Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMOs) have shaped the dairy industry for over 80 years. However, aside from the 2018 Farm Bill, there have been few significant updates in nearly two decades.
To help dairy farmers navigate proposed FMMO revisions and the voting process, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation will host a four-part educational series, “Dairy Decisions: Navigating Federal Milk Marketing Orders.”
“The USDA’s proposed changes to FMMOs are complex, making it crucial for farmers to understand their impact,” said Tyler Wenzlaff, WFBF Director of National Affairs. “This series will explore different aspects of the proposal and explain how farmers’ votes can influence dairy farms.”
Series dates and topics:
- October 21 – 1 to 3 p.m. at UW River Falls, co-hosted by the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
Location: Kinnickinnic Theater, Room 320, 501 Wild Rose Ave, River Falls, WI 54022
Topic: Make Allowances - October 23 – 1 to 3 p.m. at UW-Platteville
Location: Markee Student Center’s University Rooms, 1 University Plaza, Platteville, WI 53818
Topic: Class 1 Differentials - October 25 – 2 to 4 p.m. at Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center
Location: North Conference Room, 7001 Grass Lake Rd, Manitowoc, WI 54220
Topic: Other Provisions of the Recommended Decision (ESL, Higher of, Composition, Blocks Only, etc.) - October 28 – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at UW-Madison
Location: Kerry Lecture Hall, Room MSABD 1115, 1933 Observatory Dr, Madison, WI 53706
Topic: Implications for Order 30 of the Producer Vote
Speakers include Chuck Nickolson, Associate Professor in UW-Madison’s Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, and Leonard Polzin, Dairy Markets and Policy Outreach Specialist. Nickolson’s work focuses on dairy markets, policy, and supply chains, supported by the UW Dairy Innovation Hub. Polzin integrates research findings into outreach efforts for agricultural stakeholders at state and national levels.
The series is open to all dairy farmers, and no Farm Bureau membership is required. Each session will cover a different FMMO topic and will be available virtually and in-person.
For livestream registration and recorded presentations, visit WFBF’s Federal Milk Marketing Orders webpage.
