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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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Another Wisconsin city opens up deer hunting inside city limits

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Another Wisconsin city is opening up a deer hunt inside its borders.

The Richland Center Common Council finalized plans Tuesday night to allow bow hunting on city-owned property.

Hunters will have to wait until after the nine-day gun season to try out the new hunt. Only allow bow hunting is allowed, no guns. Hunters must stay more than 300 feet away from any walking paths.

Richland Center has seen an uptick in problems like car-deer crashes and Lyme disease within city limits.

Gov. Evers, Nygren to continue fight over mental health funding for farmers

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The battle of funding mental health programs for Wisconsin farmers will move into the courts next. 

The Republican co-chair of the Joint Finance Committee, Representative John Nygren of Marinette, has sued the governor in an effort to have him release some records. 

Democratic Governor Tony Evers and Legislative Republicans have been fighting over the 100-thousand dollars in funding since the new budget went into effect.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture first asked lawmakers to release the money since July, and it took until September for that funding to make it out of the Joint Finance Committee. Former secretary designee Brad Pfaff was recently fired by the Senate, after starting that fight with Joint Finance. 

Dairy company Dean Foods files for bankruptcy

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One of the country’s largest dairy companies is filing for bankruptcy.

Dean Foods will be working with Dairy Farmers of America to restructure. State ag spokesman Rick Hummel says for now, it’s business as usual for consumers and farmers. 

“Under Chapter 11, that allows the company to continue its operations while they’re restructuring, as opposed to a Chapter 7 liquidation bankruptcy.”

Hummel says they haven’t gotten any reports of checks not being paid to farmers. 

“Our department will be following up with Dean to make sure that payments to producers will continue to be made on time.”

Dean lost its biggest customer last year after Walmart took over its own milk production.

Evers taps Pfaff for DOA job

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Former state Agriculture Secretary designee Brad Pfaff is back to work for a state agency. Governor Tony Evers office announced Monday that Pfaff has been has been hired to serve as the director of business and rural development in the Department of Administration.

DOA Secretary Joel Brennan said that while the state will lose a vital advocate like Pfaff at the Cabinet level, he’ll still be able to serve both the state and businesses while working for state administration. Pfaff’s appointment to lead the Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection was rejected by the Senate last week, and Evers named Deputy Secretary Randy Romanski to an interim appointment.