LRB-1815/P3
ARG:cjs&klm
2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE
DOA:......Mott, BB0569 - Support for Agriculture
For 2021-2023 Budget -- Not Ready For Introduction
An Act ...; relating to: the budget.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
education
Higher education
Agriculture-focused positions at UW-Madison
This bill specifies that the Board of Regents of the UW System must provide funding for 20 agriculture-focused positions at UW-Madison, comprised of 15 county-based agriculture agent positions, 3 applied agriculture research positions, and 2 agriculture and climate change research positions. The positions must be filled using existing, currently vacant positions but must also reflect an increase in the total number of agricultural agent positions and agriculture-related research positions at UW-Madison. The bill also requires UW-Madison to submit a report to the governor and to JCF containing specified information related to these positions.
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:
Section 9147.
Nonstatutory provisions; University of Wisconsin System.
(1) Agriculture positions; report.
(a) In this subsection:
1. “Board” means the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.
2. “Chancellor” means the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
(b) From the appropriation under s. 20.285 (1) (a), the board shall provide funding for 20.0 full-time equivalent agriculture-focused positions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, comprised of 15.0 full-time equivalent county-based agriculture agent positions, 3.0 full-time equivalent research positions focusing on applied agriculture research, and 2.0 full-time equivalent research positions focusing on agriculture and climate change.
(c) The positions specified in par. (b) are subject to all of the following:
1. The positions shall be filled using existing authorized full-time equivalent positions, funded from s. 20.285 (1) (a), that are currently vacant.
2. The positions shall be filled in a manner that reflects an increase in the total number of agricultural agent positions and agriculture-related research positions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
(d) The chancellor may not abolish under s. 16.505 (2p) the positions specified in par. (b).
(e) No later than January 1, 2023, the University of Wisconsin-Madison shall submit a report to the governor and the joint committee on finance containing all of the following information:
1. The date of hire of each person hired for a position specified in par. (b
).
2. The job responsibilities of each person hired for a position specified in par. (b).
3. For each person hired for a county-based agriculture agent position specified in par. (b), the strategies or tactics the person has used to communicate climate change issues to farmers, along with metrics for tracking the impact of these persons regarding agricultural practice changes in consideration of climate change.
4. For each person hired for a research position focusing on applied agriculture research specified in par. (b), the research conducted to date, the research to be conducted, the findings of the research to date, and how those findings are informing the person's work, as well as the work of county-based agriculture agents.
5. For each person hired for a research position focusing on agriculture and climate change specified in par. (b
), the ways in which the person has utilized the research findings of the researchers described in subd. 4. to inform the county-based agriculture agents, including developed curriculum and proposed outreach efforts, along with any additional research effort the person has undertaken and intends to undertake.
(End)
