USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack says far-right Republicans’ proposed crop subsidy cuts and slashing of land stewardship programs make a bipartisan farm bill solution harder to reach.
RURAL POLITICS
Why Wisconsin farmers are tapping into barley
Interest in local ingredients for local craft beer is driving production of barley for brewing in Wisconsin. Jim Pingel has raised four kids on his farm in Chippewa County. He had about 100 head of dairy cattle—40 that he milked up until about 2000. He’s grown corn,...
The Farm Bill is big, bold, and behind schedule. Here’s how that affects you.
Congress can’t agree on a federal budget and their disagreements could hurt farmers, consumers, global trade, and the environment.
Wisconsin’s Office of Rural Prosperity aims to spread opportunity across the state
Beth Haskovec, director of Wisconsin’s Office on Rural Prosperity, says that the office’s goal is to “be a clearinghouse for rural communities”; in her role, she focuses on being a resource for rural Wisconsinites, letting them know the state-level supports that are available to them.
3 things Wisconsin farmers are concerned about going into 2024
Wisconsin’s farmers say that farmland consolidation, immigration reform, and the Farm Bill are top of mind for an industry that is in crucial need of reform and support.
By punting the Farm Bill to 2024, Congress misses a chance to help farmers and consumers squeezed by middlemen
Far-right conservatives have already forced several spending bills into another possible government shutdown over the winter, making it necessary for the Farm Bill to go unaddressed until next fall.
Biden invests $5 billion to support rural communities, including in Wisconsin
The UW Madison Board Of Regents will use a nearly $200,000 grant to provide technical assistance to start-up cooperatives, as well as established cooperatives, in the areas of food systems, forestry, manufacturing, child care, and veterinary services.
If Republicans slash the Farm Bill, rural Wisconsin will be hit in many ways
The Farm Bill—reviewed and renewed every five years by Congress—is the main funder of rural economic development, which helps local governments, small businesses, and families in Wisconsin.
Here’s What a Government Shutdown Would Mean for Rural Communities in Wisconsin
While certain federal benefits won’t be impacted, a government shutdown would affect a number of other benefits that rural communities rely on, such as food and housing assistance.
Here’s What Rural Leaders Say Their Communities Need
A new report outlines rural policy recommendations focused on four major tenets: protecting people’s freedom to live and work safely; investing in infrastructure; reining in corporate greed and protecting workers, small businesses, and family farmers; and creating opportunities for a better future.