LRB-4033/1
RCT:kjf:rs
2003 - 2004 LEGISLATURE
March 4, 2004 - Introduced by Representatives Vruwink, Plouff, Hebl, Kreuser,
Taylor, Richards, Turner, Hubler, Hahn, Zepnick, Berceau, McCormick,
Pocan, Seratti and
Freese, cosponsored by Senators Lassa and
Roessler.
Referred to Committee on Rural Development.
AB931,1,4
1An Act to create 15.135 (2), 20.115 (4) (cm) and 93.65 of the statutes;
relating
2to: assisting farmers in this state to develop, produce, and market products that
3add value to agricultural commodities, creating a Value-Added Farm Product
4and Market Development Board, and making an appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill creates a Value-Added Farm Product and Market Development Board
(board) attached to the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
(DATCP). The bill requires the board to organize a nonprofit corporation to assist
farmers in this state to develop, produce, and market products that add value to
agricultural commodities. The bill authorizes DATCP to provide grants to the
corporation to enable the corporation to assist farmers in this state to develop,
produce, and market products that add value to agricultural commodities if the
corporation enters into a contract with the department under which the corporation
agrees to do certain things including all of the following:
1. Provide technical and financial assistance in developing products that add
value to agricultural commodities, in developing methods to produce such products,
and in marketing such products.
2. Establish and maintain laboratory facilities for testing products and for
other activities to promote its purposes.
3. Refer farmers to other sources of assistance for developing, producing, and
marketing products that add value to agricultural commodities and provide help in
applying for grants from such sources.
4. Avoid duplication of services by working in conjunction with the board,
DATCP, the regional Resource Conservation and Development Councils established
under the federal Department of Agriculture's Resource Conservation and
Development Program, the University of Wisconsin-Extension, and others involved
in agriculture.
5. Seek federal funding for the operation of the corporation.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB931, s. 1
1Section
1. 15.135 (2) of the statutes is created to read:
AB931,2,52
15.135
(2) Value-added farm product and market development board. There
3is created a value-added farm product and market development board attached to
4the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection under s. 15.03
5consisting of the following members:
AB931,2,86
(a) Two members representing the department of agriculture, trade and
7consumer protection, appointed by the secretary of agriculture, trade and consumer
8protection.
AB931,2,119
(b) Two members representing resource conservation and development
10councils, under
16 USC 3451 to
3460, appointed by the secretary of agriculture, trade
11and consumer protection for 5-year terms.
AB931,2,1412
(c) Two members representing the agricultural programs of the University of
13Wisconsin-Extension, appointed by the chancellor of the University of
14Wisconsin-Extension.
AB931,2,1615
(d) Two members representing agribusiness, appointed by the chancellor of the
16University of Wisconsin-Extension for 5-year terms.
AB931, s. 2
17Section
2. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert
18the following amounts for the purposes indicated:
-
See PDF for table 
AB931, s. 3
1Section
3. 20.115 (4) (cm) of the statutes is created to read:
AB931,3,42
20.115
(4) (cm)
Value-added farm product and market development. 3Biennially, the amounts in the schedule for grants for value-added farm product and
4market development under s. 93.65 (3).
AB931, s. 4
5Section
4. 93.65 of the statutes is created to read:
AB931,3,7
693.65 Value-added farm product and market development. (1) 7Definitions. In this section:
AB931,3,98
(a) "Agricultural commodity" means a plant or animal raised by farmers in this
9state.
AB931,3,1110
(b) "Board" means the value-added farm product and market development
11board.
AB931,3,1212
(c) "Corporation" means the corporation organized under sub. (2) (a).
AB931,3,1513
(d) "Resource conservation and development council" means a council in this
14state designated to receive assistance through the federal Resource Conservation
15and Development Program under
16 USC 3451 to
3460.
AB931,4,2
16(2) Duties of the board. (a) The board shall organize a nonprofit corporation
17under ch. 181 with the primary purpose of assisting farmers in this state to develop,
18produce, and market products that add value to agricultural commodities. The board
1shall organize the corporation so that it is exempt from federal taxation under section
2501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code.
AB931,4,73
(b) The board shall advise the corporation, the department, the resource
4conservation and development councils, the University of Wisconsin-Extension, and
5others concerning their efforts to assist farmers in this state to develop, produce, and
6market products that add to value agricultural commodities and endeavor to
7coordinate those efforts.
AB931,4,12
8(3) Grants. The department may make grants, from the appropriation account
9under s. 20.115 (4) (cm), to the corporation to enable the corporation to assist farmers
10in this state to develop, produce, and market products that add value to agricultural
11commodities if the corporation enters into a contract with the department under
12which the corporation agrees to do all of the following:
AB931,4,1413
(a) Provide technical and financial assistance in developing products that add
14value to agricultural commodities.
AB931,4,1615
(b) Provide technical and financial assistance in developing methods to produce
16products that add value to agricultural commodities.
AB931,4,1817
(c) Provide technical and financial assistance in marketing products that add
18value to agricultural commodities.
AB931,4,2119
(d) Establish and maintain laboratory facilities for testing products and for
20other activities to assist farmers in this state to develop and produce products that
21add value to agricultural commodities.
AB931,4,2422
(e) Provide assistance under pars. (a) to (c) using methods that include
23providing information and training concerning developing business plans, designing
24Internet sites, and developing marketing techniques.
AB931,5,3
1(f) Refer farmers to other sources of assistance for developing, producing, and
2marketing products that add value to agricultural commodities and provide help in
3applying for grants from such sources.
AB931,5,64
(g) Avoid duplication of services by working in conjunction with the board, the
5department, the resource conservation and development councils, the University of
6Wisconsin-Extension, and others involved in agriculture.
AB931,5,97
(h) Identify types of commodities or products for which the corporation will
8concentrate on providing assistance and develop expertise related to those
9commodities or products.
AB931,5,1110
(i) Evaluate the effectiveness of the corporation's activities and report the
11results of its evaluations to the department and the board.
AB931,5,1212
(j) Seek federal funding for the operations of the corporation.
AB931,5,1714
(1)
Initial terms of board. Notwithstanding the length of terms specified in
15section 15.135 (2) (b) and (d) of the statutes, as created by this act, for members of
16the value-added farm product and market development board, the initial members
17shall be appointed for the following terms:
AB931,5,2018
(a) One member appointed under section 15.135 (2) (b) of the statutes, as
19created by this act, and one member appointed under section 15.135 (2) (d) of the
20statutes, as created by this act, for terms expiring on May 1, 2007.
AB931,5,2321
(b) One member appointed under section 15.135 (2) (b) of the statutes, as
22created by this act, and one member appointed under section 15.135 (2) (d) of the
23statutes, as created by this act, for terms expiring on May 1, 2009.
