Jordan Lamb
WCA Legislative Council
The Welch Group
WCA and Legislative Action
The Wisconsin Cattlemen's Association (WCA) is the voice of the Wisconsin Cattle Producer.
Through our legislative efforts in Madison, we continue to represent and protect the beef producer's best interests. We work closely with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association to stay informed of national issues that will affect Wisconsin beef producers. Our membership and Board of Directors work daily to keep beef demand strong in Wisconsin and the country.
US Capitol
Investing in the WCA
We are excited to share our legislative key wins that reinforce the impact the Wisconsin Cattlemen's Association has on the industry. Please use these materials during membership conversations, producer meetings, events, and more. For printed copies of these materials, reach out to the Wisconsin Cattlemen's office at [email protected].
Wisconsin's State Budget Process Continues
By Jordan Lamb, The Welch Group
The Wisconsin State Legislature continues to work on preparing amendments to Governor Evers’ proposed 2025-27 biennial budget bill, which he presented in February. Following the conclusion of four statewide public hearings on the bill in April, which the Joint Committee on Finance held in Kaukauna, West Allis, Hayward and Wausau, the Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee met on May 8 and removed 612 of Gov. Tony Evers’ proposals from the state budget as “non-fiscal policy” items. The Committee also amended the bill to take it back to the current base budget, meaning that they will start with a bill reflecting the spending approved in the 2023-2025 budget rather than starting from the Governor’s spending proposal.
On May 15, the Legislative Fiscal Bureau (LFB) released updated state revenue estimates for the Legislature to use while working on the budget. According to the LFB, the projected gross balance in the general fund will be $4,337.7 million, which is $70.2 million above the January projection of $4,267.5 million. This means that the legislature still has a surplus to work with for this biennial budget process, but the projected surplus is $335 million less than was previously expected.
The top priority for WCA and the Wisconsin Ag Coalition in this biennial budget bill is securing additional funding for the Agricultural Road Improvement Program (ARIP), a local road improvement grant program through the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. The 2023-25 state budget invested $150 million to create ARIP, the nation’s first agriculture-specific road funding program. The funding provided through this program upgraded local roads that are essential to farms and forestry operations. As part of the initial two rounds of grant applications, the Department of Transportation received nearly 300 requests totaling over $500 million—more than triple the available funds. The Ag Coalition is seeking an additional $150 million over the 2025-27 biennium for the ARIP program to continue investment into Wisconsin’s rural infrastructure.
In addition, the WCA and the Ag Coalition have requested support from the legislature in the 2025-27 budget bill to incentivize use and production of biofuels in Wisconsin; continued funding for farmer-led conservation programs; continued support for the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports; and increased investment in animal health. Many of these proposals were also included in the Governor’s budget proposal.
However, included in Governor Evers’ version of the budget is also $3.7 million to provide farmers with fencing to prevent wolves from killing or injuring livestock. Most of the funding allocated by Governor Evers would fund fencing used to deter wolves in areas where they are chronically preying on livestock and $25,000 of the funding would support DNR wolf monitoring. WCA continues to work with federal lawmakers to support the federal delisting of the gray wolf in Wisconsin.
The Legislature is working toward finalizing their 2025-27 budget proposal by the end of June at which time they will send their version back to Governor Evers for his review, potential vetoes, and approval as early as July.
Positions on the Issues
Learn more about the issues and where WCA stands in order to protect the best interests of the beef industry on state and national levels.
2021-23 Biennial Budget Summary
On July 8, 2021, Governor Evers signed the 2021-23 biennial budget bill. The bill provides for approximately $88 billion in spending for the State of Wisconsin over the next two fiscal years.
Have questions or comments about any of our Legislative Efforts?
Email Rachel Harmann or call 920-255-6920. We would love to hear from you!