Introducing the Wisconsin Farmers Union to the Rural Power Coalition
WFU members with staff during a wind and solar tour in Fon Du Lac Wisconsin.
The Rural Power Power Coalition is thrilled to announce the newest member of our coalition, one represents agricultural communities in a that currently does not have other RPC members in it—the Wisconsin Farmers Union! Here’s a little bit from the Wisconsin Farmers Union:
Formed in 1930, Wisconsin Farmers Union (WFU) is a grassroots organization committed to enhancing the quality of life for family farmers, rural communities, and all people through educational opportunities, cooperative endeavors, and civic engagement. Our policy is created entirely by our membership at our annual convention, which directs our operation toward that mission.
The WFU policy is robust and covers many topics. It has a whole section devoted to energy in regards to community response, affordability, landowner rights, and environmental stewardship.
The following are a few excerpts from our policy book in relation to work with the Rural Power Coalition:
On electric co-ops:
“We support the community-based development of localized, decentralized alternative energy and encourage tax credits and incentives for the proliferation of on-farm or community-based energy sources. Wisconsin Farmers Union is committed to partnering with rural electric coops to develop a positive vision for rural renewable energy into the future.”
On solar and affordability:
Furthermore, regarding large-scale solar, “Wisconsin Farmers Union requests that farmers, landowners and communities in which installations are proposed, neighbors of installations and wider communities be treated fairly, have access to all information, and receive a fair share of revenue generated by the projects that they are hosting.”
On community engagement and Community Benefits Agreements:
“Wisconsin Farmers Union supports strong Community Benefits Agreements as a condition of any commercial, renewable energy installations. These Community Benefits Agreements must be developed in a transparent process and ensure that a fair share of revenue from the installations is shared with all those impacted.”
In light of these directives from our members, WFU’s Conservation & Stewardship team works in conjunction with our chapter members and locally-based partner organizations across the state. Together, we host community information sessions that explain Wisconsin energy policy, renewable energy realities, and how communities can start the negotiation process for Community Benefits Agreements (or other formalized agreements to protect and advocate for their communities).
Beyond this, we work with partner organizations to learn about existing and potential CBAs and renewable energy projects around the state, and provide resources to local community members while sharing project updates so that all communities can learn from the examples of their peers.
Joining the Rural Power Coalition has allowed us to hear perspectives from other states and organizations with similar interests and diverse expertise related to energy policy. We are particularly interested in learning more about lessons organizations in other states have learned through their Public Service Commissions’ models of Integrated Resource Planning. Collaborating with organizations in this coalition will also allow WFU to work through and learn together about emerging topics of interest to our members, such as data centers.
As a state organization, our staff keep track of what’s going on in the Capitol building in Madison, WI, and on the ground around the state. But upon joining RPC, we immediately began seeing the benefit of gaining a wider, national perspective on federal policy as well as news from other states to help us know what to watch for that might be happening here soon.
In a time when we’re seeing big changes in the political, energy generation, and energy demand landscapes all at the same time, Wisconsin Farmers Union will continue to work to listen to our members at the farm-level and carry their priorities of local protection, resilient generation, and community investment forward.
Community members learning about local siting practicalities in St. Croix county Wisconsin at a WFU-hosted informational session.