SB 718 — Relating to: creating a pilot grant program for farmers to reduce nitrate loading, funding research for nitrate loading reduction methods, extending the time limit for emergency rule procedures, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)

- 2020 LEGISLATURE LRBa1013/1LRB-5278/1 MCP:skwMCP:ahe&klm SENATE AMENDMENT 1, TO SENATE BILL 718 January 30,24, 2020 - OfferedIntroduced by SenatoOWLES.SenatorsOWLES and PETROWSKI , cosponsored by Representatives KITCHENS, HANKLAND , RANEL, KRUG, SUMMERFIELD , OVAK , K URTZ, POPE, HEBL, FELZKOWSKI, ANDERSON , BALLWEG , BILLING, CABRERA , C ONSIDIN, D ITTRIC, DOYLE , EDMING, EMERSON , GRUSZYNSKI , HORLACHER , K OLSTE, K ULP, LOUDENBECK , M AGNAFIC, M ILRO, M URSAU , N EUBAUER , O HNSTAD, O LDENBURG , P ETRYK, PLUMER , Q UINN, S INICK, S KOWRONSKI , SORTWELL , SPREITZER, STEFFEN, STUBBS, SUBECK , SWEARINGEN , C.TAYLOR , TUSLER , INING, RUWINK , AMARRIPA, ZIMMERMAN , ORN and SPIROS.

AtReferred theto locationsCommittee indicated,on amendNatural theResources billand asEnergy. follows:

1.A N A CT to create 20.115 (7) (cm) and 93.60 of the statutes;

Pagerelating 3,to: line 17:

deletecreating a pilot grant program for farmers to reduce nitrate loading, funding research for nitrate loading reduction methods, extending the materialtime beginninglimit withfor “The"emergency andrule endingprocedures, withproviding “$50,000."an onexemption linefrom 19.emergency rule procedures, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation.

2.Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau This bill requires the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to create a nitrogen optimization pilot program, under which DATCP awards grants to farmers to implement a project, for at least two growing seasons, that reduces nitrate loading or that uses nitrogen at an optimal rate while protecting water quality, for example by reducing nitrogen application despite a decrease in crop yield, by growing a crop that requires less nitrogen or that is nitrogen fixing, or by expanding or conserving wetlands.

PageUnder 4,the linebill, 13:a farmer may not receive more than $50,000.

deleteThe thefarmer materialmust beginningcollaborate with “Thethe department"College of Agricultural and endingLife withSciences “thatat project."the onUniversity lineof 16.Wisconsin-Madison, the Center for Watershed Science and Education at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and the University of Wisconsin-Extension (collectively, the university) to adjust the grant project to meet the university's research needs.

3.The bill requires the university to monitor grant projects on-site and to use information gathered from grant projects to research nitrate loading reduction methods, with a goal toward making recommendations to agricultural producers on - 2020 Legislature - 2 - LRB-5278/1 MCP:ahe&klm SENATE BILL 718 optimizing nitrogen usage while improving water quality in this state.

PageThe 4,bill linealso 16:requires the university to prepare a report to the legislature, based on this research, that includes information and recommendations on improving nutrient management software programs, improving nutrient management plan adoption and implementation rates, and improving or altering the state cost-share system, and that includes an assessment of the cost effectiveness of different nitrogen reduction methods and an estimate of the demand for a permanent program that is similar to the grant program established under this bill.

afterThe thatuniversity linemay insert:receive a grant for its monitoring, research, and reporting requirements under the bill.

“(4m) The departmentamount mayof notthe make a grant tomay annot agriculturalexceed producer20 andpercent of the eligibleamount universityawarded entitiesto collaborating with the agriculturalfarmer producerfor inthe angrant amountproject. that totals more than $50,000.

NoThe morebill thanrequires 20DATCP percentto ofattempt thisto totalprovide amountgrants mayto befarmers awardedin todifferent parts of the collaboratingstate eligibleand universityto entities.”.provide grants for projects in areas that have different soil types or geologic characteristics.

The bill requires DATCP to prioritize projects that are innovative and that are not currently funded through existing state or federal programs and to prioritize farmers who plan to implement projects for longer periods of time.

The bill also requires DATCP to collaborate with the farmer and the university when awarding grants under the pilot program.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

20.005 (3) (schedule) of the statutes:

at the appropriate place, insert the following amounts for the purposes indicated:

2019-20 2020-21 20.115 Agriculture, trade and consumer protection, department of (7) AGRICULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (cm) Nitrogen optimization pilot pro­ gram GPR C -0- 1,000,000 SECTION 2.

20.115 (7) (cm) of the statutes is created to read:

LRB-5278/1 - 2020 Legislature - 3 - MCP:ahe&klm SECTION 2 SENATE BILL 718 20.115 (7) (cm) Nitrogen optimization pilot program.

As a continuing appropriation, the amounts in the schedule for the nitrogen optimization pilot program under s.

93.60.

SECTION 3.

93.60 of the statutes is created to read:

93.60 Nitrogen optimization pilot program.

(1) In this section, “eligible university entities” means the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Center for Watershed Science and Education at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and the University of Wisconsin-Extension.

(2) The department shall award grants from the appropriation under s.

20.115 (7) (cm) to agricultural producers and to the eligible university entities as provided under this section.

(3) An agricultural producer may apply for and receive a grant to implement a project, for at least 2 growing seasons, that reduces nitrate loading or that uses nitrogen at an optimal rate while protecting water quality, including by reducing nitrogen application despite a decrease in crop yield, by growing a crop that requires less nitrogen or that is nitrogen fixing, or by expanding or conserving wetlands.

The department may not make a grant under this subsection to an agricultural producer in an amount more than $50,000.

The agricultural producer receiving a grant under this subsection shall collaborate with the eligible university entities to adjust the grant project to fit the needs of the academic research conducted by the eligible university entities under sub.

(4).

(4) The eligible university entities shall collaborate with an agricultural producer that applies for a grant under sub.

(3) to monitor the grant project on-site and to use information gathered from the project to research nitrate loading - 2020 Legislature - 4 - LRB-5278/1 MCP:ahe&klm SENATE BILL 718 S ECTION 3 reduction methods with a goal toward making recommendations to agricultural producers to optimize nitrogen usage while improving water quality in this state.

The eligible university entities shall prepare a report based on their research that includes information and recommendations on improving nutrient management software programs used in this state, improving nutrient management plan adoption and implementation rates, and improving or altering the state cost-share system, and that includes an assessment of the cost effectiveness of different nitrogen reduction methods and an estimate of the demand for a permanent program that is similar to the grant program established under this section.

The report shall be submitted upon completion to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under s.

13.172 (3).