MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Secretary Randy Romanski participated in the 2026 Winter Policy Conference in Washington, DC on February 2 – 4, 2026. The conference is coordinated by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) and convenes the nation’s commissioners, secretaries and directors of agriculture for policy discussions and business meetings.
“I value this opportunity to represent Wisconsin in national policy discussions about agriculture,” said Romanski. “While each state’s agriculture industry is unique, we can accomplish more by working together on topics that impact all of us such as international trade, animal health, and food safety.”
Romanski is a member of the NASDA Board of Directors, currently serving as the President of the Midwestern Association of Sate Departments of Agriculture (MASDA). In this position, Romanski leads MASDA’s discussions and will coordinate the regional meeting in Madison, Wisconsin this summer.
The NASDA Board of Directors identified five top policy issues for the organization to focus on in 2026. While there are many other NASDA policy priorities, the five top policy priorities include: agricultural labor reform, animal disease preparedness and traceability, the farm bill, pesticide regulations, and regional food procurement and distribution.
NASDA members consider and approve policy amendments and action items to support these priorities during the Winter Policy Conference. This year, members approved policy amendments related to support for state-inspected meat programs, development of national action plans for animal diseases, additional specialty crop insurance resources, and modifications for Commercial Driver Licenses.
Each year, this conference hosts the NASDA Next Generation program, which brings together college and high school students from across the nation. In 2026, three Wisconsin students participated in the program including: Adam Schaik, University of Wisconsin–Madison; Jescey Thompson, Iowa State University; and Mary Schrieber, Texas A&M University.
“Wisconsin is committed to supporting future agriculture leaders, and I was proud to see three students from Wisconsin participate in the NASDA Winter Policy Conference,” added Romanski. “This was a valuable professional development opportunity for these students, and I am confident they gained valuable agriculture policy insights to further prepare them for their careers.”
The NASDA Winter Policy Conference also included recognition of the International Year of the Woman Farmer. The United Nations declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer to highlight the essential role women serve in agriculture.
During the 2026 Winter Policy Conference, the Food Export Association of the Midwest USA also met. Romanski currently serves as Vice President of the non-profit organization that works to facilitate trade between Midwestern food suppliers and importers around the world.
NASDA is a nonpartisan association including all 50 states and four territories. To learn more about NASDA, visit https://www.nasda.org/.
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