DOT Department of Transportation
DPI Department of Public Instruction
DSPS Department of Safety and Professional Services
DVA Department of Veterans Affairs
DWD Department of Workforce Development
ETF Department of Employee Trust Funds
JCF Joint Committee on Finance
LRB Legislative Reference Bureau
OCI Office of the Commissioner of Insurance
PSC Public Service Commission
SHS State Historical Society
TCS Technical College System
UW University of Wisconsin
WEDC Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
WHEDA Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority
WHEFA Wisconsin Health and Educational Facilities Authority
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agriculture
Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports
The bill provides funding for DATCP to establish and administer the Wisconsin
Initiative for Agricultural Exports to promote the export of the state's agricultural
and agribusiness products.
Food security and Wisconsin products grant program
The bill allows DATCP to provide grants to food banks, food pantries, and other
nonprofit organizations to purchase Wisconsin food products.
Small farm diversity grant program
The bill authorizes DATCP to provide grants to farmers that have been in
operation for at least a year and that made less than $350,000 in gross cash farm
income in the year before applying for a grant. Grants may be used to develop a new
agricultural product or increase production of an agricultural product; to pay for
start-up costs for new agricultural production operations; to research and develop
new uses for food, feed, and fiber products; to develop on-farm processing of
agricultural commodities; or to develop an agritourism venue. Grants must be for
at least $5,000 but no more than $50,000.
In awarding grants, DATCP must give priority to applications that develop a
business plan with market research and income projections; demonstrate a high
probability of increased revenue, job creation, or enhanced viability; feature research
that is innovative and commercially plausible; demonstrate a high probability of
rapid commercialization; or demonstrate a commitment for funding from other
private or public sources or from the applicant.
A grant recipient must provide matching funds of 30 percent of the amount of
the grant and must submit annual reports to DATCP documenting grant money
expenses and results.
Value-added agricultural practices; technical assistance and grants
The bill allows DATCP to provide education and technical assistance related to
producing value-added agricultural products. Under the bill, DATCP may provide
education and assistance related to organic farming practices; collaborate with
organic producers, industry participants, and local organizations that coordinate
organic farming; and stimulate interest and investment in organic production.
The bill also allows DATCP to provide grants to organic producers, industry
participants, and local organizations, which may be used to provide education and
technical assistance related to organic farming, to help create organic farming plans,
and to assist farmers in transitioning to organic farming.
The bill authorizes DATCP to provide grants to entities to provide education
and training to farmers about best practices related to grazing. DATCP is also
authorized under the bill to help farmers market value-added agricultural products.
Conservation grants
The bill requires DATCP to award grants to develop and provide education and
training to farmers about best practices related to grazing and pasture maintenance
and to provide cost-sharing incentive payments to farmers to develop and adopt
regenerative agricultural practices. DATCP may not allocate more than $320,000
for these grants in any single fiscal year.
Nitrogen optimization pilot program
The bill requires DATCP to create a nitrogen optimization pilot program, under
which DATCP awards grants to farmers to implement a project that has the potential
to reduce nitrate loading to groundwater in the area. The farmer must collaborate
with the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of
Wisconsin–Madison, the Center for Watershed Science and Education at the
University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, or the University of Wisconsin–Extension.
The bill requires the collaborating university to monitor a grant project on-site
and to use information gathered from grant projects to research nitrate loading
reduction methods, with a goal of making recommendations to agricultural
producers on optimizing nitrogen usage while improving water quality in this state.
The bill limits the total amount of a grant to both a farmer and the collaborating
university to $125,000. No more than 50 percent of this total amount may be
awarded to the collaborating university.
Regenerative agriculture practices grant program
The bill requires DATCP to award grants to provide cost-sharing for
conducting soil tests and other carbon sequestration analyses; updating nutrient
management software; studying the feasibility of a statewide carbon market;
assessing the market value of carbon sequestration; and, for agricultural producers,
implementing regenerative agricultural practices. DATCP may not allocate more
than $370,000 for these grants in any single fiscal year.
In conjunction with providing these grants, DATCP must also evaluate the
accuracy and efficiency of existing tools that calculate carbon credits generated by
producer-led watershed protection grant recipients; identify opportunities and
facilitate groups of agricultural producers to work together to generate carbon
credits; provide technical assistance to farmers and agricultural agencies and
professionals regarding carbon credit generation to help them choose whether to
collaborate with carbon credit project developers in the future; study the feasibility
of a statewide carbon market; and assess the market value of carbon sequestration.
Technical assistance for resource conservation
The bill creates a resource conservation technical assistance program in
DATCP for providing technical assistance to farmers related to increasing or
maintaining agricultural yields while promoting soil health, water quality, and
regenerative agricultural practices and for providing grants to local governments,
nongovernmental organizations, federally recognized American Indian tribes or
bands, businesses, and individuals.
Grants for hiring farm business consultants
The bill authorizes DATCP to provide grants to county agriculture agents of the
UW–Extension to help farm operators hire business consultants and attorneys to
examine their farm business plans and help them create farm succession plans.
Farm to School program: preference to districts with high free or
reduced-price meal eligibility
Current law requires DATCP to promote farm to school programs, which
connect schools with nearby farms to provide children with locally produced foods in
school meals. The bill requires that in awarding grants under the farm to school
program DATCP must give preference to school districts that have a high percentage
of students who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals under federal law.
Farm to Fork grant program
The bill creates a farm to fork program, similar to the existing farm to school
program. Under the program, DATCP may provide grants to entities (other than
school districts) that have cafeterias to connect them to nearby farms to provide
locally produced foods in meals and snacks, to help the public develop healthy eating
habits, to provide nutritional and agricultural education, and to improve farmers'
incomes and direct access to markets.
Grants for meat processing facilities
The bill allows DATCP to award grants to meat processing facilities for the
purpose of promoting the growth of the meat industry in this state.
Meat processing tuition grants
The bill requires DATCP to provide grants to universities, colleges, and
technical colleges to reimburse tuition costs of students enrolled in a meat processing
program. Each tuition reimbursement covers up to 80 percent of the tuition cost for
enrolling in a meat processing program, limited to a maximum reimbursement of
$7,500.
Farmland preservation implementation grants
The bill authorizes DATCP to award grants to counties to implement a certified
county farmland preservation plan.
Grants for rural business and economic development
Current law allows DATCP to use certain funds to make loans for the
development of rural businesses or rural economic development. The bill allows
DATCP to also use these funds to provide grants for this purpose.
Grants for food waste reduction pilot projects
The bill requires DATCP to provide grants for food waste reduction pilot
projects that have an objective of preventing food waste, redirecting surplus food to
hunger relief organizations, and composting food waste. Under the bill, DATCP
must give preference to grant proposals that serve census tracts for which the
median household income is below the statewide median household income and in
which no grocery store is located.
County land conservation staff for climate change activities
Under current law, as part of the soil and water resource management program,
DATCP provides funding to counties for county conservation staffing. Current law
specifies the activities in which county conservation staff may engage with funding
provided under this program. The bill provides that this program may be used to
fund county conservation staff who focus on climate change and climate change
resiliency. The bill also creates an appropriation specifically for this purpose. A
county that seeks funding for this purpose must specifically indicate as such in its
annual grant request.
Concentrated animal feeding operations
Under current law, a person who operates a concentrated animal feeding
operation (CAFO) must have a Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
(WPDES) permit from DNR. A CAFO is a livestock operation that contains at least
1,000 animal units, that discharges pollutants into a navigable water, or that
contaminates a well. Current law requires a CAFO operator with a WPDES permit
to pay an annual fee of $345 to DNR. The bill increases the amount of this annual
fee to $545. The bill also requires a CAFO operator applying for a new WPDES
permit to pay a $3,270 application fee.
Water stewardship certification
The bill creates a grant program for DATCP to provide grants to reimburse the
costs for agricultural producers to apply for a certification of water stewardship from
the Alliance for Water Stewardship. The grants must be made directly to the
producer, and may not be used to pay the costs of operational changes needed to
achieve certification.
Planning grants for establishing regional biodigesters
Under the bill, DATCP must provide planning grants for establishing regional
biodigesters in the state. Biodigesters are used to break down organic material into
gas, liquids, and solids.
Reauthorizing State Fair Park Board rulemaking authority
The bill authorizes the State Fair Park Board to promulgate rules governing
the use of State Fair Park. Under current law, the board may not promulgate rules
unless a law specifically authorizes the board to do so.
Bonding for soil and water resource management
The bill increases the general obligation bonding authority for the soil and
water resource management program by $7,000,000. The program, which is
administered by DATCP, awards grants to counties to help fund their land and water
conservation activities.
Appropriation limit for the producer-led watershed protection grant
program
DATCP administers the producer-led watershed protection grant program,
which provides grants to groups of farmers in the same watershed to implement
nonpoint source pollution abatement activities. Under current law, DATCP may not
allocate more than $750,000 per fiscal year for this program. The bill increases that
maximum amount to $1,000,000.
Transfer of funds
The bill transfers $466,500 in fiscal year 2021-22 from the general fund to the
DATCP appropriation used for dog licensing, rabies control programs, and other
related services.
Commerce and economic development
Business organization and financial institutions
Implementation by DFI of section 529A ABLE savings account program
The bill requires DFI to implement a qualified ABLE program under section
529A of the Internal Revenue Code allowing tax-exempt accounts for qualified
expenses incurred by individuals with disabilities.
Under current federal law, states may create a qualified Achieving a Better Life
Experience program under which an individual may establish a tax-exempt savings
account to pay for qualified expenses, such as education, housing, and transportation
costs, for a beneficiary who is an individual with disabilities, as defined under federal
law. Although these accounts, commonly referred to as “ABLE accounts” or “section
529A accounts,” cannot be established under this state's law, they can be established
under another state's law, and if so established, withdrawals from these accounts for
payment of qualified disability expenses for the account beneficiary are exempt from
taxation in this state.
The bill requires DFI to implement and administer a qualified ABLE program,
either directly or by entering into an agreement with another state or alliance of
states to establish an ABLE program or otherwise administer ABLE program
services for the residents of this state. DFI must, within approximately nine months,
determine whether implementing the ABLE program directly or by entering into an
agreement is the best option for this state's residents. If DFI enters into an
agreement, the agreement may require the party contracting with DFI to do any of
the following: 1) develop and implement an ABLE program in accordance with all
requirements under federal law and modify the ABLE program as necessary for
participants to qualify for federal income tax benefits; 2) contract for professional
and technical assistance and advice in developing marketing plans and promotional
materials to publicize the ABLE program; 3) work with organizations with expertise
in supporting people with disabilities and their families in administering the
agreement and ensuring accessibility of the ABLE program for people with
disabilities; or 4) take any other action necessary to implement and administer the
ABLE program. The bill also requires DFI to provide on its website information
concerning ABLE accounts.
Children's savings and investment program
The bill requires DFI to collaborate with one or more philanthropic
organizations to develop a statewide children's savings and investment program,
funded and administered by the philanthropic organization or organizations. The
program must allow the balance of an account established under the program to be
transferred to a College Savings Program (commonly known as Edvest) account.
Fees for licensed securities industry participants
The bill increases certain securities-related fees paid to DFI.
Current law generally requires a securities broker-dealer and a person who
represents a broker-dealer or issuer in securities transactions (securities agent) to
be licensed, and generally requires an investment adviser and an investment adviser
representative to be licensed, before transacting business in this state.
Broker-dealers and investment advisers must pay to DFI initial and renewal license
fees of $200. Securities agents and investment adviser representatives must pay to
DFI initial and renewal license fees of $80. Although an investment adviser
registered with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission (federal covered
adviser) is not required to be licensed by DFI, it must pay to DFI an initial and
renewal notice filing fee of $200. In addition, broker-dealers and investment
advisers, including federal covered advisers, that maintain a branch office in this
state must pay a filing fee of $80 for each branch office.
The bill increases each of these fees, from $200 to $300 and from $80 to $100.
Notary public application fees
Under current law, any U.S. resident who is licensed to practice law in this state
is entitled to a permanent commission as a notary public upon application to DFI and
payment of a $50 fee. In addition, any U.S. resident who is at least 18 years of age
and who is not an attorney may file an application with DFI for a four-year
appointment as a notary public and must pay a $20 application fee. The bill increases
the application fee for attorneys from $50 to $100 and increases the application fee
for nonattorneys from $20 to $40.
Information related to public service loan forgiveness programs
The bill requires DFI to collect, maintain, and make available information
regarding student loan forgiveness programs available to employees of the state or
a local unit of government.
