The Edge board and staff pride ourselves on providing a voice for farmers as well as empowering them to raise their voices. It’s working.
Decision-makers in Washington, D.C., know who we are and what we stand for. A great example from the past year was a visit by then-Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue. The secretary’s office came to Edge for an opportunity to hear from dairy farmers. So we made it happen. I was proud — both as president of Edge and personally — to host Mr. Perdue on my farm in Cedar Grove, Wis. Most importantly, our members were able to get their questions answered directly from the top agriculture official in the country.
The cooperative was also busy in Washington making sure COVID assistance programs were workable and effective for dairy farmers. We pushed for direct financial relief and dairy product purchases.
We ensured that the administration and Congress heard your voice — and it made a difference. Working with our D.C. consulting partner, Michael Torrey Associates, we were front and center making sure decision-makers understood the dairy community’s needs and your essential role in producing food. We were also able to provide one-on-one support to help members use the new federal programs like the Paycheck Protection Program.
While the health emergency drew the most attention, our policy team was hard at work on other issues too. One was making sure the USMCA will be fairly implemented so that our farmers are protected. We were proud to have one of Edge’s members, Amy Penterman, get invited to the USMCA signing at the White House.
Issues like the labor shortage, trade opportunities and truth in labeling were and will continue to be priorities for Edge.
Edge is also laying more groundwork for dairy farmers to be involved in conversations at the federal level about climate. This will be a top priority for the new administration and Congress, and it is going to command a lot of our attention. We need to make sure the dairy community plays a key role in shaping any new programs or regulations.
As we all know, farmers have always been leaders in caring for the environment. If you’re looking to protect water quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, farmers know how to do it. We have solutions, and we are getting more innovative all the time, including in how we make our conservation efforts financially viable. Edge’s position is that environmentally focused policies that affect agriculture should be guided by farmers, grounded in science, driven by the market, and flexible enough to allow for innovation at the farm level.
A great example of the farming community’s attention to conservation is the growing number of farmer-led watershed groups. They are focused on continuous improvement and using science and data to measure that improvement. Many of our members participate. My own farm is part of one of these groups. It’s amazing to see the momentum we have gained.
As the climate conversation expands, Edge and our members are in a great position to show leadership. The more involved we are, the more effective and workable the outcomes will be.
Edge is also in a good position to work collaboratively in Washington, which will be very important, considering the change in leadership there. We have proven over the years how to get things done, no matter who has the balance of power. As farmers, we know there will always be a lot of work to do. At Edge, we are optimistic and excited about where we are headed. We see a lot of opportunities to make the dairy community even stronger.
Of course, a key part to success — maybe the biggest part — is the involvement of our members. Farmers’ voices carry a lot of weight, and Edge creates opportunities to amplify those voices. Our members make a big difference.
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By Brody Stapel, Edge president