SB 325

This bill requires the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and the

Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to cooperate in

achieving certain objectives related to Wisconsin's export of agricultural products.

The bill requires WEDC to establish an agricultural exports program to

promote the export of Wisconsin's agricultural and agribusiness products.

Specifically, the bill requires WEDC and the Center for International Agribusiness

Marketing in DATCP to cooperate to achieve the following export objectives by June

30, 2026:

1. Increase the value of Wisconsin's milk and other dairy product exports by at

least 25 percent over the value as of December 31, 2021.

2. Increase the value of Wisconsin's meat, including poultry and fish, and meat

product exports by at least 25 percent over the value as of December 31, 2021.

3. Increase the value of Wisconsin's crop and crop product exports by at least

25 percent over the value as of December 31, 2021.

The bill requires that WEDC expend $5,000,000 under the program, after

requesting the Joint Committee on Finance for funding for the program. Of that

amount, the bill requires WEDC to ensure that $2,500,000 is devoted to increasing

the value of Wisconsin's milk and other dairy product exports, $1,250,000 is devoted

to increasing the value of Wisconsin's meat exports, and $1,250,000 is devoted to

increasing the value of Wisconsin's crop exports, all as provided above. Under the

bill, WEDC may not expend more than a total of $1,000,000 under the program in

any fiscal year.

No later than December 31, 2021, WEDC and DATCP must jointly submit a

plan to the legislature for how WEDC and DATCP intend to achieve the export

objectives established in the bill. The plan must include a plan to award grants

totaling at least 15 percent of the moneys appropriated for the program to Wisconsin

exporters no later than December 31, 2022. Additionally, no later than June 30,

2024, WEDC and DATCP must jointly submit a report to the legislature that

describes in detail all progress made in achieving the export goals the bill establishes

for the program, as described above.

Finally, the bill requires the Legislative Audit Bureau to conduct a program

evaluation audit of the exports program and complete its audit report no later than

December 31, 2026.