— As small dairy farmers struggle to stay in business, a controversy has arisen over a “cow share” program through which consumers bought non-pasteurized or “raw” milk direct from the farm. Some of those who consume the milk and the farmers that provide it claim DATCP officials have clamped down on direct sales. Supporters of the raw milk movement fear farmers who have sold milk will be criminally charged. They also argue they should have the right to choose what kind of milk they buy, given that they can order undercooked meat and raw fish. Donna Gilson, a spokeswoman for DATCP, said selling raw milk is illegal in nearly all cases. And she confirmed her agency has been getting tough on dairies that sell non-pasteurized milk to consumers. If raw milk advocates want to change state law, she said they need to work through the Legislature. Two state senators from opposite parties have taken an interest in the issue. The offices of Sen. Pat Kreitlow, D-Chippewa Falls, and Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-West Bend, say the senators are collaborating on legislation that would make it legal for farmers to sell raw milk. Read more in a new WisBusiness story: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=175672 — A Madison-area car dealer with 16 brands is riding out the recession with cost-cutting strategies and strong customer service. But Tom Zimbrick bemoans what’s happened to the small-town dealers who brought jobs and stability to Wisconsin small towns. “It’s wrong,” he told a WisBusiness.com-Madison Magazine luncheon at the Madison Club on Nov. 2. “It makes no sense in Dodgeville … Pardeeville.” He said the Obama administration liked Toyota’s limited distributor model. He suggested another foreign manufacturer might try to use the small-town dealer network but that in the short term a lot of fellow dealers and their employees will be out of jobs. Read more in a new WisBusiness feature: http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Article=175671 — In a new BizOpinion column, Wisconsin Realtors Association President Bill Malkasian applauds a recent state Supreme Court ruling that lawful campaign contributions or endorsements alone cannot force a judge off a case. He says the court showed respect for both judges and voters with its decision. The WRA and 10 other major statewide organizations had petitioned the Supreme Court to amend the Code of Judicial Conduct’s rules on recusal to address the issue of legal campaign contributions. See Malkasian’s piece: http://blogs.wisbusiness.com/bizopinion/2009/11/judging-judges-and-voters-fairly.html — U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu has announced $15 million in federal funding for industrial energy efficiency projects in Wisconsin. Madison-based Clean Tech Partners will receive almost all of that money for projects to install energy efficient equipment at nine different sites across the state. The recipient companies include pulp and paper mills, printing, corn milling, plumbing and small engine manufacturing. See details: http://wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=175611 — Wisconsin is also getting $553,000 from the federal government to provide employment and training assistance to veterans searching for work. That includes 3,200 members of the Wisconsin National Guard returning from Iraq starting this fall. The state will use the money on workshops that offer instruction on writing resumes and preparing for job interviews, and provide information on employment and training services available to veterans and their spouses. See details: http://wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=175613 TOP STORIES
A Pentagon Contract Revives Jobs at Oshkosh : United States Patent No. 5,820,150, for a particular design of independent truck suspension, is just one of the dozens of patents the Oshkosh Corporation has filed in recent years. But as the military shifts its focus to Afghanistan from Iraq, that single invention is proving to be worth billions of dollars to the company and a potential lifesaver for American troops in Afghanistan. CleanTech wins $14M in stimulus funds: CleanTech Partners, a private, nonprofit organization in Middleton that invests in emerging energy-saving technologies, will receive up to $14.5 million in stimulus funds for the installation of energy efficient equipment across the state. Menomonee Valley wins top brownfields honor: The Menomonee Valley Industrial Center and Community Park has won the Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 Phoenix Award, one of the nation’s top honors recognizing excellence in brownfield redevelopment. Farm Subsidy Program Could Help Aid State’s Paper Industry: A new farm subsidy program could help more than just farmers. According to officials with the USDA, the 2008 farm bill has certain funds available to subsidize the harvesting, storage and shipping of biomass products, such as corn cobs, grasses and wood waste that could be used to make fuel or generate electricity.
************************************************************ See commentary from around the state and columns from WisBusiness contributors Jennifer Sereno, Kevin McKinley, Tom Burzinski, Gregg Hoffmann, Tom Still and Steve Jagler: ************************************************************
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