AB 874 — Relating to: requiring a study by the University of Wisconsin System of agricultural programs and issues. (FE)

- 2020 LEGISLATURE LRBa1145/1LRB-5624/1 ARG:cdcARG:kjf ASSEMBLY AMENDMENT 1, TO ASSEMBLY BILL 874 February 10, 2020 - OfferedIntroduced by RepresentatiOUDENBECK.Representatives L OUDENBECK , NOVAK, PETRYK, M AGNAFICI, PLUMER , SKOWRONSKI , SUMMERFIELD and E DMING .

AtReferred theto locationsCommittee indicated,on amendAgriculture. the bill as follows:

A N A CT relating to:

requiring a study by the University of Wisconsin System of agricultural programs and issues.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau This bill requires the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System to direct a study conducted by the UW System that includes examining and evaluating all of the following:

1) funding and staffing levels for UW agricultural programs;

2) current curriculum for agricultural programs offered at UW schools, along with proposals for enhancing this curriculum;

3) the financial, technical, and other problems that Wisconsin farmers currently face, along with proposals to solve or mitigate these problems;

and 4) the programs, approaches, and strategies implemented by other states to better support their agricultural industries.

The study must include an evaluation and assessment of how factors 1) to 3) currently support Wisconsin farmers and Wisconsin's agricultural industry, along with proposals for strengthening or enhancing this support, and must include data relied upon to support the study's conclusions.

The Board of Regents must submit to the legislature a report addressing all of these matters by approximately nine months after the bill's effective date.

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:

- 2020 Legislature - 2 - LRB-5624/1 ARG:kjf ASSEMBLY BILL 874 S ECTION 1 S ECTION 1.Nonstatutory provisions.

(1) U NIVERSITY OFW ISCONSIN SYSTEM STUDY OF AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS AND ISSUES.

(a) Definitions.

In this subsection:

Page“Board” 2,has linethe 16:meaning given in s.

after36.05 “programs"(2). insert “, including certificate programs,".

2.

“College campus” has the meaning given in s.

36.05 (6m).

3.

“Institution” has the meaning given in s.

36.05 (9).

4.

“System” has the meaning given in s.

36.05 (12).

(b) Study.

1.

The board shall direct a study to be conducted by the system that includes examining and evaluating all of the following:

a.

Funding and staffing levels for agricultural programs both on a systemwide basis and at each institution or college campus, including addressing current and historical data for total authorized faculty and research positions and, of these, the numbers of filled and vacant positions.

b.

Current curriculum for agricultural programs offered at institutions and college campuses, along with proposals for enhancing this curriculum.

c.

The financial, technical, and other problems that Wisconsin farmers currently face, along with proposals to solve or mitigate these problems.

d.

The programs, approaches, and strategies implemented by other states to better support their agricultural industries.

2.