.

Farm Bill Advocacy: The 2025 farm bill will be an essential opportunity to retool existing program adjustments needed to the Dairy Margin Coverage program, ensuring conservation programs are funded, voluntary and based on science, as well as maintenance to several dairy indemnity and donation programs. These programs can greatly affect our farmers’ ability to earn a living.

Other 2024-25 Policy Issues:

Accurate and Timely Payments
Dairy Margin Coverage Program
Conservation Programs
Dairy Indemnity Payment Program
Milk Donation Reimbursement Program

2023-25 Budget Priorities

Improving the CAFO program: The current CAFO program needs efficiency and functionality for both farmers and the public. Modern Wisconsin farmers need an efficient and structured permitting program that ensures dairy growth while maintaining water quality protections. The current regulatory system is unreliable due to lack of structure, consistency and deadlines. A refocus on long-term compliance instead of the current priority for permitting is essential. Efficiencies can be built into the system that would save staff time, rely more on private industry and focus on continuous and quantifiable improvement. Solutions generally include an increase in CAFO fees and additional program staff. These solutions must be part of a broader package of improvements to the overall program.

Supporting clean water initiatives: We support a package of initiatives meant to address groundwater quality. Increased funding for various water quality programs such as the state’s nonpoint program, well testing and groundwater mapping contribute to water quality improvements. Existing successful programs help farmers improve water quality with local solutions. Wisconsin must keep pace with the enhanced investments in water quality priorities. In order to continue progressive opportunities for success, continued and enhanced funding and flexibility for farmer-led watershed projects is essential. Enhancement and revitalization of the Farmland Preservation Program, the Nitrogen Optimization Pilot grant program and Cover Crop Reimbursement will continue to provide investment in water quality improvements.

Maintain support for Dairy Innovation Hub – The Dairy Innovation Hub established a multi-campus, multi-disciplinary initiative to hire top-tier researchers in the areas of land/water stewardship, human health/nutrition, animal welfare and rural business/community development. This research continues to help dairy farmers and processors bring innovative products to market, use production methods that further reduce our environmental impact and continue to meet changing consumer expectations. Maintaining annual funding of $7.9 million dollars is an ongoing priority.

Promoting dairy products in the global market: We support continued funding for the Wisconsin Initiative on Agriculture Exports to increase Wisconsin’s export markets for agricultural products. We must continue doing everything we can to capitalize on the dairy economic engine for our state. Investing in the growth and expansion of the dairy industry is essential to continue to capitalize and fuel our main agricultural economic engine.

Expansion of the Dairy Processor Grant Program: We support expanding the dairy processor grant program to foster innovation, improve profitability and sustain long-term viability of Wisconsin’s dairy processing facilities. Processing capacity is a vital component of dairy producers’ success in our state. Investment in processor innovation, infrastructure and development is critical to our efforts.

Supporting Rural Road Funding: We need a long-term, sustainable fix for our state’s transportation funding needs. Bonding must remain at a reason level to ensure our long-term investment in infrastructure is balanced. We acknowledge that road funding solutions will require additional revenue and advocate for a long-term funding solution that recognizes the importance of rural roads to our state’s economy and funds them accordingly.

Farmland Preservation Tax Credit Update: The farmland preservation program is a win for agriculture and conservation. The voluntary program creates conservation standards for farmers to utilize in their production practices and in-turn, they receive a per-acre tax credit. Due to declining participation in the program over the last ten years, and stagnant per-acre tax credits, updates to the program are essential. Transitioning from a fifteen-year contract to a ten-year contract should bolster farmer participation. In addition, the rates of the per-acre tax credits would be updated to be more reflective of current market incentives for conservation practices on farms. DBA supports modernization of the farmland preservation program.

Investment in Broadband Infrastructure: Rural broadband is essential to rural communities, modern agriculture, farmers and farm businesses who grow our food supply. Continuous investment in expansion of broadband to rural areas to provide coverage for unserved or underserved locations is essential. Investment in rural broadband infrastructure strengthens farm businesses that in turn strengthen their communities through local investment. Ensuring investments in broadband infrastructure are targeted to rural users, timely and efficiently installed for effective service and that installation is prioritized for rural residents. 

Contact Chad to learn more:

Chad Zuleger Director of Government Affairs (608) 345-6906 Email