Grace Kirchner, Leader Correspondent
Ben Brancel, Wisconsin secretary of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, told those attending the Farm Appreciation Luncheon sponsored by the Clintonville Rotary Club on Monday that there were 500 million people in the world when Columbus came to America and by 2030 there will be 8.3 billion.
“Four out of four of these people eat,” Brancel said, illustrating the importance of agriculture.
Brancel used statistics throughout his presentation to emphasize the role of agriculture in Wisconsin’s economy:
• Wisconsin dairy exports totaled $400 million and reached 149 countries last year, with exports to China increasing the most: 63 percent.
• There are 1.27 million cows in the state producing more than 27 billion pounds of milk and 2.7 billion pounds of cheese.
• The dairy industry accounts for nearly 40 percent of all Wisconsin agriculture jobs and employs 146,200 people.
• Wisconsin ranks No. 1 in the United States for cheese production sweet corn, corn silage, cranberry production, snap beans for processing, and ginseng production.
• Brancel’s department inspects nearly 30,000 food related businesses in the state, including dairy farms, meat and other processors, retailers and warehouses.
Brancel also noted that the propane shortage and price increase kept the consumer protection staff busy this winter.
“There are likely three companies that will be in court dealing with scam issues over the propane,” he said.