JR0 AB1: Bill Text

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January 2020 Special Session

2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE

Assembly BILL 1

February 7, 2020 - Introduced by Committee on Assembly Organization, by request of Governor Tony Evers. Referred to Committee on Agriculture.

AB1,1,2 An Act to create 20.115 (3) (f) and 93.525 of the statutes; relating to: providing planning assistance to farmers and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under this bill, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection provides planning assistance to farmers, including farmers seeking to transition into other farming practices to diversify farm operations, as follows:

1. The bill authorizes a position in DATCP for providing assistance to farmers considering a transition to different farming practices and identifying diversification strategies for farmers.

2. The bill authorizes 1.5 positions in DATCP to provide farm succession planning, financial and business consulting services, and farmer transition planning and coaching. Under current law, DATCP provides consultation and assistance to distressed farmers through its farm center program.

3. The bill authorizes a position in DATCP for conducting outreach and marketing for DATCP's farm center program.

4. The bill requires DATCP to provide grants to county agriculture agents of the University of Wisconsin-Extension to help farm operators hire business consultants to examine their farm business plans.

For further information see the state and local 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:

AB1,1 Section 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table

AB1,2 Section 2. 20.115 (3) (f) of the statutes is created to read:

AB1,2,7 20.115 (3) (f) Grants for hiring business consultants. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for providing grants under s. 93.525 to county agriculture agents to help farm operators hire business consultants to examine farm business plans.

AB1,3 Section 3. 93.525 of the statutes is created to read:

AB1,2,12 93.525 Grants for hiring business consultants. From the appropriation under s. 20.115 (3) (f), the department shall provide grants to county agriculture agents of the University of Wisconsin-Extension to help farm operators hire business consultants to examine their farm business plans.

AB1,4 Section 4. Fiscal changes.

AB1,3,5 (1) Farm succession planning and consulting services. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection under s. 20.115 (3) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2020-21 is increased by $135,900 to increase the authorized FTE positions for the department by 1.5 GPR positions for providing farm succession planning, financial and business consulting services, and farmer transition planning and coaching. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection under s. 20.115 (3) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2020-21 is increased by $24,000 to provide supplies and services for the positions authorized under this subsection.

AB1,3,14 (2) Farm center outreach specialist. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection under s. 20.115 (3) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2020-21 is increased by $90,600 to increase the authorized FTE positions for the department by 1.0 GPR position for conducting outreach and marketing for the department's farm center program. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection under s. 20.115 (3) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2020-21 is increased by $50,000 to provide supplies and services for the position authorized under this subsection.

AB1,4,2 (3) Farm center business development specialist. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection under s. 20.115 (3) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2020-21 is increased by $90,600 to increase the authorized FTE positions for the department by 1.0 GPR position for providing assistance to farmers considering a transition to different farming practices and identifying diversification strategies for farmers, including by working with small business development centers that are part of the University of Wisconsin System and similar entities. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection under s. 20.115 (3) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2020-21 is increased by $30,000 to provide supplies and services for the position authorized under this subsection.

AB1,4,3 (End)