Wisconsin Farmers Union members Tom and Helen Quinn were honored for their dedication to the family farm organization at the 88th annual Wisconsin Farmers Union State Convention Jan. 25-27 in Appleton. The Dunn County couple received the Builders Award, which recognizes outstanding commitment to building Farmers Union through county involvement, leadership development and member recruitment. \n\nTom and Helen have been pillars within Wisconsin Farmers Union in their decades of involvement. Both Tom and Helen have been active in many Farmers Union roles at the local, state and national level. Tom has a long history in organizing for food system and agrarian movements. Early on, he helped establish the Twin Cities\u2019 first co-op grocery store, North Country Cooperative. The Quinns were one of three young Wisconsin farm couples chosen to participate in the American Farm Project, an effort by National Farmers Union to connect young farmers from around the country in shared learning about the history of farm policy and rural culture. Tom and Helen carried that experience forward through lifelong efforts on behalf of family farms and rural Wisconsin. \n\nThe Quinns became part of a close-knit community of farmers while dairy farming in northwestern Wisconsin. Helen worked on faculty at UW-Stout while Tom worked as a farmer, logger, feed mill worker and organizer. Inspired by the writings of rural author Wendell Berry and historical farmer movements, Tom and Helen were keen to do their part to better their corner of rural Wisconsin. They have done that, serving as strong voices on many agricultural issues. \n\nTom has served on the WFU Foundation board of directors and served as WFU Executive Director from 2011-2018, during which time he strengthened the family farm organization\u2019s voice, programming, and organizing efforts. He also previously worked as executive director of the National League of Rural Voters and the Wisconsin Farmland Conservancy and with West CAP, helping rural cooperatives with business development. He remains active on the Dunn County Board of Supervisors. The Quinns reside in Downing. \n\n\u201cWe are very proud to recognize the Quinns\u2019 longtime commitment to Farmers Union,\u201d said WFU President Darin Von Ruden. \u201cThey have certainly left their mark on the organization throughout the years, and we are grateful for their contributions on behalf of family farmers.\u201d \n\nMembership Awards\nLisa Soyring of the Amnicon-Douglas Farmers Union received the Go-Getter Award at the convention. This award recognizes youth program recruitment efforts that help Wisconsin Farmers Union involve more members and youth, increase volunteer engagement, and develop greater leadership. \n\nMary Dougherty of Bayfield was honored for her work in building membership within the newly formed Ashland-Bayfield Farmers Union. Three Wisconsin Farmers Union chapters also received recognition for excelling in membership growth in 2018. They included the Chippewa, St. Croix and Wood-Portage-Waupaca chapters. \n\n\u201cActive local, county and district units are vital to Farmers Union\u2019s grassroots structure,\u201d Von Ruden said. \u201cIt\u2019s thrilling to see these chapters\u2019 eagerness to bring farmers together and to speak up on the issues that matter to family farmers and our rural communities.\u201d\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"