MADISON – Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation is supportive of the latest votes from Joint Committee on Finance members on Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection issues that impact farmers.
“These are important topics for farmers and rural residents,” said Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Executive Director of Governmental Relations Karen Gefvert. “With multiple years of low commodity prices, these programs can provide members of the farm community with additional opportunities.”
The committee adopted the DATCP omnibus budget motion on a vote of 12-4. Some of the major provisions include:
- $8.8 million dollars to fund the Dairy Innovation Hub
- Approval of three additional positions to support the hemp program including one-time funding of $300,000 for testing equipment
- Funding for farmer mental health assistance
- Increasing funding by $200,000 for Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin grants
In a separate motion, the committee passed funding for multiple state building projects including the University of Wisconsin Veterinary School proposal for approximately $90,000,000 in state funds for an addition and renovation to the existing Veterinary School in Madison.
“We are pleased to see several key priorities for Wisconsin farmers included in this proposed budget,” Gefvert said. “We appreciate the leadership from the members of the Joint Committee on Finance and our agriculture champions. We encourage Governor Evers to support the proposed funding for these agriculture programs. Farm Bureau looks forward to working with the Joint Finance Committee and stakeholders on some of these continuing issues.”
Made up of 61 county Farm Bureaus, the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation is the state’s largest general farm organization, representing farms of every commodity, size and management style.
