Governor Evers signed the Agriculture Road Improvement Program (ARIP) into law in Vernon County
State Senator Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) was at Hamburg Hills Farm in Stoddard as Governor Evers signed the Agriculture Road Improvement Program (ARIP) into law. This law creates a grant program which will be used to fund transportation infrastructure improvements on rural roads and bridges. Senator Pfaff cosponsored ARIP and issued the following statement after the signing:
“The economic success of agriculture relies upon a strong transportation system, but for too long, our rural roads and bridges have not seen enough investment. This law will reverse this trend and rebuild our infrastructure so that farmers can travel and transport their goods more efficiently.”
“Wisconsin farmers may feed the world, but if a fertilizer truck cannot cross a rural bridge or a milk truck is weight limited from driving on a town road, it is hard for Wisconsin farmers to get their products to consumers – whether they are local or international.”
“This legislation is an important first step, but more needs to be done. Roads and bridges are the backbone of a growing and prosperous rural community.”
Voting to Increase Shared Revenue
Madison, WI – The Wisconsin State Senate voted to pass legislation to increase shared revenue funding for local governments. State Senator Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska) supported the increase in shared revenue and issued the following statement:
“Plowing snow, picking up garbage, and keeping our communities safe are not partisan political issues. The state has not lived up to its end of the bargain with local governments. This bill is a step in the right direction.”
“I’m proud to have voted for this bipartisan legislation to give western Wisconsin communities the support they need. From police and fire protection to garbage collection, this will have a positive impact on residents across our region.”
“Ensuring communities throughout Wisconsin have the necessary resources to keep our communities safe and fix our roads is of the utmost importance. When we support these services, we support a higher quality of life.”
“This funding for our cities, villages, and towns, strengthens the partnership between our state and local governments, and is something our community leaders have long been asking for.”
Keeping Schools Safe
Making sure kids are safe at school is not a partisan issue.
I joined with Attorney General Josh Kaul as well as local education and law enforcement leaders at La Crosse Logan High School to call on the legislature to fully fund the Office of School Safety. The office was created with bipartisan support in 2018 and has since been a valuable partner for law enforcement and school districts. Unfortunately, Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee chose to exclude full funding for the Office of School Safety from the state budget.
It’s time for the legislature to stop playing politics with student safety and fully fund the Office of School Safety.
Celebrating June Dairy Month, Farming is in Wisconsin’s DNA
Agriculture continues to grow and evolve.
Sixteen- and 24-row corn planters have largely replaced the old four- and six-row planter. The majority of our state’s hay crop is no longer harvested with “kicker” balers. Although the way we farm has changed, agriculture’s significance in Wisconsin — culturally, socially and economically — continues to remain strong.
I grew up on a farm, raised with farm values in northern La Crosse County. Farming is in my DNA; it’s in Wisconsin’s DNA. As Wisconsin’s former agriculture secretary and now a state senator, I share the pride that Wisconsin farmers and rural residents have for their work and communities.
Our agriculture industry is strong, creating a $107 billion economic impact annually for our state with dairy accounting for nearly $50 billion, but for Wisconsin agriculture to continue moving forward we need to create new markets, invest in infrastructure, fund conservation, keep our communities strong and connect farmers with consumers.
We must create new markets. Expanding dairy and meat processing provides our farmers with new value-added product development opportunities. Opening new markets for our farmers extends beyond food; it includes renewable energy, ethanol and biodiesel. Even small-scale solar and wind turbines that do not take valuable farmland out of production can open new revenue streams for Wisconsin farmers.
The economic success of agriculture relies upon a strong transportation system, but for too long, our rural roads and bridges have not seen enough investment. I’m proud to have voted for increased transportation funding in the last state budget, but there is more we must do. This session, I am a co-sponsor of a bill that would create the Agriculture Road Improvement Program, giving them the investment they need and helping our farmers move their product to market. This will build upon the investments we have made in our western Wisconsin ports and other infrastructure.
As a member of the Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Access, I recognize we need to continue to invest in broadband. Our world has grown increasingly connected through the internet, and in turn, accessible, affordable broadband is essential to participate in the 21st century economy.
Farmers do more than just produce food, fiber and fuel; they act as stewards of our land, conserving soil and enhancing water quality. Programs like the Farmland Preservation Program, producer-led watershed grants and cover crop rebates have provided farmers with financial incentives for employing reliable conservation practices. Funding these conservation programs is a win-win; a win for production agriculture and a win for our environment.
Keeping our communities strong means investing in education, job training and health care. When we fund rural schools and agriculture education programs like FFA, we make our communities better places to live and attract the next generation. When we expand BadgerCare, lower prescription drug prices and fund farmer mental health support, we help Wisconsinites save money and enhance their quality of life.
Importantly, we need to continue to link the farmers who grow our food with consumers. This means expanding Wisconsin school lunch and breakfast programs with an emphasis on Wisconsin-grown products. Wisconsin farmers provide nutritious and healthy food every day that kids enjoy, such as milk, yogurt, cheese, fresh fruit and vegetables. These meals improve student health, reducing the chances of obesity, diabetes and other health conditions. This connects to food banks and food pantries as well. When we support food assistance programs that purchase locally sourced food, we in turn support farmers.
As we celebrate Wisconsin’s legacy of dairy and agriculture throughout June Dairy Month, I stand ready to continue working for Wisconsin’s family farmers.
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