Kagen, Baldwin Address Issues
Facing Wisconsin’s Cooperatives

MADISON, Wis. (February 27, 2007) – U.S. Representatives Steve Kagen and Tammy Baldwin addressed a variety of issues important to the state’s cooperatives while at the Wisconsin Farm Credit Legislative Conference in Madison.

Both addressed the importance of health care for Wisconsin’s rural residents. Their comments follow an announcement last week from the Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives (WFC) that they will be launching the new Farmers’ Health Cooperative of Wisconsin.

“We agree with Rep. Kagen that access to affordable quality healthcare is a leading issue from Wisconsin agriculture and we greatly appreciate his deep knowledge of the challenges facing healthcare reform. As a physician, he has a unique background for leading Congress on this important issue,” said Bill Oemichen, WFC president and CEO. “Congressman Kagen noted that the lack of access to healthcare is a primary issue for the nation and that he subscribes to the feeling that ‘no patient should be left behind’.”

Rep. Kagen explained that he wants to see federal law encourage state innovations such as the newly formed Farmers Health Cooperative of Wisconsin. He also argued that consumers should pay the same prices for identical medical procedures and that medical facilities should plainly state what they charge for medical procedures so that consumers can compare prices.

As a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Rep. Tammy Baldwin stated that she strongly supports producer owned bio-energy facilities and efforts to reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign oil. She also stated that she is the House author of legislation removing anti-trust exemptions from railroads, a move that could drastically impact Wisconsin’s electric cooperatives.

“This is a vitally important issue for Wisconsin cooperatives and our consumer members. Railroads should live in the same competitive marketplace as other businesses and should not be allowed to operate as monopolies under the protection of federal law,” said Oemichen.