Legislation supported by Big Ag lobbying groups threatened to undermine local governments’ ability to pass ordinances applying to large livestock operations.

Last week, GROWW (Grassroots Organizing Western Wisconsin) joined community groups across Wisconsin celebrating a decision by Governor Evers to veto Assembly Bill 957 and protect a cornerstone of Wisconsin communities’ local control.

This bill, supported by industry lobbying groups, would have prohibited certain local ordinances relating to corporate agriculture practices, particularly Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (known as CAFOs). Grassroots organizers across the state warned the bill threatened to strip away key local control relating to industrial agriculture in Wisconsin communities. During the March Senate committee hearing, lobbyists from Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce and Venture Dairy Cooperative repeatedly asked senators to prohibit legal ordinances passed in three Wisconsin counties and six towns which aimed to mitigate local costs and impacts of large livestock operations. Towns in multiple Wisconsin counties have been studying similar ordinances. 

Seeing the bill as an attack on local control, members of GROWW and other organizing groups across Wisconsin flooded the Governor’s office with messages opposing the bill. In the span of a week, more than 650 people across the state sent messages to Governor Evers, and on March 29th, he heeded demands and vetoed the legislation.

“In rural Wisconsin, we value our self determination,” said Phil Verges, a farmer in the Town of Gilman and Vice Chair of GROWW’s board. “As a small farmer, I’ve always worked hard to pay my fair share. We need the power to hold big ag operations in our communities to that same standard. In many places right now, small towns bear the weight that large operations put on local roads, property values, air quality, and more, just to line the pockets of companies’ shareholders and CEOs. This veto protects our power to write better rules.”

At the same time as our communities celebrate the veto from the Governor’s desk, lobbying groups are finding other ways to strip away remaining industry oversight . Currently pending, lawyers from Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce (WMC) are challenging Wisconsin DNR’s authority to regulate livestock operations that spread millions of gallons of raw manure over thousands of acres of land. Attorneys from WMC’s Litigation Center argue that, regardless of risk to residents and local resources, livestock operations can’t be subjected to regulation until after they have been caught releasing waste into waterways.  This pending lawsuit is a blatant attempt to remove all regulation of industrial agriculture operations.

Large, high concentration livestock operations have well documented economic drawbacks for rural communities. In the face of industry pressure, tools like local ordinances are some communities’ best options to protect their roads, property values, natural resources, and rural way of life. In the face of continued industry pressure, this victory marks a crucial step in the ongoing fight to preserve Wisconsin communities.