Factory farm rules targeted for overhaul
GOP legislators look to shift power to new board
MADISON - Wisconsin Republicans are trying to speed a bill through the Legislature in the final days of the session that would transfer the power to regulate factory farm siting and expansion from state officials to a new board controlled by agricultural groups.
The move comes after Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’ administration angered Republicans with moves to enact tougher restrictions on such farms earlier this year.
There’s little time for the Legislature to act and even if the bill were to pass, it’s unlikely that Evers would sign it into law. The Assembly is expected to meet for the last time on Feb. 20 and the Senate is set to adjourn in March.
Sen. Howard Marklein and Rep. Travis Tranel, both Republicans, introduced the bill Tuesday. Both chambers’ agriculture committees held a hastily convened joint public hearing on the measure Thursday. Democrats on the committees balked at the pace.
The bill would fundamentally change who gets to regulate factory farms.
Currently, the state agriculture department writes regulations that are subject to approval by the Legislature and governor. A department committee last year began drafting regulations that would increase the minimum distance between manure storage facilities and neighboring properties. Agricultural groups were outraged that the committee didn’t include any farmers and complained that the proposal was so draconian it would drive farmers out of Wisconsin.
The department stopped short of implementing those restrictions amid the pushback. But Republican senators cited the unilateral approach as one of their justifications for firing Agriculture Secretary Brad Pfaff, an Evers appointee, in November.
The bill would create a new ninemember review board attached to the agriculture department. Five members would be selected from agricultural groups. The board would advise the department on regulations and the department would be prohibited from drafting any siting or expansion rules without approval from two-thirds of the board.
The proposal also would rework how factory farmers would obtain approval to open a new operation or expand an existing one.
Currently, local governments that choose to permit factory farms must ensure that the operations abide by state standards on setbacks, odor management, pollution run-off and manure management, among other things.
Under the bill, farmers looking to open or expand operations would have to apply first to the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, which would review the applications to make sure they meet the state standards. After DATCP makes a decision local governments would review the application to ensure it conforms to local zoning and building code standards.