Three bills are being circulated in the Wisconsin Legislature which are aimed at helping the state’s struggling farmers. All three are sponsored by Democrats but they are said to have bipartisan support. One would help farmers pay off their college debt, another would offer retirement planning help, and the third would award grants of up to 50-thousand dollars for small-scale farming operations. As much as 30-thousand dollars in student loans would be forgiven for college graduates who commit to farming in Wisconsin for at least five years.
Details:
LRB 1123: Farm Succession Planning
Reps. Considine, Kulp, Kolste, Myers; Sen. Testin
This bill would create two positions to support and advance the UW-Madison Division of the Extension’s
farm succession planning programs. One position at the Center for Dairy Profitability would focus on the
financial aspects of farm succession management. The second position would be a specialist within the
Extension Farm Management Program at the UW-Madison Division of the Extension to help with
planning and implementation of joint programming with county-based agriculture extension educators
in Wisconsin
LRB 1388: Beginning Farmer Student Loan Assistance Program
Reps. Spreitzer, Kurtz, Kolste; Sen. Ringhand
This bill would create a program to support and retain beginning farmers by reimbursing higher
education debt for beginning farmers that commit to farming in Wisconsin for at least five years. Based
on criteria including financial need, likelihood to successfully continue farming, and use of sustainable
best practices, the program would reimburse up to $30,000 of higher education debt incurred by
beginning farmers in pursuit of an associate or bachelor’s degree, technical certificate, or Farm &
Industry Short Course program. The bill includes protections against intentional fraud and
misrepresentation.
LRB 0149: Small Farm Diversity Grant Program
Reps. Vruwink, Tranel, Myers; Sens. Smith, Ringhan
This bill creates a competitive grant to encourage diversity in small-scale farming operations. Grants of
up to $50,000 would be available to growers and producers whose farming operations are on 50 acres
of land or less. The grant must be used to start a new agricultural operation or add a new agricultural
product. A total of $500,000 would be appropriated over the 2019-21 biennium. The bill contains a claw-
back provision to ensure that grant recipients fulfill the terms of their grant.
