Incentives offered for Wisconsin agriculture

Gov. Jim Doyle announced $33 million in ag initiatives at the Dairy Business Association’s annual conference in Madison, Wis., last week. The components are part of his administration’s Next Generation Ag Plan.

It includes:

• $13 million to help producers deal with runoff pollution.
• $1.3 million in tax credits to update and upgrade dairy processing facilities.
• $800,000 for a grazing-lands conservation initiative.
• $10 in industrial revenue bonds for whey processing plants to increase capacity and invest in international markets.
• Up to $1 million in tax credits to modernize meat processing plants.
• Tax credit to help cheese cooperatives streamline their businesses and work together.

The last two items still require legislative approval; the other incentives were included in the state’s latest budget that was signed in October.

This is a new way of doing business, says Doyle. “We’ll get more done by working together.”

Source: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel

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