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Wisconsin farmers push for more local road funding

A coalition of Wisconsin farm organizations would like to see the Legislature budget additional money for local road improvements. 

Jason Mugnaini with Wisconsin Farm Bureau says, “The Wisconsin farmers’ biggest hurdle right now seems to be the roads just outside their farms.”

Mugnaini tells Brownfield most farms are accessed by town and county roads, roads that don’t get much funding for maintenance or upgrades.  Mugnaini says these roads often get weight restrictions which make it difficult and more expensive to move farm goods to market, especially perishable products like milk. “With all of those, efficiencies to keep costs low on the farm are just thrown out the window, so we’ll be asking as Wisconsin Farm Bureau and our ag coalition for 150 million dollars in critical agricultural roads specific for the agricultural industry, a big ask from us.”

Mugnaini says farmers should join the ag coalition Wednesday at the Capitol to help bring that message to lawmakers.

Wisconsin does enter the new budget-making process with a nearly seven-billion-dollar surplus, Republicans control the Legislature and its budget-writing Joint Finance Committee.  Republicans say Democratic Governor Tony Evers’ proposed budget would spend more than the surplus can cover.