News

Wisconsin farmers have ongoing and new legislative priorities

An attorney who lobbies for Wisconsin agricultural organizations says there are many familiar issues and a couple of new ones that need funding by state lawmakers.

Jordan Lamb with the DeWitt Law Firm told the Wisconsin Pork Association it has been known for decades Wisconsin’s meat processing supply chain needs additional investment and redundancy. “I think the world has learned we need redundancy. There are shortages in wood products and computer chips, and you can’t buy a car because there isn’t a computer chip. Well, that means that you have to have more than one place to buy products and sell them.”

Lamb says Wisconsin’s farm organizations are also asking the Legislature to support existing farmer-led environmental initiatives and add a new producer-led nitrogen optimization grant program, “By offering farmers or farmer groups grants to engage in nitrogen optimization as opposed to just passing regulations and just saying, ‘and I hope you can still farm after I pass this regulation’ which is not our favorite way to address environmental issues.”

The Legislature’s Joint Finance Committee did vote Wednesday to create a nitrogen optimization pilot program, a regenerative agriculture practices grant program, grants for meat processing facilities, meat processing tuition grants, planning grants for establishing regional biodigesters, and expanded export assistance.