The Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) has called for additional research on Wisconsin dairy farms to determine what impact electromagnetic fields (EMF), direct current, and ground currents may have on dairy cattle. According to the PSC, Wisconsin farmers have been noticing behavioral changes in their milking herds for some years now (em changes that affect milk production. While no one questions the existence of a problem, much controversy exists over its causes and potential remedies.
The PSC, taking the testimony of farmers into account, can find no credible scientific evidence to establish the problem as electrical or to determine its extent. The PSC said that research should be conducted on farms, and focus on solutions rather than blame. It added that implementing any solution at this point would be premature, given conflicting opinions on the best option. It also ruled that an eight-member steering committee be established, including representatives from outside the electric industry. To protect the credibility of research results, the PSC emphasized that funding should not come solely from utilities.