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Support Wisconsin made products during the COVID-19 response

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The economic slowdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic is hitting Wisconsin’s farmers and food producers especially hard.

Alice in Dairyland Abigail Martin says buying local and keeping produce moving is vital to Wisconsin’s farmers. 

“1 in 9 people working in our state to hold a job related to agriculture so agriculture is really important to provide food for us but also to keep our economy going.” 

That’s over 437,000 people. A major portion of Wisconsin’s food and dairy goes to food service companies, so while restaurants are closed, more and more food isn’t going to market. 

Martin says more and more, people need to be looking for and buying Wisconsin-made food. 

“Your dollars aren’t going too far away from home and you’re going to be supporting your neighbors that are working in agriculture so that’s really one thing that we could be doing to help during this time.”

Martin says that the longer the shutdown lasts, the harder it will be to rebound for farmers. 

Assembly approves $10 million water quality package

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The state Assembly has approved a 13 bill, $10 million plan to address water quality in Wisconsin. Lawmakers sparred Tuesday over who deserves credit.

“If Governor Tony Evers had not declared 2019 the Year of Clean Drinking Water, we wouldn’t be here today, making sure that we’re acting on not just clean drinking water but surface water qand water quality in general,” said Representative Katrina Shankland. (D-Stevens Point).

“This was not started bu Governor Evers, even though I want to thank him for also calling this the Year of Clean Water,” said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester). Vos credited Representatives Travis Tranel (R-Cuba City) and Todd Novak (R-Dodgeville) for getting the issue attention from Assembly Republicans.

Vos formed the Speaker’s Task Force on Water Quality has been created to gather information and make policy recommendations.

“We need to remember that this is just the beginning,” said Novak, who served with Shankland as task force co-chair. “Challenges with water quality did not start overnight. They started decades ago, so this is going to take some time and this is just the beginning. We also need to remember that clean water is not a Democratic or Republican issue, it’s a state of Wisconsin issue.”

“This isn’t partisan issue. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Republican or a Democrat, if you live in Milwaukee or in southwest Wisconsin. We all deserve clean drinking water and this is certainly a step in the right direction,” Tranel said. The package must still be passed by the state Senate, before going to Governor Tony Evers.

Assembly GOP moving ahead with package to assist Wisconsin farmers

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At the Capitol, Assembly Republicans are moving forward with plans to assist the state’s farmers. It’s something Democratic Governor Tony Evers called for, during his recent State of the State Address.

“We really appreciate that the governor is finally paying attention to rural Wisconsin and those issues, after being in office for over a year, focusing seemingly only on the Madison and Milwaukee areas,” said Assembly Speaker Pro-Tem Tyler August (R-Lake Geneva).

During a Monday press conference, Republicans provided details on the bills they’ll take up. They plan to expand of some of what Evers requested in a special session, as well as introducing measures of their own. A bill from Representative Travis Tranel (R-Cuba City) would provide an income tax credit for the property taxes paid on agricultural buildings.

“The reality is when you farm, even though income is down 15 percent from 2013, the bills just keep coming in,” Tranel said. He said the $7500 credit would get farmers some immediate short-term help. “Their number one issue is cash flow.”

Another proposed tax break would allow farmers and other “sole proprietors” to deduct the cost of health insurance from their income taxes. Representative Amy Loudenbeck (R-Clinton) said that would carry a cost of some $9 million. She wasn’t able to say how many farmers would qualify for the tax break.

Anything that passes the Assembly would also need Senate approval in the final weeks of the current legislative session. Senators were expected to caucus on measures on Tuesday.

Assembly GOP proposes bills to assist Wisconsin farmers

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Speaker Robin Vos

Bigger and bolder. That’s how Speaker Robin Vos describes Republican plans to assist Wisconsin, compared to what Governor Tony Evers proposed in his recent State of the State address.

“We would probably like to do something that’s bigger and bolder, than what he first proposed,” Vos said Tuesday at the Capitol. “It would probably cost more money that the $8.5 million because while that is something that is definitely helpful to farmers, it is probably too small of an effort to make
a substantial difference.

GOP proposals include allowing farmers – and other “sole proprietors” – to deduct health insurance costs from their taxes. That alone would cost about 9 million dollars. Assembly Republicans are also looking at a property tax cut that would benefit just farmers. Vos hopes to have various bills ready to vote on later this month.

The governor was supportive. “It seems to to me that we’ve always worried about whether we’ve proposed something that they’re going to complain about how much money we’re spending,” Evers said. “Have at it, I’m with them.”

Evers State of the State: special session on rural issues, nonpartisan redistricting commission

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Governor Tony Evers

Governor Tony Evers has promised a fresh effort on bipartisan redistricting, and is calling the legislature into special session to address the challenges facing rural Wisconsin. The Democratic governor’s State of the State address was widely panned Wednesday night, by Republican legislative leaders.

Noting that the state is losing two dairy farms each day, Evers proposed a special session.

I am announcing a three-pronged plan to start addressing these challenges. First, tonight I am calling a special session of the legislature next week to take up legislation to invest in our farmers, agricultural industries, and our rural communities.

On redrawing the state’s electoral maps, the governor noted that legislation to provide for non-partisan redistricting has consistently failed to advance in the legislature, so he’ll appoint a commission to do the job, which in recent decades has been undertaken by the legislature.

Our nonpartisan redistricting commission will consist of the people of our state-not elected officials, not lobbyists, not high-paid consultants. The People’s Maps Commission will visit every congressional district, hear directly from folks across our state, and draw fair, impartial maps for the Legislature to take up next year

Republican leaders issued statements that were generally critical of the governor’s record, and his remarks.

“While the governor was able to expand his view beyond just Madison and Milwaukee tonight, sadly a majority of his State of the State address touted priorities that speak only to liberal hubs,” said Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steinke (R-Kaukauna). “After months of focusing on growing the size of government, expanding welfare, and largely ignoring the needs of rural communities, tonight’s speech was much more of the same.”

“It’s disappointing that Governor Evers would rather pose for holy pictures than actually work with the legislature,” said Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Burlington) “His speech tonight was more about politics than anything else. Governor Evers is finally acknowledging the needs of rural Wisconsin. He has basically ignored our rural areas his entire term up to this point with an agenda focused on Madison and Milwaukee.”

“Governor Evers spent his first year in office catering to his far-left liberal friends in Madison,” said Joint Finance Committee co-chair, Representative John Nygren (R-Marinette). “No amount of rhetoric can cover his failed record of putting rural Wisconsin and our farmer behind liberal special interests.”

“It is my hope that the governor will spend what is left of the legislative session to focus on issues that put Wisconsin families first,” said state Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald (R-Juneau). “I’m eager to hear his plans for helping agriculture in Wisconsin. Additionally, the Senate will continue our efforts to crack down on repeat violent criminals, and work on a tax cut for hard-working Wisconsinites.”

Pleased for cheese: industry upbeat over USMCA

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The folks who make cheese in Wisconsin are happy to see a new trade deal with Canada and Mexico. The Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, the American Dairy Coalition, and the Wisconsin Farm Bureau on Friday all said the new agreement will open-up new markets to Wisconsin cheese and milk.

The U.S. Senate approved the USMCA last week. It’s now waiting for President Trump to sign it into law.

Clean water bills headed to Capitol this week

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A package of bills focused on improving water quality will be introduced in Wisconsin Wednesday. 

Republican State Representative Scott Krug says one big part of the bill will be support for an already successful farm conservation program.

 “Giving folks a chance to locally collaborate on their own watersheds to fix their problems back home, I think is the best bang for our buck.”

Democrat Katrina Shankland says she’s pushing for a state cleanup fund to support best farming practices as well as septic and well remediation.  

“I think if we want for clean water for everyone in Wisconsin, we have to be willing to pay for prevention and enforcement, as well as best practices. And I think the Clean Water Fund is something that we should be able to get behind, but it might take some time.” 

The package of bills comes out of several months worth of public hearings with the state’s Water Quality task force. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos created the task force shortly after Governor Tony Evers declared 2019 as the Year of Clean Water.

Pocan a no as House passes USMCA

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Support by Wisconsin’s House delegation for a reworked NAFTA was almost — but not quite — unanimous. The U.S.-Mexico-Canada-Agreement passed the House Thursday on an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 385-41. Among those 41 nays, Democrats Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, New York’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – and congressman Mark Pocan of Wisconsin.

Rep. Mark Pocan (WRN image)

In a statement, Pocan said “though this new deal is a definitive improvement from NAFTA, I cannot be confident that this trade deal would correct its core flaws that led to the outsourcing of hundreds of thousands of American jobs, as well as serious environmental concerns.”

In a tweet, Wisconsin Democrat Ron Kind said “This deal is a great example of what can be accomplished when people work across the aisle to get things done and should serve as the template for all future trade agreement negotiations.”

The USMCA now goes to the Senate for ratification.

Consider Something Special From Wisconsin in your holiday shopping this season

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If you’re still looking for holiday gifts this season, why not find Something Special from Wisconsin?

It’s a program sponsored by the state Department of Agriculture that showcases Wisconsin made products.

Alice in Dairyland Abigail Martin says it’s important to shop local in a time when farmers are hurting.

“Your dollars are staying right here in our state. They’re supporting communities and local economies as well as farmers and processors who are working hard.”

Martin says one very important something is getting a natural Christmas Tree from a local grower. 

“They smell wonderful in your house, one of my favorite smells, but also trees that are real are recyclable and will decompose after the holiday season.”

Also noted on this year’s list of products are specialty soaps and lotions made from sheep’s milk that you can get from Maple Hill Farm in Ladysmith, packed cheese spreads and gourmet cheeses from Chalet Cheese Cooperative and Pine River Cheese, and ready made dessert with New York Style cheesecakes from Suzy’s Cream Cheesecakes.

You can find out more online at http://somethingspecialwi.com. 

 

Capitol rotunda Holiday Tree is lit

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas – or the Holidays, if you will – at the Wisconsin Capitol. Over the noon hour on Friday, Governor Tony Evers flipped the switch to illuminate the Capitol Holiday tree.

The Medford High School choir sang a variety of Christmas carols, including “O Christmas Tree.” The rotunda evergreen was was officially called a Holiday Tree beginning in 1985, before Governor Scott Walker called it a Christmas tree in 2011.

This year’s 30′ tree comes from the Medford area and celebrates science, with ornaments made by Wisconsin school kids.
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