AB655: Bill Text

LRB-2683/1

JAM:cdc

2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE

2023 Assembly BILL 655

November 9, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives Novak, Shankland, Tranel, Oldenburg, Dittrich, C. Anderson, Goeben, Gundrum, Hurd, Jacobson, Joers, Kitchens, Krug, Kurtz, Moses, Mursau and Schmidt, cosponsored by Senators James, Cowles, Pfaff, Smith, Spreitzer and Testin. Referred to Committee on Agriculture.

AB655,1,2 An Act to create 20.115 (4) (t) and 93.60 of the statutes; relating to: a transition to grass pilot program and making an appropriation.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill creates a “transition to grass pilot program” in the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to provide support and grants to farmers who are implementing livestock grass-based managed grazing systems and farmers and agribusinesses in the grass-fed livestock business. Under the bill the department may award up to $40,000 to each grantee, and must disperse 75 percent of the grant in the first year following the department's decision to grant the award and must disperse 12.5 percent of the award in each of the second and third years following the department's decision to grant the award.

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:

AB655,1 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

AB655,2 Section 2 . 20.115 (4) (t) of the statutes is created to read:

AB655,2,3 20.115 (4) (t) Transition to grass pilot program. From the environmental fund, the amounts in the schedule for the transition to grass pilot program under s. 93.60.

AB655,3 Section 3. 93.60 of the statutes is created to read:

AB655,2,5 93.60 Transition to grass pilot program. (1) Definitions. In this section:

AB655,2,10 (a) “Managed grazing” means a grazing system alternative to continuous grazing, in which pastured fields are subdivided into smaller paddocks, livestock density is controlled, and animals are rotated through paddocks at a frequency that maintains perennial grass-based vegetative cover, ensures regular access to fresh higher quality forage, and reduces soil compaction and erosion.

AB655,2,14 (b) “Marginal area” means land that is excluded from cultivation due to economic infeasibility or physical restriction for growing conventional crops, and includes riparian areas, low areas prone to flooding, and steep lands not conducive to conventional cultivation.

AB655,2,18 (2) Transition to grass pilot program. From the appropriation under s. 20.115 (3) (am), the department shall create and administer a transition to grass pilot program that awards grants to farmers for managed grazing technical assistance and implementation support.

AB655,3,2 (3) Grazing grants. (a) Subject to par. (b), the transition to grass pilot program shall award grants to farmers for any of the following purposes:

AB655,3,4 1. Assist a farmer with establishing perennial forages for rotational grazing of livestock raised in a grass-based managed grazing system.

AB655,3,7 2. Provide assistance to a farmer in establishing harvestable continuous cover in marginal areas that can produce supplemental feed for livestock that is raised in a grass-based managed grazing system.

AB655,3,9 3. Provide a farmer with incentive payments during the first 3 years of the farmer's transition to grass-based managed grazing systems.

AB655,3,12 4. Assist a farmer with paying for grass-based managed grazing system infrastructure needs, including fencing, watering, and other livestock management infrastructure.

AB655,3,15 5. Technical assistance and support from a certified grazing specialist in developing grazing plans, including determining field layout, infrastructure setup, seed selection, and establishment of rotational grazing patterns.

AB655,3,20 (b) Grants awarded under par. (a) shall only be awarded to a farmer implementing a new grass-based managed grazing system or a new managed grazing practice that improves the conservation and financial performance of existing grazing systems; grants may not be awarded to a farmer for the support of the farmer's existing grazing practices.

AB655,3,22 (c) The department may not award more than $40,000 in grants under par. (a) to any one grantee.

AB655,4,2 (d) In the year following the department's decision to grant an award under par. (a) the department shall provide 75 percent of the award to the grantee, and in each of the 2nd and 3rd years following the department's decision to grant an award under par. (a), the department shall provide 12.5 percent of the award to the grantee.

AB655,4,4 (4) Support for farmers. (a) The transition to grass pilot program shall provide the following for farmers and persons in agribusiness:

AB655,4,7 1. Assistance in navigating and analyzing the economics of grass-based managed grazing and providing grass-fed livestock research, market development initiatives, and other market opportunities.

AB655,4,9 2. Best practices for meeting consumer demand for grass-fed livestock products.

AB655,4,12 3. Assistance in fostering innovation in and expanding farm and agribusiness strategies in grass-based managed grazing systems and grass-fed livestock practices.

AB655,4,15 (b) The department's division of agricultural development shall support the state's grass-fed livestock supply chain, including regional processors, aggregators, distributors, and markets.

AB655,4 Section 4. Nonstatutory provisions.

AB655,4,21 (1) The authorized FTE positions for the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection are increased by 0.5 GPR position, to be funded from the appropriation under s. 20.115 (4) (t), for a position in the division of agriculture development supporting the performance of the transition to grass pilot program functions required under s. 93.60 (4).

AB655,4,22 (End)