Contact:
Communications Director Danielle Endvick
715-471-0398
dendvick@wisconsinfarmersunion.com
Wisconsin Farmers Union is committed to clean water and health ecosystems and farmers being good neighbors. We respect the need for there to be meaningful environmental oversight of dairy farms to protect water quality and public health. We were saddened to hear the announcement by the Wisconsin Dairy Alliance and Venture Dairy Cooperative of a lawsuit challenging the DNR’s authority to require concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) to apply for permits under Wisconsin’s Water Pollution Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) program.
The lawsuit argues that CAFOs should no longer have to apply for water pollution permits due to an inconsistency between state and federal law, which would effectively eliminate the primary source of environmental oversight of CAFOs in Wisconsin. This is the wrong direction for our state. We share concerns that such a change could lead to widespread contamination of drinking water and surface water in the state.
Wisconsin Farmers Union is closely monitoring the recent lawsuit. We acknowledge the importance of environmental oversight to protect water quality and public health. Our policy, as determined by our members, aligns with the need to ensure adequate oversight and accountability for CAFO operators; we believe that the fees for a WPDES permit for CAFOs are a prudent step to ensure that the taxpayer costs incurred by DNR staff time and research are appropriately repaid by CAFO operators. Effective oversight not only protects our natural ecosystems but also upholds the well-being of our communities and the livelihoods of our farmers. Striking a balance between agricultural interests and environmental protection is crucial, and we will continue to advocate for practices that benefit both farmers and our natural resources.
