WFBF sets 2024 policy agenda

The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation’s top policy priorities for 2024 include preserving agricultural land for farm use, boosting financial support for wildlife-related crop damage and expanding rural child care.  More than 230 delegates gathered over the weekend through Monday for

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Grocers group CEO points to automation becoming ‘new normal’

Grocery store customers should expect to see more self-checkout lanes and robots doing stocking and inventory tasks, according to the head of the Wisconsin Grocers Association.  In a message published recently by the Wisconsin Bankers Association’s Wisconsin Economic Report, WGA President and CEO Brandon Scholz said the pandemic-driven higher inflation

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Two Wisconsin passenger rail ideas back on the study track

By Larry Sandler For WisBusiness.com Two passenger rail ideas once left for dead — a Kenosha-Racine-Milwaukee commuter line and an Amtrak route from Milwaukee to Madison — are back on the study track. Should these and other proposals come to fruition, passenger trains could one day link eight of Wisconsin’s

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Tech hub funding bill getting bipartisan support, Stroebel says

Sen. Duey Stroebel says he’s seeing bipartisan support for a bill that would provide $7.5 million in state matching funds for the Wisconsin BioHealth Tech Hub effort.  The Saukville Republican and Rep. Amanda Nedweski, R-Pleasant Prairie, recently sent a co-sponsorship memo to lawmakers on the proposal. It would authorize the

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Health workers at Planned Parenthood clinics moving to unionize

Health workers employed by Planned Parenthood clinics across Wisconsin are moving to unionize, according to labor organizers.  The Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals this week announced the plan, calling it a “critical step” toward strengthening Planned Parenthood and organized labor in the face of “political attacks” on both. 

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UW researcher develops ‘insect eavesdropper’ to help protect crops

A UW-Madison researcher has developed a method for identifying insect infestations in plants, giving farmers a potential new tool for protecting their crops.  The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation is touting the invention as a top licensing prospect in the food and agriculture sector.  Assistant Prof. Emily Bick has created a

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UW alum and economist recaps 2023 trends, looks ahead to next year

The U.S. economy has performed much better in 2023 than was projected a year ago, according to economist and UW-Madison alumnus Brad Tank.  “The forecast last year [was] resoundingly in favor of a much slower economy than actually materialized,” he said last week.  Tank is the chief investment officer for

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Bill would enable transfer of QNBV angel investor tax credits

GOP lawmakers want to allow angel investors to transfer tax credits earned through investments in certain startups.  Rep. Robert Wittke of Racine and Sen. Dan Feyen of Fond du Lac recently began circulating legislation in a co-sponsorship memo, which touts the success of the state’s Qualified New Business Venture program.

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Marklein says bill aims to help communities impacted by UW closures

Sen. Howard Marklein says his bill to provide grants to communities that lose UW campuses would offer counties a potential economic development opportunity by helping them repurpose old facilities. The Spring Green Republican during yesterday’s Economic Development and Technical Colleges Committee meeting warned campuses in Washington and Fond du Lac

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WFBF sets 2024 policy agenda

The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation’s top policy priorities for 2024 include preserving agricultural land for farm use, boosting financial support for wildlife-related crop damage and expanding rural child care.  More than 230 delegates gathered over the weekend through Monday for the group’s annual meeting in Wisconsin Dells to establish its

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Outdoor recreation has record-high $9.8B state impact last year

Outdoor recreation in Wisconsin last year hit a new record high for economic impact, adding $9.8 billion to the state GDP.  State officials yesterday announced the latest U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis figures, showing a 6.8% increase in 2022 over the previous economic impact record from 2021. It’s the largest

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Dem bill aims to establish job listing pay transparency

Rep. Jimmy Anderson is circulating legislation that would require employers to include information on pay and benefits in job listings.  The Fitchburg Dem recently sent out a co-sponsorship memo for the bill, which he says will help ensure the state job market remains competitive.  “If companies truly believe their salaries

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USMCA panel ruling has major implications for U.S. dairy producers

A recent ruling related to trade between the United States and Canada has “significant economic implications” for U.S. dairy producers, according to a spokesperson for Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative.  Karen Gefvert, director of government affairs for the Green Bay-based co-op, yesterday said a ruling by a dispute settlement panel established

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