DFW director nominees announced, election underway

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has certified 12 nominees that are eligible for election to the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW) board of directors. Dairy farmers in affected districts will have until May 25, 2022 to vote on the following candidates:

• District 3 Nominees: Mark Leder, Gleason and Gary Kohn, Medford – Lincoln, Oneida, Price, and Taylor counties;
• District 6 Nominee: Douglas Danielson, Cadot – Chippewa and Eau Claire counties;
• District 9 Nominee: Jeff Betley, Pulaski, Menominee, Shawano, and Waupaca counties; 
• District 12 Nominee: Stephen Pankrantz, Marshfield, Portage – Waushara, and Wood counties;
• District 15 Nominees: Sandra Madland, Lyndon Station and Annette Trescher, Cashton – Adams, Juneau, and Monroe counties;
• District 18 Nominee: Rick Roden, West Bend – Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Washington, and Waukesha counties; 
• District 21 Nominee: Gail Klinkner, Viroqua – Crawford and Vernon counties;
• District 24 Nominees: Virgil Haag, Mt. Horeb; Tina Hinchley, Cambridge; and Carrie Chestnut Mess, Johnson Creek –Dane and Jefferson counties.

DATCP confirmed that all certified candidates meet the 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. To view the candidate biographies and more information on the election, visit www.wisconsindairy.org/elections.       

To facilitate the voting process, DATCP has distributed mail-in ballots to dairy producers who reside within the eight affected districts. Producers who have not received a ballot by May 10, 2022 should request a ballot by contacting DATCP Market Orders Program Coordinator Debbie Gegare at (608) 224-5116 or debbie.gegare@Wisconsin.gov. Completed ballots must be signed and sent to WI DATCP, Marketing Order Program, P.O. Box 8911, Madison, WI 53708 and postmarked on or before May 25.

Election results will be announced at the end of June 2022 and elected producers will serve a three-year term beginning July 1, 2021.