Clean water initiative

The Dairy Business Association is partnering with Clean Wisconsin, The Nature Conservancy and Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association (WI Land+Water) because it’s time to rethink how we protect our water and support our farms. If not always on the same side of policy debates, our groups have had a long history of advocating for these issues. Wisconsin has made progress, but not enough. We have come together to find common ground and to push for bold changes from state decision-makers — changes that will significantly accelerate improvements to protect both our water resources and our farms. We cannot address clean water or the future of farming in Wisconsin as standalone issues. They are challenges that must be met together if we are to have a future where our state has clean water and a resilient agricultural community.

Vision: Clean water and resilient farms for Wisconsin

Mission: Break down barriers and bring people together to protect and improve water quality, the environment and the future of agriculture.

2023-25 Budget Blueprint:
Promoting Clean Drinking Water and Resilient Farms

To address the water quality challenges many Wisconsin families face, we must commit to long-term solutions and bold action. Over the next decade, we need to dedicate significant financial investments to provide clean drinking water for affected residents and appropriate incentives for farmers to protect water quality. View our budget blueprint here.

Guiding Policy Principles for Clean Water and Resilient Farms

Ensuring clean drinking water
Clean drinking water is a topic that has been amplified by both the legislature and governor over the last several years. While some initial steps to achieve the goal of clean drinking water have been taken, a more significant investment must be made to ensure clean drinking water for all Wisconsin residents. Rural residents face specific challenges with private wells. To meet these challenges, we should expand the well compensation program’s eligibility for and provide state resources for testing private wells and additional groundwater mapping. Understanding groundwater movement and sources of contamination is essential to identify natural features, inform impactful agricultural practices and management, and aide in enhanced septic system management. This effort will require significant financial investment. All revenue options, new and existing sources, should be considered. 

Reimagining the CAFO program
Wisconsin’s farm permitting system must be more effective. Farms that are economically successful and meet or exceed conservation standards should be the goal for all Wisconsin farms. To meet this goal, renewed investment is necessary within the areas of permitting, technical assistance and compliance. Conservation cost-share opportunities for non-permitted farms should be expanded to generate environmental benefits across Wisconsin.  In order to provide service to a greater number of farms at the high level of expected services within the program, the program must be more efficient. Improvement to the current program and enhanced engagement from both regulators and the regulated community are benchmarks necessary for success.

Supporting current conservation efforts and fostering innovation
Wisconsin always has been and continues to be a leader in conservation. Existing conservation efforts such as the producer-led watershed program and county conservation technical support have a proven track record and should be supported. Concurrently, in order to more accurately measure progress and verify success, these groups must ensure accountability for the public resources they receive. The integration of innovative practices to improve agriculture’s environmental footprint should be encouraged. Regulatory clarity in support of innovation will facilitate additional funding sources to incorporate new technologies that foster opportunities for alternative farming practices. 

Improving Wisconsin’s non-point program
Over 20 years ago, Wisconsin created the current program for addressing non-point pollution from agricultural sources. To date, those rules have never been fully implemented and the program has never been sufficiently funded. Wisconsin should move toward ensuring accountability for all farms to meet these standards regardless of size, type and availability of cost-share money. The environmental benefit is clear and establishes a baseline of expectations for farmers. We reaffirm the need for Wisconsin’s non-point program to undergo a comprehensive assessment to highlight program deficiencies and strengths. 

View our guiding principals here.

Media inquiry?
	Chad Zuleger Director of public affairs czuleger@dairyforward.com 608-345-6906