Posted: 02.14.2011

This could be a week in Madison that has some reminiscing about the 70's and Vietnam protests.

On the early farm show with Pam Jahnke Monday, Shawn Pfaff with Capitol Consultants said that there are protests being planned at the governor's mansion - and rally's being staged at the state capitol this week - in protest of Governor Scott Walkers plan to reduce collective bargaining rights for state workers.

Pfaff said that agriculture and rural residents should pay attention to the details that develop in this case because it could impact rural communities as a whole.  Pfaff said this plan by Governor Walker may impact everything from rural snow plowing to small school teaching staff.  "We're really in some uncharted waters regarding the states relationship with its workers.  Wisconsin is a high service state - we have strong rural schools, a network of county government systems, and things like that.  If you were to make some of those systems more efficient it probably would cost the most remote, rural areas of the state."

Pfaff also cautioned that this move could mean changes in state extension education services and even our agriculture research through some of our universities.  "What I have gleaned from this is that public employees of the state - whether that's an eighth grade teacher in Merrill or an agent through UW-Extension in Jefferson county - you're a public employee. So the way you negotiate if you're a member of one of the unions - you'll really no longer have the option of collective bargainging for your benefits."

Pfaff says it's going to be a busy week - and that these details are going to be unfolding all week - but rural residents should be keeping a keen eye on the developments.

You can listen to the entire program with Shawn Pfaff, sponsored by Badgerland Financial, Family Dairies USA and Wisconsin Farmers Union- by clicking here. 

Any attributions used in this story must be credited to the Farm Report with Pam Jahnke.

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