Republican Budget Cutters Stoke more Rural Resentment, defund UW Extension Programs for Farmers, 4-H and small communities.

If Scott Walker's $3.6 million budget cut to the UW Extension doesn't get rural Republican voters riled up, nothing will. It continues the Republican assault on their own rural constituents that keeps them frustrated and angry at their own government.

The UW Extension "provides farmers with technical assistance, nutrient management and more," but those days are slipping away, thanks to cuts signed by Walker.  WISC:

Farmers and Rural Walker supporters targeted for big cuts that could contaminate drinking water and damage land conservation, lakes and streams.

No really, say goodbye to clean lakes and streams. And don’t drink Wisconsin’s water either.

Farm Program never consulted by Walker: If Scott Walker is trying to appeal to Iowa voters, especially rural farmers, than his latest budgetary cut should make them run the other way. In fact, Walker and the Republicans have betrayed them. As I've pointed out so many other times, the Democrats have been backing rural Wisconsin businesses and farmers for years. I've got a list of stories here.

Walker’s budget guts everything. Both the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation and Discovery Farms were never consulted by Walker. It's all part of spinning the UW off.

WSJ: Researchers and supporters of a program that helps farmers run cleaner and more efficient operations say they were “stunned” and “blindsided” by Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to cut a third of the project’s funding. Discovery Farms, a UW-Extension program that dates to 2001, applies science … to control runoff, calibrate fertilizer use and employ techniques to conserve land and water.

It has a $750,000 budget, of which $248,000 would be cut in the governor’s proposed state budget … UW-Extension noted the loss affects longstanding projects and the ability of the small program to leverage crucial additional grants and funds.

Apparently, Walker wants to get rid of a surcharge on the sale of farm chemicals, resulting in shortfalls and thus, cuts to the program:  

An Omen we ignored...

The project’s programs include monitoring 20 state farms and educating thousands of farmers on conservation strategies. “This was a big surprise to our agency partners as well as our partners in farm groups and in UW-Extension,” she said. “We never had an inkling.”

The $248,000 comes from a surcharge on farm chemical sales that would be discontinued.

The Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, a statewide farm support association, was puzzled by the proposed cuts to agricultural research and noted specifically “the innovative on-farm work” of Discovery Farms in its response to the budget. “We are obviously going to be working with the Legislature to reinstate the funding,” said Farm Bureau lobbyist Paul Zimmerman, citing a need for “farm research that backs up regulatory models.”

Deleting the related fertilizer surcharge also drew the attention of the Farm Bureau. That money finances the Fertilizer Research Council and related projects researching soil management, plant nutrition problems, and surface water and groundwater problems that are related to fertilizer use.

Walker doesn't want the UW to get funding, that much is even clearer.

In 2013-14, those fees brought $280,000 to the UW System for research and $166,300 to UW-Extension for outreach, sums separate from the funding for Discovery Farms.

Wisconsin Lost Thousands of Farms and acres: "...USDA classifies both losses as among the most significant in the nation."

Wisconsin's year by year numbers on farm losses isn't available yet (check link in story), but it's easy to see we're one of the worst in the country. Scott Walker and the Republicans are treating their family farm voting base like shit. Check out this, this, this, this, this, this and this. 

 First, the report:

AP: A new federal report shows Wisconsin has lost thousands of farms and, perhaps more disturbingly, thousands of acres that were once farmed are no longer. The census shows Wisconsin lost 8,700 farms from 2007 to 2012. It also lost more than 620,000 acres of farmland during that time. The USDA classifies both losses as among the most significant in the nation.

In fact, Scott Walker made it worse, when Republicans passed a law that, believe it or not, keeps family farms from being passed on to their kids. There's a chance we're going to shed farms more quickly now:

Lawmakers Call for Repeal of New Wisconsin Death Tax: New law threatens financial security of family farmers … The state budget signed a month ago included laws giving the state power to collect money and property from families whose loved ones received Medicaid services when they were alive, including the power to file foreclosures on properties. The law changes received no public hearings. The changes may also prevent farming families from passing their farm onto the next generation should the parents need long-term care in the future.

Rep. Dana Wachs (D-Eau Claire) said, “If this is not rolled back, it may become impossible to pass the family farm or small business on to the new generation.”

Now Walker wants to lift the restriction limiting foreign investors and corporations from purchasing more than 640 acres of land in the state.

Walker Authority about to end Family Farms and small Businesses in a single Generation.

Republicans have bashed the estate tax for supposedly destroying family farms, small businesses and taking a person’s hard earned money away.

Who would have guessed the Scott Walker Authority would have sneaked in a way to do what the estate tax does, and more?

I've always argued that farmers should be voting Democratic, because Republicans have done everything they can to take their farms and health dignity away. Hell, they don’t even care about high speed internet access in rural communities.

Farmers and small family businesses, wake up, you’re about to lose it all:

Post Crescent: Provisions buried in the new Wisconsin budget dramatically expanded the state’s ability to claim dead couples’ joint property, such as Green Bay Packers tickets or the family farm, to recoup Medicaid expenses — even if the assets are protected in trusts … (to) recover Medicaid money spent on a number of long-term care programs which helps keep disabled and elderly people out of costly nursing homes.

These are the kind of people that are easily targeted and vulnerable.

The state has prioritized recovering every dollar spent on Medicaid over families’ well-being, said Carol Wessels, a Wauwatosa attorney and former chair of the state bar’s Elder Law Section Board of Directors. “My clients are stunned,” Wessels said.

Federal law requires states to recover Medicaid payouts … The state budget language goes far beyond that … would allow DHS to claim property even if it’s not subject to probate, a legal process creditors can use to settle debt after a death, or held in a trust, to protect property from probate.

Republicans targeted small businesses and family farms for dissolution or sale to who knows who… corporate buyers, for what? They changed what didn't have to be changed, to supposedly “protect taxpayers,” the old stand by excuse that shows no mercy.

The (old) regulations allow applicants to transfer some assets, such as interest in a business, at less than market value without penalty. The Wisconsin budget eliminates that exemption, which means a Wisconsin resident seeking Medicaid coverage for long-term care would have to sell his or her assets, such as a share of a family business or farmland, for full market value even if it was going to a child.

If rural voters continue to support Republicans, they won't have anything left under the Walker Authority's rule. It's true Walker gave agriculture a huge tax cut, but at what price?

But the estate tax, well that affects the really wealthy so they will continue to oppose that.

Democrats again defend Farmers and Small Businesses, the supposed "base" of the Republican Party.

Republican say they're defending family farms from the estate tax, but on the other hand, can't wait to take those family farms away if farmers had ever received Medicaid for long term care, among other reasons. This will also affect small businesses. Is this as cruel as it sounds?

Lawmakers Call for Repeal of New Wisconsin Death Tax: New law threatens financial security of family farmers and creates potential marriage penalty for seniors.

The state budget signed a month ago included several important changes to the laws giving the state power to collect money and property from families whose loved ones received Medicaid services when they were alive, including the power to file foreclosures on properties. The law changes received no public hearings.

Here's Market to Market on Retiring Farmers:

Wisconsin attorneys say the changes will have the effect of encouraging married seniors to get divorced or discouraging single older couples to not get married. The changes may also prevent farming families from passing their farm onto the next generation should the parents need long-term care in the future.

Eau Claire attorney Peter Grosskopf, former chair of the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Elder Law Section (said) “The new law makes sweeping changes that will adversely impact family farms and small businesses. It will have the likely effect of encouraging divorces among our elderly because it erodes the spousal impoverishment protections that have existed for decades.”

Rep. Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee), a member of the Joint Finance Committee (said) “The changes could force farmers and seniors all across Wisconsin into having to make terrible choices between their families and their financial security.”

Rep. Gary Hebl (D-Sun Prairie), the ranking Democrat on the Assembly Judiciary Committee, said he was concerned that several of the changes likely violate federal law, according to an analysis by State Bar of Wisconsin. “Experienced elder law attorneys have indicated that several of these new provisions conflict with federal Medicaid law.”

Rep. Dana Wachs (D-Eau Claire) said, “If this is not rolled back, it may become impossible to pass the family farm or small business on to the new generation.”

Richards, Hebl, Wachs, Kahl and Doyle will soon be introducing legislation to restore Wisconsin’s Medicaid estate recovery and divestment laws to their original form before the budget was signed to help Wisconsin seniors, farmers and their families.

Republicans attack Farmers again, as they micromanage their businesses and pick winners-Big Energy.

I keep telling Democrats, go after farmers and run down the list of ways they support family farms, while point out how Republicans have gotten in the way of everything.

Doing just what they say no one else should do, Republicans State Rep. Mark Honadel wants to pick winners and losers, holding electric providers harmless in the courts.

WKOW: Republican state lawmakers are trying to pass a bill that would protect electric companies from stray voltage lawsuits.

Some farmers, like Steve Bollant, have successfully sued electric providers for damages resulting from stray voltage on their farms.

Bollant, a Grant County dairy farmer, says his farm would have been bankrupt if he hadn't won a lawsuit filed against Scenic Rivers for damages. Bollant says stray voltage from old power lines killed dozens of cows and cut milk production in half. In 2010, a jury found Scenic Rivers liable for damages and ordered them to pay Bollant $5 million. "If we never would have won that case, we wouldn't be milking here today."

You won’t believe the excuse Republicans are using to “pick winners and losers.” Oh, and of course they’re protecting consumers (taxpayers):

The legislators say lawsuits involving stray voltage are too costly and those costs are passed on to the customers. Assembly Bill 257 would still allow farmers to file lawsuits, but only if they can prove recklessness or malicious intent. In any other situation, lawmakers believe state regulations provide enough protection.

Republican Rep. Mark Honadel says he was raised on a dairy farm and understands how difficult it can be, but says the costs for the rest of the electric providers' customers are just too high.

A farmer would have to prove an electric company meant to kill his cows. Would I kid you? Good luck with that.

Republican's betray Farmer's!

I've blogged about it before, here, here, here, but it bears repeating; Republicans are using the votes of independent farmers, when in fact, they are their biggest enemy.

With the introduction of pet legislation from State Sen. Frank Lasee, a farmer's property rights are about to take a hit, not to mention the possible loss of their livelihood and home. Finally finding a frivolous lawsuit (aren't they all?) he likes, Lasee would expose farmers to lawsuits, all for just making some money and leasing their land to the owners of a wind turbines.

Walker Authority turning on Farmers & Rural Voters now!!! They have been all along.

Farmers are known to died-in-the-wool conservatives. They’re self-made, hardworking, no nonsense businessmen and women.

Surprise! They’re now on the receiving end of Scott Walker’s big business, big government takeover of Wisconsin. Conservative voters who celebrated Walker’s big recall win are suddenly not so happy.

I don’t think farmers ever knew it was their party holding up high speed internet access. They should also ask State Sen. Frank Lasee why he wants to give anyone living near a leased wind turbine the ability to sue farmers into bankruptcy with frivolous lawsuits. Now the Walker Authority is coming for their land.

Daily Reporter: A group representing Wisconsin farmers said its lobbying agenda this

spring will include opposition to Gov. Scott Walker’s plan to eliminate limits on foreign land ownership. No foreign person, company or government can buy more than 640 acres of land in Wisconsin. A provision eliminating that cap is included in Walker’s budget proposal, which the Legislature is reviewing.

“Under this proposal, any foreign individual, corporation or government can come in and buy up as much land as they want. This will drive up land prices so high that Wisconsinites won’t be able to buy the neighbor’s farm that comes up for sale or the neighboring 40 acres at a decent price that they can afford,” Wisconsin Farmers Union President Darin Von Ruden told the Fond du Lac Reporter.

“What’s that going to do to the Wisconsin landscape and our ability to produce food for our people?” he added.

How quaint, "food for the people." Sounds like socialism to me. Catching up slowly, farmers are also starting to wake-up to who’s been blocking their ability to expand their business online:

The group’s legislative agenda also includes a push for expanding broadband services in rural areas. Von Ruden said many farm families still lack Internet access.

What, they can’t wait for the free market to eventually provide service like the Republican Party insists will happen someday, when it's profitable?

And even more ironic, the rural voter has more political power overall by virtual of land size and the number of district’s, and Republicans are using their legislative majorities to now block out farmers.

Don’t even get me started on affordable health care for farmers or the delayed farm bill. I still don't get why farmers would keep voting Republican. On every issue above, Democrats have supported them

Walker proposes Selling Wisconsin Farmland to Foreign Interests!!!

I have never understood why farmers bought into the Republican ideology so easily. Do they really like a party that basically hates its own government, works one month out of the year (if that), and hypocritically loves collecting a taxpayer salary with government run health care, is on their side or looking out for them?

Well, the next big assault, after jumping on the corporate-farm wagon, is selling off the agricultural land that represents the very backbone of our state economy. WPR audio:

BUDGET WOULD ALLOW EASIER FOREIGN PURCHASE OF WISCONSIN FARMLAND: A provision in Governor Scott Walker's latest budget is causing concern among some farmers in the state.

For decades, foreign investors and corporations couldn't purchase more than 640 acres of land in the state. The provision was originally put in place over concern Canada was trying to buy up land in Minnesota and other states. Now, Governor Walker says he wants those restrictions lifted because it conflicts with international trade treaties. 

Hold on a second. I thought Republicans were against losing U.S. sovereignty to foreign countries? Not when they can make a buck, and push more small farmers off their land.

Kara Slaughter is the government relations director with the Wisconsin Farmers Union. She says the proposed change could make already expensive farm land even more costly: "We open the flood gates to a tremendous influx of investment capital into the farmland sector, that could make ownership of farmland simply unattainable for average farms."