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Bloomer, Cadott farmers form ag protection areas — 08/26/2010 Back when he was hosting Farm Technology Days on Hilger Farms near Bloomer, Steve Hilger predicted the future for his valuable farm land: He told Secretary of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Rod Nilsesteuen that he would likely sell to dev... Full Article at Chippewa Herald »62,000 Acres of Farmland to be Designated Agricultural Enterprise Area — 08/19/2010 Governor Jim Doyle today announced that just over 62,000 acres of some of the state’s best farmland will be targeted for agricultural preservation and agricultural development in north central Wisconsin. ... Full Article at Governor's Press Release »Groups Provide Farmland Protection Assistance, Information — 08/16/2010 Gathering Waters Conservancy and American Farmland Trust worked with numerous other groups in the effort that led to passage of the WLI in the state budget. The two groups operated the 'Campaign for Wisconsin's Farm and Forest Lands,' and they are no... Full Article at Wisconsin Ag Connection »State Confirms First 5,000 Acres for Easement Program — 08/12/2010 Sixteen farms from across Wisconsin have been selected to participate in the state's new Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement program. The properties cover more than 5,000 acres in Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Iowa, Jefferson, and Waupaca countie... Full Article at Wisconsin Ag Connection » Farmland easement program includes two area farms — 08/12/2010 Sixteen farms from across Wisconsin have been selected to participate in the state's new Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement program.
The farms cover more than 5,000 acres in Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Iowa, Jefferson, and Waupaca count... Full Article at Beaver Dam Daily Citzen » Dane County farmland included in state ag conservation easement plan — 08/12/2010 Three Dane County farms are among 16 farms in Wisconsin that will be protected with permanent easements in a new state program designed to save agricultural land.... Full Article at Cap Times » Rod Nilsestuen built great legacy with head and heart — 07/22/2010 News of Rod Nilsestuen’s death by drowning this week was devastating to those of us who knew him.... Full Article at The Cap Times »State Ag Secretary Rod Nilsestuen Dies — 07/22/2010 The top official of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture is dead after drowning in Lake Superior. Officials say Rod Nilsestuen, 62, was spending some time this week in Upper Michigan working for a Habitat for Humanity project. The accident happene... Full Article at Wisconsin Ag Connection »Reaction Pours in on Passing of Rod Nilsestuen — 07/22/2010 "The news of Secretary Nilsestuen's death caused great sadness this morning among land conservationists statewide. His professional accomplishments are numerous, but we in the land conservation community knew him best as a tireless advocate of lastin... Full Article at Wisconsin Ag Connection »La Prairie, Turtle apply to ag enterprise program — 07/03/2010 It’s not what you picture when you think “business district.”
No bustling shoppers or hectic office buildings.
It’s just row upon row of quietly growing crops.
Officials and property owners in La Prairie Township want to keep it that way.... Full Article at Janesville Gazette »Tour touts ag's importance in Rock County — 07/01/2010 About 50 elected officials, candidates, county employees and members of the local media on Wednesday toured Roger Rebout & Sons Farms west of Janesville. The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation sponsored the tour.... Full Article at Janesville Gazette »Applicants Recommended for AEA's — 06/29/2010 Twelve areas in Wisconsin covering nearly 200,000 acres are recommended for official designation as agricultural enterprise areas. State Agriculture Secretary Rod Nilsestuen says these contiguous blocks of mainly agricultural land are targeted for ag... Full Article at Wisconsin Ag Connection »Programs seek to maintain farmlands — 06/20/2010 The amount of farmland in the state declined from 15.5 million acres in 2004 to 15.2 million acres in 2009, according to the Wisconsin Field Office of the National Agricultural Statistics Service.... Full Article at Green Bay Press Gazette » PACE program winner for hunters, landowners — 06/16/2010 And that's why Wisconsinites should study a fledgling program in Waupaca County that helps farmers and woodland owners protect prime properties through permanent conservation easements.... Full Article at Wisconsin State Journal »More than 9,400 acres requested for purchase of agricultural conservation easements — 06/09/2010 MADISON— In response to the first-ever request for Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement (PACE) funding, 36 applicants have requested matching funds to protect 9,400 acres of Wisconsin’s best farmland. Applications to the program, which is p... Full Article at Wisbusiness.com »Dodge County board supports land actions — 05/19/2010 Board members unanimously backed a resolution to support the purchase of agricultural conservation easements for a town of Emmet couple under the state's new program.... Full Article at Watertown Daily Times »Bill Berry on the Farm Report — 03/31/2010 "The Farm Babe" Pam Jahnke interviews Bill Berry, journalist and Gathering Waters Conservancy board member, on the Working Lands Initiative. Listen by following the link below.... Full Article at Wisconsin Farm Report »Ag land rezoning conversion fee is fair — 03/10/2010 The fee for converting productive farmland to another use is good for farmers and good for farmland. ... Full Article at The Country Today »Madison farmer not part of “Wisconsin Homeowners Alliance” — 03/03/2010 Letter to the Editor -
After years of public discussion and general agreement about the importance of the Working Lands Initiative, this organization that supposedly represents my interests is using last-minute scare tactics and misrepresentations i... Full Article at Wisconsin State Farmer »State program could help save farmland — 02/16/2010 Now is the perfect time to develop a farmland preservation program in Rock County, advocates say.
The Rock County Board recently set aside $700,000 for a conservation program.... Full Article at Janesville Gazette »New tools offer new hope for saving farmland — 02/16/2010 JANESVILLE — Thirty years ago, Wisconsin was on the cutting edge of farmland preservation.
The Farmland Preservation Act of 1977 resulted in farmers, through their local governments and the state, protecting 8 million acres in exclusive agricultur... Full Article at Janesville Gazette »Farmer leaves rich soil to the city — 02/15/2010 ANESVILLE — Kirk Leach loaded up his family and belongings, drove away his farm tractors, trucks and equipment and tore down his fences and sheds.
He couldn't box up his soil, the best soil he has ever worked.
The land he left behind now includ... Full Article at Janesville Gazette »'We need to do a better job' or Wisconsin will keep losing valuable farmland — 02/14/2010 Farm land is becoming harder to find in the Midwest, and farmers in southern Wisconsin are facing financial and development pressures. A three day series in the Janesville Gazette examines why prime farmland must be preserved, stories from local farm... Full Article at Janesville Gazette »Planners explain new farmland initiative — 02/08/2010 The state hopes a new initiative to preserve farmland can "cluster farms together" and encourage farmers, businesses and local governments to invest in agriculture, a group of state and county planners explained last week at a four-town meeting at Du... Full Article at Verona Press »Town Aims to Establish Farming Zone — 01/31/2010 Ashippun - Bob Guenther has nothing against progress. He just hates to see development chip away at the precious resource by which he makes his livelihood.
The Ashippun dairy farmer is talking about land. He and other farmers have seen acre after ... Full Article at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel »Applications for WLI's Tax Credit due February 26 — 01/19/2010 Farmers, landowners, land trusts and local governments who are interested in receiving tax credits for preserving farmland through the new Wisconsin Working Lands Initiative have just over a month to submit their applications. Under the program, whic... Full Article at Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin »Working Lands featured at Farmers Union Convention — 12/16/2009 U.S. Senator Russ Feingold, candidates for Governor and the state's revamped farmland preservation tax credits will be featured at the 79th Annual Wisconsin Farmers Union Convention on Feb. 6-7, 2010, at the Plaza Hotel and Suites in Eau Claire, WFU ... Full Article at Wisconsin Farmers Union web page »Farmers, governments can submit AEA petitions — 10/23/2009 Groups of farmers and local governments interested in preserving areas of farmland can now request an agricultural enterprise area or AEA designation from the state agriculture department. ... Full Article at WisBusiness.com »Workshop Provides Information for Rural Landowners and Small Farmers — 10/16/2009 The 2nd Annual Southeast Wisconsin Rural Landowner Conference offers opportunities for rural landowners and small farmers and well as individuals who are considering a farm enterprise. ... Full Article at Wisconsin Agriculturalist »Working Lands Workshops open to public — 10/15/2009 Working Lands Initiative Workshops Scheduled This Fall: Farmers, town officials, planning commission members and other interested parties are invited to participate in one of six working lands workshops scheduled for the last week of October and th... Full Article at Wisconsin Ag Connection »Nilsestuen appoints PACE Council — 09/17/2009 MADISON-Members of a new council that will advise the state agriculture department on the purchase of agricultural conservation easements, part of the efforts to protect Wisconsin farmland, were announced today.
Secretary Rod Nilsestuen today anno... Full Article at WISBusiness.com »Wisconsin names P.A.C.E. Council nominations — 09/17/2009 Wisconsin Agriculture Secretary Rod Nilsestuen has announced his nominations for the Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easement (PACE) Council.... Full Article at Brownfield: Ag News for America »Ag official: Bayfield farm preservation 'a model' — 08/24/2009 BAYFIELD — The Town of Bayfield's farmland preservation program is providing Wisconsin with a successful example as the state's agriculture department works to implement its own program, its deputy secretary said Friday.
... Full Article at The Daily Press -- Ashland »Doyle Calls New State Budget 'Agriculturally-Friendly' — 07/30/2009 Governor Jim Doyle says the state budget bill he signed earlier this week helps preserve farmland, funds more inspectors for meat processing facilities, and will strengthen the dairy industry... ... Full Article at Wisconsin Ag Connection »Make government more cost-effective — 07/24/2009 The question is ominous: What did it cost Wisconsin to expand and modernize the state farmland preservation program this year? The answer is heartening: Nothing.... Full Article at Wisconsin State Journal »Protect And Sustain State's Working Lands — 06/19/2009 As a resident of rural Iowa County and president of a company working to develop Wisconsin's biofuels potential, I want to voice my strong support for the Wisconsin Working Lands Initiative.... Full Article at Wisconsin State Journal »Ozaukee County Board forms panel on farmland preservation — 06/13/2009 Port Washington – Creation of a countywide effort to preserve fast-disappearing farmland is a step closer to reality. The Ozaukee County Board recently formed a Land Preservation Board, and officials are looking to fill that board with citizen volunt... Full Article at Journal Sentinel Online »WORKING LANDS INTIATIVE APPROVED BY BUDGET PANEL — 05/15/2009 This week the Wisconsin Legislature's Joint Committee on Finance approved the governor's proposed Working Lands Initiative with some changes.... Full Article at Midwest AgNet »Tom Lyon: Support the Working Lands Initiative — 05/13/2009 Every Wisconsin citizen has a vested interest in conserving and preserving our most valuable natural resources, the land and water.... Full Article at Capital Times »Support for Working Lands Initiative urged — 05/06/2009 Governor Jim Doyle's Working Lands Initiative now being considered by our state’s lawmakers recognizes the importance of protecting Wisconsin’s critical working lands by providing a comprehensive set of tools to local governments, farmers and others ... Full Article at Wisopinion.com »Retain land initiatives in budget — 04/19/2009 The Joint Finance Committee recently concluded a series of public hearings concerning the entire state budget. Several of the budget items address the recommendations of the Working Lands Initiative and need to be retained as proposed in Gov. Jim Doy... Full Article at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel » Retain and support the Working Lands Initiative — 04/13/2009 The Joint Finance Committee of the Wisconsin State Legislature has recently concluded a series of public hearings concerning the entire state budget. Several of the budget items address the recommendations of the Working Lands Initiative and need to ... Full Article at Wisconsin State Farmer »Another look at saving our soil — 04/08/2009 One of the low level cost items, but perhaps among the most important, in Gov. Doyle's budget is $12 million for farmland preservation. That initiative, now in front of the Joint Finance Committee, takes an unused bonding authority and directs it to... Full Article at West Bend Daily News »Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle proposes new program to save farms — 03/31/2009 Gov. Jim Doyle has proposed the state buy development rights to some agricultural property as a way to stop developers from gobbling up Wisconsin farms.... Full Article at Appleton Post Crescent »Farmland is valuable and deserves protection — 03/29/2009 With all due respect to editorial columnist Patrick McIlheran's March 25 column "Housing decisions belong with homeowners," we do need zoning in order to quit eating up three, five and 10 acres with housing lots that were once farm fields.
McIlher... Full Article at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel »Doyle's budget tries to preserve Wisconsin's farmlands — 03/23/2009 In perhaps the biggest initiative to protect Wisconsin’s farmlands in three decades, Gov. Jim Doyle’s proposed budget would try to prevent cornfields from being gobbled up by strip malls and subdivisions.
The proposal would redirect tens of millio... Full Article at Wisconsin State Journal »Wisconsin Farmers Union testifies on Working Lands Initiative — 03/19/2009 Kevin Shelley, a Wisconsin Farmers Union member and farmer from Cottage Grove, testified recently in front of the state Assembly Committee on Agriculture and Senate Committee on Agriculture and Higher Learning on Wisconsin Farmers Union’s support of ... Full Article at Agri-View »Initiative would slow farmland loss — 03/18/2009 "We must protect our land," the Wisconsin secretary of agriculture urged. "Land is our most precious natural resource."
Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Secretary Rod Nilsestuen testified earlier this month at a joint heari... Full Article at The Country Today »Marathon and Lincoln Counties hosting a Working Lands Initiative Workshop — 02/25/2009 As our population grows, our landscape changes. Single-family homes are spreading across traditionally rural areas, large tracts of industrial forest land are being divided into privately owned recreational property, agricultural operations are incre... Full Article at Wausau Daily Herald »AFT and State Ag Dept. Announce Additional Working Lands Workshops — 01/16/2009 Additional workshops focusing on the future of Wisconsin’s working lands have been scheduled across the state for February and March.
Sponsors are the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), American Farmland T... Full Article at Press Release »Continued land-use dialogue important — 01/14/2009 Residents across Wisconsin have been participating in a healthy dialogue about the future of our working farm and forest lands. That dialogue will continue in 2009 with up to a dozen workshops planned by groups interested in this vital topic.... Full Article at The Country Today »2009 "Farm Bureau Picks" — 01/01/2009 In the shadow of an economic recession, the fiscal situation within the state capitol and on Wisconsin farms will be the top issues for agriculture in 2009, predicts Bill Bruins, president of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation.... Full Article at Agri-View »We Need to Protect Our Working Lands, and We Need to Start Now — 11/27/2008 By 1982, Gene Garber had watched hundreds of suburban homes be built in his rural township of Elizabethtown, Lancaster County, Pa. To Garber, the sprawl was “unconscionable.” On Dec. 28 of that year, he became the first to preserve a Pennsylvania far... Full Article at Agri-View »What I Learned in Lancaster County, Pa. — 11/20/2008 Early the first morning in Lancaster County, Pa., David Sarley, chairman of Penn Township, spoke to us. Sarley, a burley, straight-talking cop who served 26 years on the Pennsylvania police force, grew up in the city. It was steel, he told us, which ... Full Article at Agri-View »Master Planning and Density Based Zoning Key to Successful PDR Programs — 11/13/2008 “I won’t be part of a program that uses taxpayer dollars to fund putting farmland in a bank for future development.” This was how Ralph Robertson, a heifer and beef farmer from Carroll County, Md., who also manages the county’s Purchase of Developmen... Full Article at Agri-View »The “Ultimate” Land Use Study Tour III — 11/06/2008 What land use strategies can be used to maintain and grow the agriculture industry? What will development bring for your landscape, your community, and your economy? What innovative tools are available to address the “sticky” land use issues? How can... Full Article at Agri-View »Wisconsin Towns Association to Host Land Use Workshops — 10/29/2008 The Wisconsin Towns Association has been selected to host five one-day workshops throughout the state in December on the future of Wisconsin's working lands. The first round of workshops sponsored by WTA will present information on tools available to... Full Article at Wisconsin Ag Connection »Local Areas Can Apply to Host Land Use Workshops — 09/24/2008 For many communities, there is an ongoing debate concerning the appropriate use of agricultural land, wooded acreage, and open space while meeting local needs. That's why the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture is looking for local communities to hos... Full Article at Wisconsin Ag Connection »AFT Announces Campaign for Wisconsin’s Farm & Forest Lands — 06/17/2008 American Farmland Trust (AFT) announces the start of the Campaign for
Wisconsin’s Farm and Forest Lands initiative designed to complement the recommendations of the
Working Lands Steering Committee convened by Secretary of Agriculture Rod Nilsest... Full Article at Press Release »Farmland gets new advocate — 06/14/2008 One of the nation’s largest and most vocal organizations advocating farmland preservation has joined state agriculture officials in a new push to enact policies designed to protect Wisconsin farms from development.The American Farmland Trust has hire... Full Article at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel »Farmland Preservation Funding Remains Elusive — 04/12/2007 With a dairy farm that's been in his family 110 years, Daniel Stoffel knows the past and fears for the future of agriculture in the lush hills and valleys 40 miles north of Milwaukee.
"It's a little scary," Stoffel said of what he sees for the years... Full Article at Wisconsin State Journal »Farmland preservation moves ahead — 03/06/2007 La Crosse County is moving slowly toward preserving farmland by buying development rights.
Monday, the county board voted to start work on a pilot program for 2008. Based on the results, the county could ask voters for permission to raise taxes to... Full Article at La Crosse Tribune »Session to focus on land use planning — 02/07/2007 When Wisconsin's farmers retire, their choices are to sell the land to another farmer for about $2,818 an acre or sell to a developer for about $10,916 an acre.
In the first choice, the retiree loses. In the second, the neighboring farmer not only... Full Article at Appleton Post-Crescent »Editorial: Vanishing croplands — 02/06/2007 Preserving farmland could pay off for Wisconsin with the nation's new interest in ethanol and other biofuels.
Drive on rural roads through southeastern Wisconsin on a chilly February day, and you can still find acres of windblown fields of white str... Full Article at Milwaukee Journal Sentinel »Losing land, opportunity — 01/28/2007 Wisconsin is losing cropland faster than any other state in the breadbasket of the nation, the Midwest, jeopardizing not only the state's farm economy but also its profitability in the emerging biofuels industry, agriculture and land use, officials s... Full Article at Journal Sentinel »Development issue to go before voters — 01/09/2007 Washington County voters will decide April 3 whether to establish the state's first countywide purchase-of-development rights program that would pay landowners not to develop agricultural land.
The Washington County Board today agreed to place a r... Full Article»Editorial: Preserving the disappearing Wisconsin farm — 12/23/2006 Few industries are as relentlessly productive as America's farmers.A new report by the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance makes the point: Wisconsin farmers are using more than 20% less farmland than they did in 1970, but yields for major crops - corn, mil... Full Article at Journal Sentinel »Editorial: Let the voters decide — 12/17/2006 We felt it was a mistake in June when the Washington County Board rescinded a program aimed at helping farmers resist the pressures of development and at preserving some of the prime agricultural land in the county. But the board could act soon after... Full Article at Journal Sentinel »County could pony up to save farmland from development — 12/13/2006 La Crosse County in the future could buy development rights to farmland so it won't be plowed under for subdivisions or shopping centers.
The La Crosse County Board has given planner Charlie Handy three months to work up a purchase of development ... Full Article at La Crosse Tribune »
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