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WISCONSIN'S AG SECRETARY DROWNS IN LAKE SUPERIOR
Jul. 23, 2010
BrownfieldAgNews reports:
Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Rod Nilsestuen drowned in Lake Superior yesterday. The Secretary had gone for a swim after a day of volunteer work on a Habitat for Humanity project in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Nilsestuen became Ag Secretary when the Doyle Administration took office in 2003. He was the driving force behind a number of "Grow Wisconsin Agriculture" initiatives which brought about a rebirth of the dairy industry in Wisconsin. In a statement Governor Jim Doyle called Nilsestuen a visionary. "Under his incredible leadership Wisconsin has seen the greatest and most beneficial transformation of agriculture in generations," Doyle said. Nilsestuen was key in the establishment of Wisconsin's Livestock Facilities Siting Law, Working Lands Initiative an other pro-agriculture legislation. He was a member of U.S. Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack's Dairy Industry Advisory Committee.
Prior to becoming Secretary, he had served as president and chief executive officer of the Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives. During that time he was instrumental in the formation of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, the Wisconsin Corn Promotion and Soybean Marketing boards, the Center for Dairy Profitability, Midwest Dairy Marketing Initiative and Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program. He also layed the groundwork for the eventual merger of the Wisconsin and Minnesota federations into Cooperative Network.
He was 62 years old and is survived by his wife and three sons. The family issued the following statement:
"Our family is saddened and shocked by the unexpected death of our husband and father. Rod passed away yesterday while swimming near Marquette, MI, where he was volunteering with his church's Habitat for Humanity team. Rod was a devoted father and exceptionally proud of his three adult sons. He cherished time with Carol, his partner and wife of almost 40 years. We will sorely miss Rod's compassion, wit, humor, love and generosity. He will always be in our hearts.
Funeral arrangements will be announced in the near future. We truly appreciate the outpouring of support for our family."
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