Letter to Elected Officials....please don't tell us how to farm!

This letter was to me by the Dairy Business Association. I agree that Government Officials need to gain producer input before telling them 'How to Farm'. Please read and share with others.

Dear Elected Official,

My name is Laura Daniels, I am a dairy farmer from Cobb, Wisconsin. My family has been farming for just under 4 years, we love this business and savor the chance to raise our children on a farm the way we were raised. We rotationally graze our jersey cows while implementing the very latest science has to offer. We believe that the diversity of farms in Wisconsin is our greatest strength, we seek to learn from them all, big, small, young, old, etc. We take pride in the way we care for our cattle, land and employees with gentleness. I am writing to you today to let you know about some concerns I have about the future of our family dairy farm. I am not writing to complain about the price, or to beg you to do something to help us make it through this financial crisis.

I would imagine you are hearing a lot about that these days. However, I am worried about special interest groups telling me or any other farmer how to farm. We really do have enough to worry about these days, we do not need a kick while we are down.I have just returned from the national meeting of the American Farmers for the Advancement and Conservation of Technology, known as AFACT. I had the chance to talk to farmers from across the country I am alarmed that farmers from California have had their businesses changed so drastically by Prop 2, and now there is legislation to regulate whether or not the farmers dock the tails of their cows. Even more frightening is the fact that farmers in Ohio have no choice but to negotiate with the Humane Society of the United States! HSUS is threatening the Ohio farmers that if they don’t do what they demand they will bring prop 2 to Ohio.

I ask that you please do the research on HSUS and know that they seek the end of animal agriculture, only a tiny portion of their funding goes to help cats and dogs in shelters, much of their budget is aimed to put me and every other farmer out of business. Since they are so well funded they can win at ballot initiatives, and it is exactly the exposure they need to generate even more funds. HSUS has set up an office here in Wisconsin and has registered a lobbyist at the capital of our dairy state. I do not believe for one second that their agenda here will be limited to dog fighting.

Please please talk to farmers if agriculture comes up in any discussions. We can help you understand the extreme measures we are taking to care for each and every one of our animals. We can and do make the right choices for their care. We need you to understand and trust that we are the ones who should be making changes to do an even better job as time goes on. We do not need regulation in this area, we are honest and hard working people. Wisconsin dairy farmers have made more advancements in animal care over the last decade than the 50 years before that. We did this with no government intervention, no mandates and no standards set by others. Please let the people who know the cattle/livestock best make the decisions for their care.

Thank you for your time and please let me know if I can help in any way.

Laura Daniels
Heartwood Farm
Cobb, WI
lauradaniels@uwalumni.com