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Wisconsin Ag News Headlines
Kohl Secures Funding for State Ag Projects in '09 Budget Bill
Wisconsin Ag Connection - 07/18/2008

It's budget time again in Washington and U.S. Senator Herb Kohl says he was able to set some money aside for a range of Wisconsin agricultural research, development and conservation projects in the 2009 Agriculture Appropriations bill. Kohl, who is Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, says the measure provides over $97.2 billion in funding for the USDA and the Food and Drug Administration.

"There is no better place than Wisconsin to make federal investments in agriculture research and conservation," Kohl said. "There are many skilled minds and hands at work in our state, finding the best ways to farm, preserve the land and protect the food supply."

The following projects were included in the spending bill:

** $950,000 for Conservation Technology Transfer, University of Wisconsin Extension - These resources will be used to perform research, demonstration and education activities on working farms that help land managers adopt more effective conservation practices which manage nutrients and prevent runoff.

** $310,000 for Driftless Area Initiative - The Driftless Area is comprised of geologically challenging terrain in southwestern Wisconsin which has greater risk for erosion. These resources will help local RC&D organizations and non-profit collaborators promote conservation, stewardship and economic development which is compatible with local conditions.

** $450,000 for Cranberry Conservation - These funds will support research and demonstration aimed at helping cranberry growers improve water conservation and management and minimize water contamination.

** $220,000 for the Environmental Compliance Cooperative Agreement - These resources will be used for a cooperative agreement with the Dairy Business Association of Wisconsin to develop a centralized resource that will help producers comply with local, state and national environmental and land planning requirements.

** $950,000 for the Sand County Foundation - The Sand County Foundation is a non-profit corporation which will use these funds, as part of a demonstration and analysis program, to provide incentives for farmers to improve nitrogen management as a means of protecting water resources and addressing hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.

** $780,000 for Wisconsin Grazing Initiative - These funds will be utilized by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to help Wisconsin producers wishing to switch to a grazing system.

** $2,558,000 for Agriculture Research Service, Prairie du Sac - These resources will be for construction of the next installment of ARS Dairy Forage Research Center in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin. The research conducted by this unit of ARS is aimed at improving the efficiency and environmental impact of dairy farming in the United States.

** $240,000 for Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute, Alternative Milk Prices - FAPRI provides valuable economic data and modeling services for decisions makers relating to agricultural policy. These resources will support specific work related to complex economic modeling related to dairy policy.

** $120,000 for the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association Internship Program - These resources will support an internship program operated by the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association to give college students embarking on natural resource careers real world experience in natural resource management.

** $400,000 for Urban Horticulture - These funds will support education and training in urban horticulture though development of community gardens in collaboration with UW Extension and Growing Power, a non-profit organization in Milwaukee.

** $360,000 for Food Processing Entrepreneurs - The recently-enacted Farm Bill includes provisions sponsored by Kohl to allow interstate commerce in state-inspected meat products. In this era of concentrated cattle processing, new markets are critical for producers. And with nearly 300 state-inspected processing plants, Wisconsin entrepreneurs are poised to meet growing demand for local and domestic specialty meat products. These resources will be used by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to continue food safety excellence and training, provide technical assistance for market and business planning, and assist processors with packaging, label development, and marketing distribution.

** $1,500,000 for Specialty Cheese Markets - These resources will be used for the continuation of a program at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to foster the development, growth, and efficiency of a robust specialty cheese industry in Wisconsin.

** $1,550,000 for the Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium - The Wisconsin Livestock Identification Consortium, though the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, leads the nation in developing a workable approach for premise registration, a critical element of livestock identification and tracking. These resources will allow that work to continue.

** $800,000 for Nutrition Enhancement, School Breakfast Program - Wisconsin has among the lowest school breakfast participation rates in the nation. These funds will be used by University of Wisconsin Extension and the Wisconsin Department of Public Institutions to provide grants and educational material for local schools wishing to initiate and expand school breakfast.

** $350,000 for Pesticide Reduction - These resources will be used to help potato and other vegetable producers develop crops and cropping practices that minimize the use of pesticides.

** $2,774,000 for National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (ATTRA) - ATTRA provides valuable educational material and resources for producers of organic and sustainable products.

** $1,000,000 for Johnes disease research in Wisconsin - Johnes disease can dramatically reduce dairy productivity. These funds will be used by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to support vaccination, testing, construction of physical barriers, veterinary certification and related laboratory work associated with Johnes disease.

** $1,350,000 for CWD Surveillance - These resources will support the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection’s work to address chronic wasting disease in farm-raised deer. These funds will help pay for testing, fencing, depopulation, and tracking.

The Agriculture Appropriations bill now goes before the Senate for approval.


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