SB325: Bill Text

The bill requires WEDC to establish an agricultural exports program to promote the export of Wisconsin's agricultural and agribusiness products. Specifically, the bill requires WEDC and the Center for International Agribusiness Marketing in DATCP to cooperate to achieve the following export objectives by June 30, 2026:

1. Increase the value of Wisconsin's milk and other dairy product exports by at least 25 percent over the value as of December 31, 2021.

2. Increase the value of Wisconsin's meat, including poultry and fish, and meat product exports by at least 25 percent over the value as of December 31, 2021.

3. Increase the value of Wisconsin's crop and crop product exports by at least 25 percent over the value as of December 31, 2021.

The bill requires that WEDC expend $5,000,000 under the program, after requesting the Joint Committee on Finance for funding for the program. Of that amount, the bill requires WEDC to ensure that $2,500,000 is devoted to increasing the value of Wisconsin's milk and other dairy product exports, $1,250,000 is devoted to increasing the value of Wisconsin's meat exports, and $1,250,000 is devoted to increasing the value of Wisconsin's crop exports, all as provided above. Under the bill, WEDC may not expend more than a total of $1,000,000 under the program in any fiscal year.

No later than December 31, 2021, WEDC and DATCP must jointly submit a plan to the legislature for how WEDC and DATCP intend to achieve the export objectives established in the bill. The plan must include a plan to award grants totaling at least 15 percent of the moneys appropriated for the program to Wisconsin exporters no later than December 31, 2022. Additionally, no later than June 30, 2024, WEDC and DATCP must jointly submit a report to the legislature that describes in detail all progress made in achieving the export goals the bill establishes for the program, as described above.

Finally, the bill requires the Legislative Audit Bureau to conduct a program evaluation audit of the exports program and complete its audit report no later than December 31, 2026.

For further information see the state 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:

SB325,1 Section 1. 13.94 (1) (ds) of the statutes is created to read:

SB325,2,5 13.94 (1) (ds) After June 30, 2026, conduct a program evaluation audit of the agricultural exports program under s. 238.24. No later than December 31, 2026, the legislative audit bureau shall file a copy of each audit report under this paragraph with the distributees specified in par. (b).

SB325,2 Section 2 . 20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes: at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated: - See PDF for table

SB325,3 Section 3. 20.192 (1) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

SB325,3,3 20.192 (1) (c) Agricultural exports. As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for the agricultural exports program under s. 238.24.

SB325,4 Section 4 . 93.42 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB325,3,7 93.42 (5) Cooperating with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation in promoting the state's products through the state's foreign trade offices and in achieving the export objectives specified in s. 238.24 (2).

SB325,5 Section 5 . 238.24 of the statutes is created to read:

SB325,3,11 238.24 Agricultural exports program. (1) The corporation shall establish and administer an agricultural exports program to promote the export of this state's agricultural and agribusiness products.

SB325,3,14 (2) The corporation shall cooperate with the center for international agribusiness marketing under s. 93.42 to achieve all of the following export objectives by June 30, 2026:

SB325,3,16 (a) Increase the value of this state's milk and other dairy product exports by at least 25 percent over the value as of December 31, 2021.

SB325,3,18 (b) Increase the value of this state's meat, including poultry and fish, and meat product exports by at least 25 percent over the value as of December 31, 2021.

SB325,3,20 (c) Increase the value of this state's crop and crop product exports by at least 25 percent over the value as of December 31, 2021.

SB325,3,25 (3) Of the moneys appropriated under s. 20.192 (1) (c), the corporation shall ensure that $2,500,000 is expended for the objective specified in sub. (2) (a), $1,250,000 is expended for the objective specified in sub. (2) (b), and $1,250,000 is expended for the objective specified in sub. (2) (c). The corporation may not expend more than $1,000,000 under the program in any fiscal year.

SB325,4,4 (4) No later than June 30, 2024, the corporation and the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection shall jointly submit a report to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3) that describes in detail all progress made in achieving the goals specified in sub. (2) (a) to (c).

SB325,4,8 (5) The corporation shall hire at least one full-time employee to administer the agricultural exports program under this section and collaborate with the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection to achieve the export objectives specified in sub. (2).

SB325,6 Section 6 . Nonstatutory provisions.

SB325,4,10 (1) Definitions. In this section:

SB325,4,11 (a) “Corporation” means the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

SB325,4,13 (b) “Department” means the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection.

SB325,4,20 (2) Submission of plan. No later than December 31, 2021, the corporation and the department shall jointly submit to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the appropriate standing committees in the manner provided under s. 13.172 (3) a plan for how the corporation and department intend to achieve the export objectives specified in s. 238.24 (2). The plan shall include a plan to grant at least 15 percent of the moneys to be expended under s. 238.24, as provided in s. 238.24 (3), to exporters no later than December 31, 2022.

SB325,5,2 (3) Program funding. No later than the 30th day after publication of the 2021 biennial budget act, the corporation shall request under s. 13.101 (3) that the joint committee on finance supplement the appropriation under s. 20.192 (1) (c) with sufficient funds for the corporation to carry out the agricultural exports program under s. 238.24. The committee may supplement that appropriation for that purpose without finding that an emergency exists under s. 13.101 (3) (a) 1.

SB325,5,3 (End)