By Blake Jackson
The Wisconsin State Senate wrapped up its regular session, passing a series of bills aimed at supporting farmers and agribusinesses statewide. The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation (WFBF) collaborated closely with lawmakers, state agencies, and the Wisconsin Ag Coalition to advance the legislation.
“These bills provide farmers with important protections from fee increases and unfair legal liabilities, improve the efficiency of transporting agricultural goods and make common sense regulatory changes,” said WFBF President Brad Olson.
“We appreciate the leadership of the bill authors, the strong bipartisan support of all those voting for the bills, and the collaboration of state agencies and our agricultural advocacy partners to get these bills to the Governor’s desk.”
Key measures include Assembly Bills 130 and 131, which provide $125 million in cleanup and drinking water grants for communities affected by PFAS contamination and offer liability protections for farmers and landowners who unknowingly accepted contaminated materials.
Senate Bill 622 freezes Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection program fees, preventing significant cost increases for farmers, truckers, and livestock dealers.
Assembly Bill 679 allows six-axle, 91,000-pound trucks to transport grain, feed, and fertilizer, enhancing efficiency and reducing costs, while AB 956 exempts certain agricultural warehouses from sprinkler system requirements to prevent potential surface and groundwater pollution.
“Wisconsin Farm Bureau will continue working with policymakers to ensure these proposals become law by strongly encouraging Gov. Tony Evers to sign these bills and to advance policies that strengthen Wisconsin’s farm families and rural economy,” added Olson.
Categories: Wisconsin, Government & Policy