Wisconsin Legislative Council
AMENDMENT MEMO
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Memo published: April 17, 2023 Contact: Benjamin Kranner, Staff Analyst
2023 Senate Bill 59 Senate Amendment 1
2023 SENATE BILL 59
2023 Senate Bill 59 expands eligibility of producer-led groups for the watershed protection grant
program administered by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP).
The bill also provides that producer-led groups may be eligible for various lake and river protection
grant programs administered by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
DATCP Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grant Eligibility
Current law directs DATCP to provide grants for nonpoint source pollution abatement activities
conducted with the assistance of producer-led groups. In order to be eligible for these grants, a
producer-led group must include at least five agricultural producers, each of whom operates an “eligible
farm,” located in a single watershed.
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2023 Senate Bill 59 expands eligibility for these grants by allowing the five agricultural producers to be
located in a single watershed or in adjacent watersheds. The bill defines “watershed” as a watershed
delineated by the U.S. Geological Survey using its 12-digit hydrologic unit code system.
DNR Lake and River Grant Eligibility
Current law directs DNR to provide grants for lake management planning, lake monitoring and
protection, lake management and classification, and river protection activities.
2023 Senate Bill 59 provides that producer-led groups conducting producer-led group projects may be
eligible for these DNR grants.
SENATE AMENDMENT 1
DATCP Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grant Eligibility
Senate Amendment 1 removes the bill’s definition of “watershed” as a watershed delineated by the U.S.
Geological Survey using its 12-digit hydrologic unit code system. The amendment thus retains current
law under which “watershed” is not defined for purposes of this DATCP grant program.
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1
“Eligible farm” is defined in s. 91.86 (1), Stats., as “a farm that produced at least $6,000 in gross farm revenues during
the taxable y ear preceding the year in which a petition is filed requesting [DATCP] to designate an area in which the
farm is located as an agricultural enterprise area or a total of at least $18,000 in gross farm revenues during the 3 tax
able y ears preceding the year in which a petition is filed.”
2
In testimony before the committee at the public hearing, DATCP stated that a producer-led group currently may apply
at the 12-digit hydrologic unit code system or at either of the geographically larger 10-digit or 8-digit hydrologic unit
code systems. - 2 -
DNR Lake and River Grant Eligibility
Senate Amendment 1 provides that if a producer-led group is not a legal entity, the grant must be
awarded to a legal entity on behalf of the producer-led group.
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BILL HISTORY
Senator Cowles offered Senate Amendment 1 on March 24, 2023. On April 10, 2023, the Senate
Committee on Agriculture and Tourism voted to recommend adoption of the amendment and passage
of the bill, as amended, both on votes of Ayes, 9; Noes, 0.
For a full history of the bill, visit the Legislature’s bill history page.
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3
This aspect of the amendment adds to the DNR grant programs a provision similar to one currently contained in
DATCP’s producer-led watershed protection grant program. See s. 93.59 (1), Stats.