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Contact Info:
Vicki Elkin
608-251-9131 Ext. 17
608-334-1473 (cell)
Wisconsin Gov. James
Doyle is being lauded for acting decisively to protect Wisconsin
working lands in the state's biennial
budget. The governor's budget proposal, unveiled Tuesday
night, provides a set of tools to protect farm and forest lands.
In
his budget message delivered at the state Capitol, the governor
said, “Wisconsin's farms are an essential part of our
economy. Under the working lands program, this budget will slow
the loss of good farmland." He listed the working lands program
among several steps the state will take to strengthen itself in
key economic areas. “Our economy is tough and is likely to
stay tough for awhile. But any state that doesn't prepare
itself to come out of this recession stronger than we went in is
making a serious mistake. Now is our chance to get stronger and
get ready for better days to come."
 Those applauding the governor's
actions on working lands are the co-chairs of the Wisconsin Working
Lands Initiative (WLI) Steering Committee. Dan Poulson and Linda
Bochert, who led the year-long WLI study, credited the governor
for taking steps to stem the loss of working lands in the state.
"I am pleased the governor showed the foresight to bring
this critical issue to the surface. In these difficult economic
times, the governor recognizes the need to support our state's
top industry by protecting our agricultural land base," said
Poulson, a former president of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation.
Bochert,
a Madison attorney, added: "One of Wisconsin's greatest
assets is its land base. Protecting that base and maximizing its
role as an economic engine is more important today than ever. I
applaud the governor's leadership to move us toward that
goal."
The governor's
proposal includes updates to the state's
farmland preservation program, creation of a state purchase of
agricultural conservation easements (purchase of development rights)
grants program to support local protection efforts, and establishment
of voluntary agricultural enterprise areas targeted for agricultural
preservation and development. The proposal is budget-neutral.
The
WLI Steering Committee, comprised of state residents from all walks
of life, issued its final report in 2006. It contained recommendations
to stem loss of and fragmentation to the state's
working farm and forest lands. The loss of Wisconsin agricultural
lands in recent years has been estimated to be as high as 30,000
acres a year. Private forestland has rapidly fragmented due to
changes in ownership and land use.
At the request of several groups
that support the WLI, American Farmland Trust (AFT) has initiated
an effort called the Campaign for Wisconsin Farm and Forest Lands,
an outreach and education effort that supports the governor's proposal. AFT
is a nonprofit membership organization dedicated to protecting
America's strategic agricultural resources. Vicki Elkin serves
as coordinator of the Wisconsin campaign. More information on the
campaign and protecting Wisconsin working lands is at www.wisconsinfarmland.org.
"Gov. Doyle has set the stage for strategically protecting
working farm and forest lands and enhancing rural economic development," said
Elkin. "We look forward to working with the governor, lawmakers
and Wisconsin citizens in this important effort."
For more information, contact Vicki Elkin, Campaign
and Policy Associate for American Farmland Trust, at vicki@gatheringwaters.org
or 608-251-9131 x17.
Download Working
Lands Initiative Assembly Bill 75 Excerpts »
Download a summary
of the Governor's proposed budget »
Download
this press release »
Photo credit: Bill Berry
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