LRB-2683/1
JAM:cdc
2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
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 1An Act to create 20.115 (4) (t) and 93.60 of the statutes; relating to: a transition
2to 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 3Section 1 . 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert
4the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table PDF
AB655,2 1Section 2 . 20.115 (4) (t) of the statutes is created to read:
AB655,2,32 20.115 (4) (t) Transition to grass pilot program. From the environmental fund,
3the amounts in the schedule for the transition to grass pilot program under s. 93.60.
AB655,3 4Section 3. 93.60 of the statutes is created to read:
AB655,2,5 593.60 Transition to grass pilot program. (1) Definitions. In this section:
AB655,2,106 (a) “Managed grazing” means a grazing system alternative to continuous
7grazing, in which pastured fields are subdivided into smaller paddocks, livestock
8density is controlled, and animals are rotated through paddocks at a frequency that
9maintains perennial grass-based vegetative cover, ensures regular access to fresh
10higher quality forage, and reduces soil compaction and erosion.
AB655,2,1411 (b) “Marginal area” means land that is excluded from cultivation due to
12economic infeasibility or physical restriction for growing conventional crops, and
13includes riparian areas, low areas prone to flooding, and steep lands not conducive
14to conventional cultivation.
AB655,2,18 15(2) Transition to grass pilot program. From the appropriation under s. 20.115
16(3) (am), the department shall create and administer a transition to grass pilot
17program that awards grants to farmers for managed grazing technical assistance
18and implementation support.
AB655,3,2
1(3) Grazing grants. (a) Subject to par. (b), the transition to grass pilot program
2shall award grants to farmers for any of the following purposes:
AB655,3,43 1. Assist a farmer with establishing perennial forages for rotational grazing of
4livestock raised in a grass-based managed grazing system.
AB655,3,75 2. Provide assistance to a farmer in establishing harvestable continuous cover
6in marginal areas that can produce supplemental feed for livestock that is raised in
7a grass-based managed grazing system.
AB655,3,98 3. Provide a farmer with incentive payments during the first 3 years of the
9farmer's transition to grass-based managed grazing systems.
AB655,3,1210 4. Assist a farmer with paying for grass-based managed grazing system
11infrastructure needs, including fencing, watering, and other livestock management
12infrastructure.
AB655,3,1513 5. Technical assistance and support from a certified grazing specialist in
14developing grazing plans, including determining field layout, infrastructure setup,
15seed selection, and establishment of rotational grazing patterns.
AB655,3,2016 (b) Grants awarded under par. (a) shall only be awarded to a farmer
17implementing a new grass-based managed grazing system or a new managed
18grazing practice that improves the conservation and financial performance of
19existing grazing systems; grants may not be awarded to a farmer for the support of
20the farmer's existing grazing practices.
AB655,3,2221 (c) The department may not award more than $40,000 in grants under par. (a)
22to any one grantee.
AB655,4,223 (d) In the year following the department's decision to grant an award under par.
24(a) the department shall provide 75 percent of the award to the grantee, and in each

1of the 2nd and 3rd years following the department's decision to grant an award under
2par. (a), the department shall provide 12.5 percent of the award to the grantee.
AB655,4,4 3(4) Support for farmers. (a) The transition to grass pilot program shall
4provide the following for farmers and persons in agribusiness:
AB655,4,75 1. Assistance in navigating and analyzing the economics of grass-based
6managed grazing and providing grass-fed livestock research, market development
7initiatives, and other market opportunities.
AB655,4,98 2. Best practices for meeting consumer demand for grass-fed livestock
9products.
AB655,4,1210 3. Assistance in fostering innovation in and expanding farm and agribusiness
11strategies in grass-based managed grazing systems and grass-fed livestock
12practices.
AB655,4,1513 (b) The department's division of agricultural development shall support the
14state's grass-fed livestock supply chain, including regional processors, aggregators,
15distributors, and markets.
AB655,4 16Section 4. Nonstatutory provisions.
AB655,4,2117 (1) The authorized FTE positions for the department of agriculture, trade and
18consumer protection are increased by 0.5 GPR position, to be funded from the
19appropriation under s. 20.115 (4) (t), for a position in the division of agriculture
20development supporting the performance of the transition to grass pilot program
21functions required under s. 93.60 (4).
AB655,4,2222 (End)
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