The CALS Public Issues Forums examine important agricultural issues from social, economic, and public policy perspectives.  The Forums will not advocate for particular view points, although a range of views will be presented.  At the core of the CALS Public Issues Forum Program is the belief that creating dialogue around controversial issues and working together to solve problems are critical to the future of Wisconsin farmers, agricultural communities, rural landscapes, and environmental resources.

The Future of Wisconsin Farmland:
Strategies for Managing Conflict over Agricultural Land Use

A depressed farm economy and growing pressure from nonfarm development have led to increasing conflicts over the use of agricultural land in Wisconsin in recent years.  This Forum provided an opportunity for a broad public discussion of private and public interests in agricultural land use, and the range of strategies that have been employed to negotiate reasonable solutions.  Invited speakers provided an overview of agricultural land use trends, and the inevitable conflicts that arise as land use patterns evolve.  Most of the day involved presentations from Wisconsin communities (towns and counties) and from individuals who have recently negotiated conflicts over agricultural land use with some degree of success.  It is hoped that attendees gained significant insights into the range of strategies that are available for addressing this potentially explosive topic in a constructive manner.

CALS Public Issues Forum Faculty Organizers:

Fred Buttel   CALS Public Issues Forum Committe Chair, Dept. of Rural Sociology

Faculty Planning Committee:

Douglas Jackson-Smith      Chair, Faculty Planning Committee and Co-Director,
                                          Program on Agricultural Technology Studies
Steve Born                         Department Chair, Dept. of Urban and Regional Planning
Leslie Cooperband            Assistant Professor, Dept. of Soil Science
Harvey Jacobs                   Director, Land Tenure Center, and Professor, Dept. of Urban and
                                          Regional Planning
Richard Klemme                Assoc. Dean for Extension and Outreach, CALS
Kevin McSweeney            Assoc. Dean, School of Natural Resources, CALS
Peter Nowak                    Professor, Dept. of Rural Sociology
Steven Ventura                 Associate Professor, Dept. of Soil Science and Institute for
                                        Environmental Studies

For information on CALS Public Issues Forums, contact:

    College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
    Room 140 Agriculture Hall, University of Wisconsin-Madison
    1450 Linden Drive, Madison, WI  53706

For copies of these proceedings, contact:

    Program on Agricultural Technology Studies
    202 Taylor Hall, University of Wisconsin-Madison
    427 Lorch Street, Madison, WI  53706
    (608) 265-2908