AB874: Bill Text

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2019 - 2020 LEGISLATURE

2019 Assembly BILL 874

February 10, 2020 - Introduced by Representatives Loudenbeck, Novak, Petryk, Magnafici, Plumer, Skowronski, Summerfield and Edming. Referred to Committee on Agriculture.

AB874,1,2 An Act relating to: requiring a study by the University of Wisconsin System of agricultural programs and issues.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System to direct a study conducted by the UW System that includes examining and evaluating all of the following: 1) funding and staffing levels for UW agricultural programs; 2) current curriculum for agricultural programs offered at UW schools, along with proposals for enhancing this curriculum; 3) the financial, technical, and other problems that Wisconsin farmers currently face, along with proposals to solve or mitigate these problems; and 4) the programs, approaches, and strategies implemented by other states to better support their agricultural industries. The study must include an evaluation and assessment of how factors 1) to 3) currently support Wisconsin farmers and Wisconsin's agricultural industry, along with proposals for strengthening or enhancing this support, and must include data relied upon to support the study's conclusions. The Board of Regents must submit to the legislature a report addressing all of these matters by approximately nine months after the bill's effective date.

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:

AB874,1 Section 1. Nonstatutory provisions.

AB874,2,3 (1) University of Wisconsin System study of agricultural programs and issues.

AB874,2,4 (a) Definitions. In this subsection:

AB874,2,5 1. “Board” has the meaning given in s. 36.05 (2).

AB874,2,6 2. “College campus” has the meaning given in s. 36.05 (6m).

AB874,2,7 3. “Institution” has the meaning given in s. 36.05 (9).

AB874,2,8 4. “System” has the meaning given in s. 36.05 (12).

AB874,2,9 (b) Study.

AB874,2,11 1. The board shall direct a study to be conducted by the system that includes examining and evaluating all of the following:

AB874,2,15 a. Funding and staffing levels for agricultural programs both on a systemwide basis and at each institution or college campus, including addressing current and historical data for total authorized faculty and research positions and, of these, the numbers of filled and vacant positions.

AB874,2,17 b. Current curriculum for agricultural programs offered at institutions and college campuses, along with proposals for enhancing this curriculum.

AB874,2,19 c. The financial, technical, and other problems that Wisconsin farmers currently face, along with proposals to solve or mitigate these problems.

AB874,2,21 d. The programs, approaches, and strategies implemented by other states to better support their agricultural industries.

AB874,3,2 2. The study under subd. 1. shall include an evaluation and assessment of how the factors under subd. 1. a. to c . currently support Wisconsin farmers and Wisconsin's agricultural industry, along with proposals for strengthening or enhancing this support. The study shall include all data considered in this evaluation and assessment and the data relied upon to support the study's conclusions.

AB874,3,6 (c) Report. No later than the first day of the 10th month beginning after the effective date of this paragraph, the board shall submit to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature, for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s. 13.172 (3), a report that addresses all matters described in par. (b).

AB874,3,7 (End)