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USDA announces historical investment in agriculture Projects to receive $2.8B for climatesmart production practices By Abby Wiedmeyer abby.w@dairystar.com
ARKANSAW, Wis. – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced details of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program Sept. 14. The program is investing up to $2.8 billion in 70 selected projects under the rst pool of funding. “It’s a tremendous opportunity for American agriculture to not only improve the bottom line but to improve conditions on the planet,” Vilsack said. “(We want to be) in a position where internationally we can say to the rest of the world, ‘Follow us. We’re leading.’” Vilsack was joined by representatives from Organic Valley, Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative and The DeLong Co. Inc., who are participating in the program, at a press conference Sept. 15 at the Anibas family farm near Arkansaw. The purpose of the program is to fund pilot projects that will create market opportunities for American commodities produced using climate-smart production practices. The program comes in response to the challenges facing producers today and a growing demand for sustainably produced products from the export market. Recipients of the program were selected from more than 1,000 applications from food companies. Originally, $1 billion was allocated from the Commodity Credit Corporation to the project. After receiving so many applications, however, additional funding was set aside for the program. “Basically, we have a $3.5 billion initiative,” Vilsack said. “What we are announcing is 70 projects in the larger grant pool,
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September 24, 2022
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 24, No. 15
Tragedy strikes Jefferson County dairy Plucinskis’ barn destroyed in re Sept. 11 By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
JEFFERSON, Wis. – The hopes and dreams of Derek and Meg Plucinski crumbled to the ground the day their barn caught re. As they helplessly watched smoke and ames engulf the classic red tiestall facility, the couple wondered what the future would hold. “I cannot believe this happened,” Meg Plucinski said. “It’s all so hard. This is our future, and our kids’ future. Without our milking facility, there’s not much to do. That’s our source of money. But God uses all things for good, so I’m focusing on that.” The Plucinskis milk 40 cows and farm 300 acres on the organic dairy farm they rent near Jefferson. The young dairy farmers created D&M Family Farm when they began renting
Waupun State Farm, dairy processing plant offer opportunity to prisoners
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
The Plucinskis’ barn lies in ruins Sept. 14 three days a�er a re took down the 48-stall �estall barn near Jefferson, Wisconsin. All of the farm’s bedding and dry hay for the winter was lost. the farm July 1, 2018. The farm has been organic since 2006. The Plucinski farm is also home to a variety of other creatures including free-range chickens – 100 meat birds and 60 layers – turkeys, ducks, geese, goats and pigs. The family runs an on-site
store where they sell chicken, pork, beef, turkey and eggs grown on their farm. Sept. 11 was supposed to be a relaxing day away from the farm, but things soon turned tragic. The Plucinskis and their
Outside the fence
By Stacey Smart
stacey.s@dairystar.com
WAUPUN, Wis. – From the road, it looks like any other farm. White barns and buildings sit wide open to the world at the end of a long, tree-lined drive. There is nothing to indicate that much of the labor on this farm near Waupun is supplied by men in state custody. Waupun State Farm is part of the Bureau of Correctional Enterprises. The 360-cow, 1,700-acre dairy farm employs prisoners from the John C. Burke Correctional Center – a minimum security facility in the city of Waupun. There are no wire fences here. The prisoners get a taste of freedom when they work on the farm. “Most of the men work-
STACEY SMART/DAIRY STAR
Wes Ray, director of the Bureau of Correc�onal Enterprises, (le�) and Jason Hensel, supervisor of Waupun State Farm, led a tour Sept. 8 at the Waupun State Farm located near Waupun, Wisconsin. The 360-cow, 1,700-acre dairy farm employs prisoners from the John C. Burke Correc�onal Center. ing here are toward the end of their sentence,” said Jason Hensel, farm supervisor. “This is a chance for them to prove themselves.”
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Secretary Randy Romanski and Wisconsin Department of Corrections
children – Wyatt, Fitzgerald, Eleanor and Elvira – were headed to Wisconsin Dells when they got a call from their landlord saying the barn was on re.
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Secretary Kevin Carr toured farm and dairy Sept. 8. BCE director Wes Ray led the tour. “From growing crops to maintaining livestock to producing milk, we’re doing a tremendous job with helping people change their lives and gain meaningful employment when they leave our care,” Ray said. Forty men from the center work on the farm – 28 on day shift and 12 on night shift. This work release program is designed to help reformed prisoners successfully transition back into their community one day. Craig, from Washington County, has been working on the farm for four months. He started out scraping manure and moving cows and is now a milker. He starts his shift at 4 a.m. and is done at 11 a.m. In custody since 2018, Craig is scheduled for release October 2024. “This is hard work,” he said. “I did construction my whole life, but it’s eye openTurn to WAUPON | Page 8