FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 1, 2025
Contact: Kelly Mella, Public Information Officer, (608) 440-0294, kelly.mella@wisconsin.gov
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MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) announced ten nominees for eight open seats in the 2025 Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW) Board of Directors election.
Eight districts are up for election beginning May 1, 2025. The following candidates, listed by district, have been certified as eligible for election:
District 3 Nominee: Gary Kohn, Medford
Lincoln, Oneida, Price, and Taylor counties
District 6 Nominee: Alexandra Straschinske, Boyd
Chippewa and Eau Claire counties
District 9 Nominee: Jeff Betley, Pulaski
Menominee, Shawano, and Waupaca counties
District 12 Nominees: Peggy Pankratz, Auburndale; and Stephanie Ann Hughes, Pittsville
Portage, Waushara, and Wood counties
District 15 Nominee: Sandra Madland, Lyndon Station
Adams, Juneau, and Monroe counties
District 18 Nominee: Rick Roden, West Bend
Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Washington, and Waukesha counties
District 21 Nominees: Gail Klinkner, Viroqua; and Chad A. Sime, Gays Mills
Crawford and Vernon counties
District 24 Nominee: Virgil Haag, Mt Horeb
Dane and Jefferson counties
DATCP confirmed all certified candidates met the administrative rule marketing order eligibility criteria of being an active dairy producer or representative of an affected producer, selling milk into commercial channels, and residing within their respective districts. DATCP also certified each candidate's nomination form, which included five signatures from active dairy producers within the district as well as completion of a "Declaration of Eligibility" form. For more information, visit www.wisconsindairy.org/elections.
DATCP is mailing ballots to dairy producers who reside within the eight affected districts. Producers who have not received a ballot by May 15, 2025, can request one by contacting DATCP Market Orders staff at DATCPMarketOrders@wisconsin.gov. Completed ballots must be signed and returned by email to DATCPMarketOrders@wisconsin.gov or postmarked to DATCP Market Orders Program, PO Box 8911, Madison, WI 53708, on or before May 23, 2025.
Elected producers will serve three-year terms beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2028.
DATCP administers elections for Wisconsin commodity marketing boards. To learn more about these boards, visit https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/About_Us/MarketingBoards.aspx.