The small community of Ashippun in Dodge County is using farmland preservation tools to keep consistency as a part of land transition.  Robert Guenther, dairy farmer and member of the Town of Ashippun Planning Commission says the community  is facing increasing growth pressures, including recent applications for a private golf course and a solar energy farm. Ashippun's growth is largely driven by its location directly north of the rapidly growing village of Oconomowoc. Geunther says the community is learning just how expensive that growth can be.  He  says local studies have shown that every dollar collected in taxes on farmland costs the town about 75 cents in services, whereas every dollar collected from development land costs about $1.25 in municipal expenses.  Ashippun currently operates under A1 and A2 zoning. A1 is prime farmland with highly restrictive  rules, while A2 is less restrictive and includes over 70 different  conditional use opportunities. Because the town of Ashippun is under Dodge County zoning, the local planning commission can only make recommendations while the county holds final approval power. A major point of contention regarding the incoming private golf course is its location directly across the street from a 400-cow dairy farm, which local leaders view as a conflicting land use. A conditional use permit for a proposed solar operation on A1 prime farmland was rejected by Dodge County after unanimous denial recommendations from both the Ashippun planning commission and the town board. Local leaders note that farmland preservation zoning is simply a different zoning district that controls land use. It is often confused with a 15-year state farmland preservation agreement, which is much more restrictive on landowner rights.

We've got a hot, sticky week ahead with some measurable rain.  Stu Muck spells out what to plan for.

Weather did not deter the crowd from showing up Friday in Chippewa County for President Donald Trump and U.S. Ag Secretary, Brooke Rollins.  Mid-West Farm Report's Bob Bosold was there.  A round table was arranged so the president could hear directly from farmers on the issues they believe matter.  One farmer that testified was Steve Rooney, owner/operator of Rooney Grain.  He says the situation agriculture finds itself with monopolies is untenable.  Rooney implored the president to look at ways to invest in producing things like fertilizer, seed and ag chem in more than one company.

Multiple farms hosted throngs of visitors for June Dairy events over the weekend.  That included Jody Miller from Miller Time Farms in Avoca.  She talks with Pam Jahnke about why that kind of face-to-face interaction with consumers is so meaningful and important.  Miller sits on the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin board.  She's also one of the persona that's been amplified through the "Born to Dairy" campaign.  Miller is a "Barnyard Beautifier" who enjoys featuring flowers everywhere around her farmstead.  She says portraying the proper visual message to consumers is important to her.  Miller notes that a clean, well-kept farmstead lets consumers know that farmers care about their land, water and animals.  Paid for by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.