LRB-1006/P2
MCP:skw
2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE
DOA:......Potts, BB0355 - Nitrogen optimization
For 2021-2023 Budget -- Not Ready For Introduction
An Act ...; relating to: the budget.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Agriculture
Nitrogen optimization pilot program
This bill requires DATCP to create a nitrogen optimization pilot program, under which DATCP awards grants to farmers to implement a project that has the potential to reduce nitrate loading to groundwater in the area. The farmer must collaborate with the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Center for Watershed Science and Education at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, or the University of Wisconsin-Extension.
The bill requires the collaborating university to monitor a grant project on-site and to use information gathered from grant projects to research nitrate loading reduction methods, with a goal of making recommendations to agricultural producers on optimizing nitrogen usage while improving water quality in this state.
The bill limits the total amount of a grant to both a farmer and the collaborating university to $125,000. No more than 50 percent of this total amount may be awarded to the collaborating university.
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
1. 20.115 (7) (cm) of the statutes is created to read:
20.115 (7) (cm) Nitrogen optimization pilot program. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for the nitrogen optimization pilot program under s. 93.77.
****Note: This Section
involves a change in an appropriation that must be reflected in the revised schedule in s. 20.005, stats.
Section 2
. 93.77 of the statutes is created to read:
93.77 Nitrogen optimization pilot program. (1) In this section, “eligible university entities” means the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Center for Watershed Science and Education at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and the University of Wisconsin-Extension.
(2) The department shall award grants from the appropriation under s. 20.115 (7) (cm) to agricultural producers and eligible university entities as provided under this section.
(3) An agricultural producer may apply for and receive a grant to implement a project with the potential to reduce nitrate loading to groundwater in the area. The agricultural producer receiving a grant under this subsection shall collaborate with one or more eligible university entities under sub. (4).
(4) The eligible university entities shall collaborate with an agricultural producer that receives a grant under sub. (3) to monitor the grant project on-site and to use information gathered from the project to research nitrate loading reduction methods with a goal of making recommendations to agricultural producers to optimize nitrogen usage while improving water quality in this state.
(5) The department may not make a grant to an agricultural producer and the eligible university entities collaborating with the agricultural producer in an amount that totals more than $125,000. No more than 50 percent of this total amount may be awarded to the collaborating eligible university entities.
(End)
