I would like to thank all of you for taking the time to read through my newsletter. Each week, I'll include information to keep you up to date with what's happening in Madison and the 1st Assembly District.
Agriculture Budget
Since agriculture is one of the most lucrative and important industries in Wisconsin, the state Legislature wanted to make sure the biennial budget reflected that by making meaningful investments to sustain and facilitate even more growth.
Despite Wisconsin being one of the nation’s leaders in the production of cheese, milk, cranberries, snap beans, oats, corn for silage and dry whey, there are 16 states ahead of us in terms of total agricultural exports.
To help Wisconsin farmers better compete with producers from across the country, the budget gives the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection the needed tools to set a benchmark of increasing exports of milk and dairy products, meat and crops by 25 percent.
Our budget also prioritizes the hiring of additional meat inspectors, which will allow our state to have more timely and comprehensive inspections. This will help ensure the safety of our meat products and clear the backlog at our processing plants.
Every time an animal is handled at a meat processing facility, a meat inspector must be present. The state currently employs 66 meat inspectors who oversee close to 250 licensed plants. We experienced massive delays in meat processing during the COVID-19 pandemic and the demand for meat has not slowed down.
I am proud that the agriculture portion of the 2021-23 state budget also provides $200,000 for farmer mental health assistance and $4.3 million for county conservation staff. Furthermore, the budget increases funding for producer-led watershed protection grants by $500,000 and raises the statutory cap on grant awards from $750,000 to $1 million.
Recycling Awards
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is now accepting nominations for the 2021 Recycling Excellence Awards.
Communities, organizations, schools and businesses are encouraged to apply for recognition in any of the four categories: overall program, projects and initiatives, innovation and special events.
Groups of any size may nominate themselves or submit an application on behalf of another entity. The deadline is Sept. 17.
Thank you for taking the time to read my e-update. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact my office. My staff members, Adam and Henry, look forward to working with you. Also, if you would like a 2019-20 Wisconsin Blue Book or 2019-20 state highway map free of charge, just send us an email!
