Vote Now - 2025 Wisconsin Dairy Board Elections Begin

By Blake Jackson

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has released the list of certified nominees for the 2025 Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin (DFW) Board of Directors election.

A total of ten candidates are competing for eight open seats across eight districts, with voting set to begin on May 1, 2025.

Certified nominees, by district, are as follows:

• District 3 (Lincoln, Oneida, Price, and Taylor counties): Gary Kohn of Medford
• District 6 (Chippewa and Eau Claire counties): Alexandra Straschinske of Boyd
• District 9 (Menominee, Shawano, and Waupaca counties): Jeff Betley of Pulaski
• District 12 (Portage, Waushara, and Wood counties): Peggy Pankratz of Auburndale and Stephanie Ann Hughes of Pittsville
• District 15 (Adams, Juneau, and Monroe counties): Sandra Madland of Lyndon Station
• District 18 (Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Sheboygan, Washington, and Waukesha counties): Rick Roden of West Bend
• District 21 (Crawford and Vernon counties): Gail Klinkner of Viroqua and Chad A. Sime of Gays Mills
• District 24 (Dane and Jefferson counties): Virgil Haag of Mt Horeb

According to DATCP, all nominees fulfilled the eligibility requirements, which include being an active dairy producer or representative of a producer, selling milk into commercial markets, and living in the respective district.

Candidates also submitted verified nomination forms containing at least five signatures from local dairy producers and completed a “Declaration of Eligibility” form.

Ballots have been mailed to dairy producers in the eight eligible districts. Producers who do not receive a ballot by May 15, 2025, should contact DATCP Market Orders staff at DATCPMarketOrders@wisconsin.gov. Completed ballots must be signed and either emailed or postmarked by May 23, 2025.

Elected board members will begin their three-year terms on July 1, 2025, and serve until June 30, 2028. For more details, visit www.wisconsindairy.org/elections.

Photo Credit: dairy-farmers-of-wisconsin