Democrats introduce bills aiming to provide financial stability for farmers

Dem lawmakers have introduced a package of measures aimed at providing financial stability to farmers in the state facing “an agricultural crisis.”

Reps. Dave Considine of Baraboo, Mark Spreitzer of Beloit, Don Vruwink of Milton and Sen. Janis Ringhand of Evansville were joined by local farmers in a Capitol news conference yesterday to unveil three bipartisan pieces of legislation that would alleviate financial pressures on new farmers and improve farm succession planning.

The first proposal would create a grant program that would provide grants of up to $50,000 to diversify small-scale farming operations, while a second measure would create a student loan assistance program for newly graduated farmers. The program would reimburse higher education debt up to $30,000 with the provision that the recipient commits to farming in Wisconsin for at least five years.

“This bill will truly help Wisconsin lead the way in supporting our next generation of farmers,” Spreitzer said.

Read more: https://www.wispolitics.com/2019/dems-introduce-bills-aiming-to-provide-financial-stability-to-farmers/