Wisconsin chicken farmers are getting a raw deal at the grocery store. More than one hundred local farm families who make their livings raising all natural Wisconsin chicken for Gold'n Plump are seeing their products squeezed off store shelves by out-of-state corporations. Unless Wisconsin residents take action, the situation could hurt consumers and the state economy. Today, Wisconsin farm families are banding together to fight back.
"We're a family farm doing what we can to make a living," says Joe Bragger. He and his extended family run the Bragger Family Farm in Independence, WI. "We work hard to raise the best, freshest chicken we can for Wisconsin families to enjoy. But the corporate guys have a lot of muscle and they're trucking in more and more chicken from out of state. That's bad news for fresh local chicken and bad news for our local economy."
The Braggers, like more than one hundred other farm families throughout Wisconsin, are seeing the amount of shelf space devoted to locally raised chicken get cut down dramatically in some local grocery stores. Meanwhile, national corporate chicken producers such as Tyson and Perdue, that are many times the size of Gold'n Plump, ship chicken into Wisconsin each week from faraway states. Currently, the state is bolstered by $4 million a year in taxes, jobs and agricultural supplies from the Wisconsin chicken farm business. If left unaddressed, this situation could spell bad news for the state economy.
Fight Back Campaign: Telling Corporate Chicken to Get Stuffed
Wisconsin chicken farmers are fighting back. A statewide public education campaign kicks-off this month to rally public support for the local chicken cause. The movement includes a modest-budget radio ad featuring a folk singer who performs a tongue-in-cheek protest song telling corporate chicken to get stuffed. Members of the public can see the protest singer at www.wisconsinchicken.com.
There they can also find more information about the local chicken cause, and register their support for local farmers. In addition, the Web site includes a downloadable letter of support for concerned consumers. Using the letter, Wisconsin residents can contact the meat managers of their local grocery stores and demand locally raised, fresh Wisconsin chicken.
Wisconsin consumers can also show their support for local farm families by shopping at stores that carry the full line of Wisconsin-raised Gold'n Plump chicken, such as Woodman's, Cub Foods and select independent Pick'n Save and SUPERVALU stores. A complete listing of stores carrying the full line can be found at www.wisconsinchicken.com.
"Wisconsin chicken is fresher," says Joe Bragger. "It's not trucked in, not hauled around and moved across the country. It's grown right here and benefits Wisconsin from the chicken coop to the store. But Wisconsin chicken is in danger - we need the help of the public to keep the quality of the food our families enjoy the highest it can be. Listen for our radio ad and visit our Web site. And most importantly, help us tell out-of-state chicken to get stuffed by going down to your local grocery store and demanding they keep it local."
For more information visit www.wisconsinchicken.com.
About the Bragger Family Farm
Three generations of the Bragger family manage the farm's day-to-day activities. They include Joe and Noel Bragger and family, Dan and Anne Marie Bragger, and Hildegard Bragger - Joe and Dan's mother. Together, the family runs a 180-cow dairy, raises chickens for Gold'n Plump, grows 1,000 acres of crops and operates a trout-rearing pond in cooperation with the Department of Natural Resources and the local Sportman's Club. The Braggers pride themselves on being good environmental stewards, and they work hard to minimize their farm's impact on the environment.
"Family farms are very important," states Joe Bragger. "Not only to the state of Wisconsin, but to our local community. This includes our schools, our local businesses and our way of life. Living on the farm is a wonderful way to raise a family. We're fortunate that through farming and caring for our environment, we will be able to pass something on to the next generation."Business Wire
