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January 2020 Special Session
2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE
February 5, 2020 - Introduced by Committee on Senate Organization, by request
of Governor Tony Evers. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Revenue and
Financial Institutions.
SB1,1,2 1An Act to create 20.115 (3) (f) and 93.525 of the statutes; relating to: providing
2planning assistance to farmers and making an appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under this bill, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
provides planning assistance to farmers, including farmers seeking to transition into
other farming practices to diversify farm operations, as follows:
1. The bill authorizes a position in DATCP for providing assistance to farmers
considering a transition to different farming practices and identifying diversification
strategies for farmers.
2. The bill authorizes 1.5 positions in DATCP to provide farm succession
planning, financial and business consulting services, and farmer transition planning
and coaching. Under current law, DATCP provides consultation and assistance to
distressed farmers through its farm center program.
3. The bill authorizes a position in DATCP for conducting outreach and
marketing for DATCP's farm center program.
4. The bill requires DATCP to provide grants to county agriculture agents of
the University of Wisconsin-Extension to help farm operators hire business
consultants to examine their farm business plans.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB1,1
1Section 1. 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert
2the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table PDF
SB1,2 3Section 2. 20.115 (3) (f) of the statutes is created to read:
SB1,2,74 20.115 (3) (f) Grants for hiring business consultants. As a continuing
5appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for providing grants under s. 93.525 to
6county agriculture agents to help farm operators hire business consultants to
7examine farm business plans.
SB1,3 8Section 3. 93.525 of the statutes is created to read:
SB1,2,12 993.525 Grants for hiring business consultants. From the appropriation
10under s. 20.115 (3) (f), the department shall provide grants to county agriculture
11agents of the University of Wisconsin-Extension to help farm operators hire
12business consultants to examine their farm business plans.
SB1,4 13Section 4. Fiscal changes.
SB1,3,514 (1) Farm succession planning and consulting services. In the schedule under
15s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of agriculture, trade and
16consumer protection under s. 20.115 (3) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2020-21
17is increased by $135,900 to increase the authorized FTE positions for the department
18by 1.5 GPR positions for providing farm succession planning, financial and business

1consulting services, and farmer transition planning and coaching. In the schedule
2under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of agriculture, trade and
3consumer protection under s. 20.115 (3) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2020-21
4is increased by $24,000 to provide supplies and services for the positions authorized
5under this subsection.
SB1,3,146 (2) Farm center outreach specialist. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for
7the appropriation to the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection
8under s. 20.115 (3) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2020-21 is increased by
9$90,600 to increase the authorized FTE positions for the department by 1.0 GPR
10position for conducting outreach and marketing for the department's farm center
11program. In the schedule under s. 20.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department
12of agriculture, trade and consumer protection under s. 20.115 (3) (a), the dollar
13amount for fiscal year 2020-21 is increased by $50,000 to provide supplies and
14services for the position authorized under this subsection.
SB1,4,215 (3) Farm center business development specialist. In the schedule under s.
1620.005 (3) for the appropriation to the department of agriculture, trade and
17consumer protection under s. 20.115 (3) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2020-21
18is increased by $90,600 to increase the authorized FTE positions for the department
19by 1.0 GPR position for providing assistance to farmers considering a transition to
20different farming practices and identifying diversification strategies for farmers,
21including by working with small business development centers that are part of the
22University of Wisconsin System and similar entities. In the schedule under s. 20.005
23(3) for the appropriation to the department of agriculture, trade and consumer
24protection under s. 20.115 (3) (a), the dollar amount for fiscal year 2020-21 is

1increased by $30,000 to provide supplies and services for the position authorized
2under this subsection.
SB1,4,33 (End)
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