'United to Grow Family Agriculture' is theme

for WFU's 82nd Annual Convention

With a theme of "United to Grow Family Agriculture," the Wisconsin Farmers Union (WFU) will hold its 82nd annual convention on Friday through Sunday, Jan. 25-27, at the Plaza Hotel and Suites here.

A pre-convention Friday afternoon workshop titled "Securing Farmers and Farmland - a Toolbox for Farm Succession and Beginning Farmers" will serve as a kickoff for the event.

Entertainment and fund-raising take over on Friday evening with the Casino Night for fun and an accompanying live auction and raffle to support the WFU's Kamp Kenwood upgrading project.

The Saturday program includes the annual business meeting and comments by guests.

Local author and humorist Michael Perry will be the keynote speaker at the Saturday evening banquet, which will be followed by music provided by Perry's folk band Longbed.

After an ecumenical worship service on Sunday morning, there will be workshops on wind energy cooperatives, taking the money out of politics, how to face the new mining industry, and improving membership engagement in WFU activities.

The convention will wrap up with consideration of resolutions and a discussion on policies for the cooperative.

A youth program for students in grades 7-12 will run concurrently with the adult sessions on both Saturday and Sunday.

The requested registration deadline for the convention is Friday, Jan. 11. To register, call 1-800-272-5531 or 715-723-5561 or go on the www.wisconsin farmersunion.com Web site.

For more information, call Diane Tiry at one of those numbers or send an e-mail to dtiry@ wisconsinfarmersunion.com.

A separate registration, also due by Jan. 11, is required for the workshop from 1-5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 25. On a space available basis, later registrations can be obtained by calling 715-592-6595.