Gov. Tony Evers today signed the bill that expands the Local Roads Improvement Program. It now includes agricultural road improvement projects by creating the Agricultural Roads Improvement Program.
The Wisconsin Ag Coalition applauds the move. Member say it addresses the urgent need to repair and improve deteriorating agricultural infrastructure, burdening farmers across the state.
“The roads and bridges between farmers and food processors are literally the first link in the food supply chain,” says Jason Culotta. Culotta is the president of Midwest Food Products Association. “This program… is a big win for Wisconsin agriculture and Wisconsin consumers.”
LRIP provides significant state support to help local governments improve seriously deteriorating county highways and roads in municipalities, towns, and villages across the state. The Agricultural Roads Improvement Program would be created under LRIP to make targeted investments in eligible projects that support agriculture that would likely otherwise not receive funding from other state aid programs.
“The quality of our local roads, bridges, and highways is critical to the success of our farmers,” Evers says. “By improving agricultural roads across our state, we’re helping ensure our agricultural industries can get product to market, keep food on grocery store shelves and on our tables, and support rural communities and economies.”
ARIP will invest $150 million in making long-term improvements to rural roads, bridges, and culverts used by people living in small rural communities throughout Wisconsin. One of the bill’s authors, Rep. Travis Tranel, R-Cuba City, is calling this investment a big win.
“I am thankful the Governor signed the bill and also want to thank my colleagues from across the state, especially those from more urban areas like Milwaukee and Madison, who supported the bill and recognized the need in rural Wisconsin,” Tranel says.
2023 Wisconsin Act 13
- Creates a new program under the Local Roads Improvement Program, the Agricultural Roads Improvement Program. It improves agricultural roads that would likely not receive priority from other state aid programs; and
- Specifies eligibility requirements for a project to receive funding under the program.
“We commend the legislature and Governor Evers for passing this important measure that will give local governments, farmers, and agribusinesses the critical infrastructure funding needed to get inputs to farmers and their products to market,” says Amy Winters, lobbyist for CropLife America.
ARIP unanimously passed both houses of the legislature on June 14th and had over 50 bipartisan co-sponsors. Nearly 30 stakeholders, led by the Farm Bureau and Ag Coalition, helped move the bill across the finish line.
Pictured: Evers signed ARIP into law at Hamburg Hills Farm in Stoddard.
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