Crawford Stewardship Project

March 3 Rally Focuses on Issues Impacting Rural Wisconsin

Yesterday CSP joined with over 100 people gathered in Viroqua at a Sustain Rural Wisconsin Network (SRWN)-organized rally unifying a number of groups concerned about the governor’s budget bills and other actions that impact rural Wisconsin. The event took place outside of a conference sponsored by Citizens for Agriculture and Friends of the Environment (C.A.F.E), an organization that represents the interests of industrial-size farm operations.

SRWN members and others at the rally voiced their deep concern with executive branch takeover of local control and issues including:

Loss of local control for farmers and rural communities presented by the governor’s takeover of state regulatory agencies’ rulemaking, including veto power on Livestock Siting Law rules, the rules that affect the siting of factory farms or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs).
While slashing state funds shared with towns and counties, the governor has taken the right of local governments to set tax rates and to set compensation for teachers and government workers, effectively dictating further erosion in our schools and public services.
Public workers and teachers are large economic forces in our state. Permanently depressing their quality of life will have a ripple effect on our economy, particularly in many depressed rural areas of Wisconsin.
A 16% cut to the Department of Natural Resources, which will further weaken that agency's already struggling ability to monitor and enforce factory farm permits and other conservation laws.
Elimination of the program to preserve farmland and weakening of current pollution laws, which puts waterways at risk for greater pollution runoff, including phosphorous, that leads to more algae in our lakes and streams.
In addition to ending collective bargaining, the bill includes major cuts to Badger Care and Medical Assistance programs which will result in the loss of health insurance coverage for over 62,000 working Wisconsin families, which includes many family farmers and rural families.

Governor Walker, Senator Dan Kapanke and Representative Lee Nerison were invited to attend a summit hosted at the Firehouse Restaurant in Viroqua. Walker and Kapanke did not attend.

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Sustain Rural Wisconsin Network is a statewide coalition of individuals and organizations dedicated to preserving the environment while maintaining the health and economic vitality of rural communities. More information and help for communities impacted by CAFOs can be found at www.sustainruralwisconsin.net.

			Crawford Stewardship Project works to protect the environment of Crawford County from threats such as those posed by concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and to promote sustainable land use, local control of natural resources, and environmental justice. Crawford Stewardship Project is a nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible. Support CSP Send a check to: Crawford Stewardship Project P.O. Box 284 Gays Mills, WI 54631 csp.county@gmail.com
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	Ongoing Projects Sand Mining Crawford County CAFOs Water Quality and CAFO Monitoring Karst Geology Sustain Rural Wisconsin Network-SRWN Livestock Siting Law & State CAFO Permitting Crawford Stewardship Project is grateful for the generous support of the Wisconsin Community Fund. Thank you to Organic Valley for their generous contribution to our silent auction in February 2013. Order your Driftless Wisconsin poster today! "CAFOs are only profitable because so much of the cost and damage is externalized onto the environment, neighbors and wildlife. The monitoring, supervision, clean-up, restitution, fines are not happening, thus the true cost of CAFOs never find the way onto the balance books." Talking point from the CAFO Conference.	March 3 Rally Focuses on Issues Impacting Rural Wisconsin Yesterday CSP joined with over 100 people gathered in Viroqua at a Sustain Rural Wisconsin Network (SRWN)-organized rally unifying a number of groups concerned about the governor’s budget bills and other actions that impact rural Wisconsin. The event took place outside of a conference sponsored by Citizens for Agriculture and Friends of the Environment (C.A.F.E), an organization that represents the interests of industrial-size farm operations. SRWN members and others at the rally voiced their deep concern with executive branch takeover of local control and issues including: Loss of local control for farmers and rural communities presented by the governor’s takeover of state regulatory agencies’ rulemaking, including veto power on Livestock Siting Law rules, the rules that affect the siting of factory farms or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). While slashing state funds shared with towns and counties, the governor has taken the right of local governments to set tax rates and to set compensation for teachers and government workers, effectively dictating further erosion in our schools and public services. Public workers and teachers are large economic forces in our state. Permanently depressing their quality of life will have a ripple effect on our economy, particularly in many depressed rural areas of Wisconsin. A 16% cut to the Department of Natural Resources, which will further weaken that agency's already struggling ability to monitor and enforce factory farm permits and other conservation laws. Elimination of the program to preserve farmland and weakening of current pollution laws, which puts waterways at risk for greater pollution runoff, including phosphorous, that leads to more algae in our lakes and streams. In addition to ending collective bargaining, the bill includes major cuts to Badger Care and Medical Assistance programs which will result in the loss of health insurance coverage for over 62,000 working Wisconsin families, which includes many family farmers and rural families. Governor Walker, Senator Dan Kapanke and Representative Lee Nerison were invited to attend a summit hosted at the Firehouse Restaurant in Viroqua. Walker and Kapanke did not attend. ### Sustain Rural Wisconsin Network is a statewide coalition of individuals and organizations dedicated to preserving the environment while maintaining the health and economic vitality of rural communities. More information and help for communities impacted by CAFOs can be found at www.sustainruralwisconsin.net.