Venture Dairy Cooperative (VDC) is calling out GROWW’s ongoing misinformation campaign for what it is: an anti-farmer, anti-business crusade that targets responsible dairy producers based on the size of their farm without actually ever meeting the farmer. This type of activism threatens the economic and environmental progress made by farms like Ridge Breeze Dairy.
As the agriculture industry works to continually improve environmental practices and remain competitive, GROWW is pushing for ordinances that not only ignore the realities of modern agriculture and the expertise of local farmers and scientists, but which are also legally questionable. Pierce County taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for legal experiments. Furthermore, their real goal isn’t environmental protection – it’s to undermine CAFO farm families that are a vital piece of Wisconsin’s $116 billion agriculture industry.
About Ridge Breeze Dairy
Ridge Breeze Dairy is not only in full compliance with state and federal environmental regulations – it is setting the standard. The farm follows the Wisconsin DNR’s comprehensive requirements on manure management, soil health, water reporting, and nutrient planning. These systems aren’t optional – they’re enforced and data-driven. More specifically, environmental oversight measures at Ridge Breeze Dairy include the following:
- A zero-discharge standard on the production site to protect navigable waters;
- Manure and nutrient management systems that support soil health and reduce dependency on imported commercial fertilizers; and
- Precision farming tools that minimize environmental impact and improve efficiency.
GROWW’s push for local operational ordinances disregards these facts and instead promotes confusion, red tape, and instability. These burdensome regulations ignore the expertise of agronomists, veterinarians, state environmental officials and our local land grant university. These ordinances are being written by people with little to no knowledge of a working farm today, using sensationalized internet “data” and stories.
VDC Executive Director Kim Bremmer said, “Unfortunately, not everyone understands modern farming practices and all of the great things going on in agriculture today. This has left the door open for groups like GROWW to capitalize on selling misinformation and instilling fear about things people don’t understand or have any experience with, like CAFOs. We know fear is far more effective at selling a point than facts and figures. We need people getting their information from the actual farmers, not the internet and agenda-driven organizations with very little experience or expertise in modern-day farming.”
The Harm It Causes
More concerning is the economic harm these efforts cause. Ridge Breeze Dairy is a case study in what sustainable, responsible growth looks like. For example, the farm contributes to the following:
- 40 direct local jobs, including 20 new, good-paying positions from the expansion;
- $25 million in local economic activity through purchases from vendors like feed suppliers, equipment dealers, and veterinarians;
- Organic manure production and nitrogen recycling that reduces the need for imported synthetic fertilizers;
- New markets for local crop farmers, including alfalfa, which reduces nitrogen use, helps retain topsoil, and helps reduce phosphorus.
Every attack on Ridge Breeze Dairy is an attack on the broader dairy economy in Wisconsin. GROWW’s agenda isn’t just anti-farmer, it’s anti-Wisconsin. CAFO farm families like Ridge Breeze are a part of the future of agriculture and help preserve our state’s dairy legacy for the next generation.
Venture Dairy Cooperative stands with Ridge Breeze Dairy and every responsible Wisconsin farmer, regardless of size, working to put food on our tables, support rural communities, and protect our beautiful rural landscape from urban development.
