Friday, September 12, 2025By Blake JacksonThe University of Wisconsin-River Falls (UWRF) welcomed agriculture security officials from across the United States on September 9-11 as it hosted the annual meeting of the Multi-State Partnership for Security in Agriculture. Randy Romanski, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and a UWRF graduate, opened the session by underscoring agriculture’s importance to Wisconsin, which proudly carries the title of America’s Dairyland. “Agriculture is a $116.3 billion industry in the state of Wisconsin,” Romanski said. “When we’re talking about controlling pests and diseases and protecting humans and animals, it’s a pretty important safety net,” he noted. The partnership, he said, allows states to exchange knowledge and resources to strengthen both animal and plant disease response efforts.