For generations, farming families in Pierce County have cared for the land and water that sustain us all. That commitment hasn’t changed; in fact, it’s the foundation of everything we do. What has changed is the complexity of farming and the wide range of regulations we follow to ensure those values endure. 

Operating a large farm in Wisconsin, sometimes referred to as a Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO), means meeting some of the most rigorous environmental standards in agriculture. Every CAFO must obtain a Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit from the Department of Natural Resources under NR 243. These permits are not simple paperwork. In fact, they include hundreds of pages of nutrient management plans, water protection measures, and manure handling protocols. Farms must meet a zero-discharge standard for runoff to navigable waters and report details on weather, soil conditions, and application methods every time manure is applied. Compliance is not optional; it is monitored and enforced. 

Modern dairy farming also looks very different than it did a generation ago. Today’s practices use significantly fewer resources: 30% less water, 21% less land, and 20% less fuel compared to 2007. Nutrient management plans improve soil health across thousands of acres, and manure is treated as a resource, not waste. It becomes organic fertilizer for local crop farmers, reducing the need for synthetic nitrogen and helping keep topsoil in place. Conservation practices like cover crops and buffer strips are standard, because protecting water and land is part of how we farm. 

These family-run farms also strengthen our local economy. CAFOs provide good-paying jobs and support local businesses, such as feed from suppliers to equipment dealers and veterinary services. Each cow generates about $41,500 annually for the local economy, creating ripple effects that sustain family-owned businesses and rural communities. Expansion decisions are not about cutting corners; they are about keeping farms viable for the next generation while meeting the environmental standards set by the state. 

Activist groups have wrongly suggested that CAFOs operate without oversight or regard for the environment. That is simply not accurate, and they know that. We follow the rules Wisconsin has established, and we invest heavily in compliance because we share the same goal as our neighbors: clean water, healthy soil, and thriving communities. 

Pierce County’s farmers are not faceless corporations. We are families who live here, work here, and care deeply about the land we farm. Our roots run deep, and our responsibility runs even deeper. We welcome honest conversations about agriculture, but those conversations should start with facts, not fear.