Summary Information
Cynthia and Lee Theorin Papers
1980-1996 (bulk 1982-1989)
- Theorin, Cynthia
- Theorin, Lee
Mss 1205
0.4 cubic feet (1 archives box)
Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)
Papers of Cynthia “Cindy” and Lee Theorin, documenting activism related to support for family farms, farmland preservation, faith-based advocacy of rural life, farm bill legislation, and other issues related to their involvement with Wisconsin Farm Unity Alliance (WFUA), Wisconsin Farm Conservancy (WFC), and other organizations.
Forms part of the Organic and Sustainable Agriculture Collection. The WHS Library holds copies of related newsletters:
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss01205 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Cynthia “Cindy” and Lee Theorin began farming in the 1970s in Boyceville, Wisconsin, and became actively involved in a local food cooperative as well as issues surrounding the farm crisis of the early 1980s. They were involved in the Groundswell Coalition, a grassroots coalition of farmers and others who advocated for support of the Farm Policy Reform Act of 1985. Cindy Theorin served as a board member (1983) and office manager of Wisconsin Farm Unity Alliance; Lee Theorin also served on the WFUA board (1986). Both Cindy and Lee Theorin participated in the founding of the Wisconsin Farmland Conservancy, a farmland preservation organization, and served on its Board of Directors at different times in the 1980s and 1990s. Lee Theorin also served as President (1989) of Farmer to Farmer, a program that offered technical assistance to Nicaraguan dairy farmers.
Scope and Content Note
The Cynthia and Lee Theorin papers provide fragmentary documentation of the Theorins' involvement in a grassroots response to the farm crisis of the 1980s through service on the Board of Directors of organizations such as Wisconsin Farm Unity Alliance and the Wisconsin Farm Conservancy (currently West Wisconsin Land Trust), farm bill legislation, and other issues such as the controversy over bovine growth hormone (BGH), nuclear arms freeze rallies, faith-based advocacy of rural life, and coalitions with African American farmers. Also included are a speech at a rally and testimony at a bill hearing by Cindy Theorin, letters to the editor from the Theorins, memorial articles on WFUA founder Tom Saunders, and papers relating to Pam Saunders' involvement with an organic meat marketing cooperative.
Related Material
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by Cynthia Theorin, Boyceville, Wisconsin, July 24, 2016. Accession Number: M2017-085
Processed by Julia Wong, September 2017.
Contents List
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Mss 1205
Box
1
Folder
1
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1985 Farm Bill, 1985
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Box
1
Folder
2
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Farm Policy Reform Act of 1985, 1985-1986
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Box
1
Folder
3
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American Lutheran Church (ALC), 1984-1987
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Box
1
Folder
4
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Black and White Farmers Together conference, 1985 August 22-24
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Box
1
Folder
5
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Bovine growth hormone (BGH), 1987-1988
: Includes materials from WFUA and other organizations.
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Farm Aid
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Box
1
Folder
6
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Brochure, thank you note, undated
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Box
1
Folder
7
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United Farmer and Rancher Congress, 1986 September
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Box
1
Folder
8
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Farm brochures, undated
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Box
1
Folder
9
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Groundswell Coalition, 1985 February-June, undated
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Box
1
Folder
10
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Harvesting Our Potential: A Midwestern Rural Women's Conference (January 16-18, 1987), 1987 January
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Box
1
Folder
11
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Letters to the editor, 1985 February, August
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Box
1
Folder
12
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National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC), Farm Bill, 1995
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Box
1
Folder
13
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National Save the Family Farm Coalition (NSFFC), legislative update, 1987 November 20-21
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Box
1
Folder
14
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News clippings, 1980, undated
: Connorsville Co-op Grocery and Farmer to Farmer project.
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North American Farm Alliance (NAFA)
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Box
1
Folder
15
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Brochures, undated
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Box
1
Folder
16
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Conference to Save Our Farms and Communities and Campaign Strategy Conference (September 1-2, 1984), 1984 September
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Box
1
Folder
17
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1985 Farm Bill, 1984-1985
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Box
1
Folder
18
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Rallies for nuclear arms freeze, 1982 June, October
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Wisconsin Farm Unity Alliance (WFUA)
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Box
1
Folder
19
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General, 1983-1987, 1991
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Box
1
Folder
20
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By-laws, 1983 September 11
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Box
1
Folder
21
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Barron County Hay Lift flyer, 1986?
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Box
1
Folder
22
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Brochures, 1984, undated
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Box
1
Folder
23
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Farm credit advocacy program, 1985
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Box
1
Folder
24
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"Foreclosure or Forced Out: An Education in Injustice" / compiled by Paul Schaefer: booklet, 1984
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Wisconsin Farmland Conservancy (WFC)
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Box
1
Folder
25
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Board materials, 1995-1996, undated
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Box
1
Folder
26
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Brochures, undated
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Box
1
Folder
27
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Land trust and community investment articles, 1980-1987
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Box
1
Folder
28
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News clippings, 1990
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Box
1
Folder
29
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Organic meat marketing cooperative, 1995-1996
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Box
1
Folder
30
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Project proposals, summaries, 1987, undated
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Box
1
Folder
31
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Saunders, Tom: obituaries, 1989
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