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10,000 Wisconsin farmers have applied for state direct payments so far

Wisconsin’s Ag Secretary Nominee says the state’s farmers are actively applying for the state’s coronavirus Farm Support Program direct payments. Randy Romanski tells Brownfield, “As of this morning, the Department of Revenue informed us that we have received over 10,000 applications in basically over a week. Farmers are taking advantage of the opportunity to apply and apply early.”

Randy Romanski tells Brownfield the online applications take farmers about fifteen minutes to complete using the state’s Department of Revenue website.  He says they are also taking phone applications.

Romanski says Governor Tony Evers’ goal is to get 50 million dollars from the federal CARES Act into the hands of farmers by mid-July but the window to apply ends soon. “The application window expires at the Department of Revenue at 11:59 pm on June 29th.” Wisconsin’s Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection says nearly 26,000 farmers are eligible for the direct payment program.

Romanski says the Governor’s other coronavirus initiative using 15 million dollars to improve food security will be taking requests for proposals in July.