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Wisconsin Ag News Headlines
Farm Bureau Seeks Solutions to Stray Voltage Disputes
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 05/23/2008

The state's largest farm organization says it is committed to resolving stray voltage issues while protecting a farmer's right to farm. During a testimony before the State Assembly's Committee on Energy and Utilities on Thursday, the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation's Public Affairs Director Paul Zimmerman said group supports continue dialog between utilities, farmers and others in order to come up with a solution to stray voltage.

The focus of the public hearing was a proposal that aims to clarify the rights and responsibilities of utilities and farmers when it comes to stray voltage. The proposal was drafted by the committee's chairman, State Rep. Phil Montgomery of Ashwaubenon, who notes that while his draft will not be issued as legislation this year, it will remain a work in progress until the next legislative session which begins in January.

Zimmerman explained to the committee that Farm Bureau has been involved in the stray voltage discussion for decades, and that the tone of the stray voltage discussion has shifted from whether or not it exists, to at what level does it adversely effect milk production and livestock health. The Wisconsin Public Service Commission says that level is 2 milliamps, and that the utility is responsible if their portion is over one-milliamp.

"Farmers will claim that this level is too high and milk production is affected at a lower level; and after numerous court cases, the courts have concluded from real world scenarios, that milk production can be adversely affected at lower contact levels," Zimmerman said of the intensified debate over when milk production is adversely affected by stray voltage.

Zimmerman said that utilities have improved their response to farmers' concerns by offering farm rewiring programs and installation of isolators when deemed necessary. However, for those farmers whose problems are unresolved, he said their final option has been to take the utility to court to recoup damages from stray voltage.


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