The Dairy Business Association, Wisconsin’s leading dairy advocacy group, today announced that state Sen. Howard Marklein, R-Spring Green, is the organization’s Legislator of the Year.
DBA pointed to important legislation Marklein championed, including funding for the Dairy Innovation Hub; truth-in-labeling for milk, other dairy products and meat; and more capital access for rural businesses, including dairy processors.
“Senator Marklein has gone above and beyond to strengthen and promote Wisconsin’s dairy community. He recognized the importance of these issues and showed leadership in moving them forward,” DBA President Amy Penterman, who farms with her family in Thorp, said.
The association also announced DBA Legislative Excellence Award recipients for the 2019-20 session. The award recognizes legislators for ongoing support for farmers, processors and the broader dairy community.
“We greatly appreciate these individuals for keeping dairy issues top of mind at the Capitol. Their commitment is critical to growing and protecting a major part of Wisconsin’s economy and ensuring that our rural communities thrive,” Penterman said.
Last week, DBA announced its top legislative priorities for the current session. Among them: securing ongoing funding for the Dairy Innovation Hub, a research initiative on the University of Wisconsin System’s three agricultural campuses; support for ongoing water quality efforts, including many proposals stemming from the Speaker’s Task Force on Water Quality; and advocating for protections of common terms like milk, cheese and hamburger on food packaging and labels.
The following are the Legislative Excellence Award recipients:
- Rep. Joel Kitchens, 1st District
- Rep. Ron Tusler, 3rd District
- Rep. Gary Tauchen, 6th District
- Rep. Amy Loudenbeck, 31st District
- Rep. Jeffrey Mursau, 36th District
- Rep. Barb Dittrich, 38th District
- Rep. Joan Ballweg, 41st District (now senator in the 14th District)
- Rep. Jon Plumer, 42nd District
- Rep. Don Vruwink, 43rd District
- Rep. Mark Spreitzer, 45th District
- Rep. Travis Tranel, 49th District
- Rep. Tony Kurtz, 50th District
- Rep. Todd Novak, 51st District
- Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt, 52nd District
- Rep. Timothy Ramthun, 59th District
- Rep. Rob Summerfield, 67th District
- Rep. Nancy VanderMeer, 70th District
- Rep. Scott Krug, 72nd District
- Rep. Dave Considine, 81st District
- Rep. Ken Skowronski, 82nd District
- Rep. John Spiros, 86th District
- Rep. James Edming, 87th District
- Rep. Treig Pronschinske, 92nd District
- Rep. Warren Petryk, 93rd District
- Rep. Steve Doyle, 94th District
- Rep. Loren Oldenburg, 96th District
- Sen. Janis Ringhand, 15th District
- Sen. Daniel Feyen, 18th District
- Sen. Kathy Bernier, 23rd District
- Sen. Patrick Testin, 24th District
