THU AM News: Wisconsin ranked 19th for health of women and children in new report; Airline pilots among fastest declining job category in state

— Wisconsin is ranked 19th in the country for the health of its women and children, according to the latest report from the United Health Foundation. 

That’s down five spots from last year’s ranking of 14th, but still better than the state’s overall health ranking of 23rd in the organization’s most recent annual report. Wisconsin’s lower ranking in the latest report represents one of the larger drops across the country. 

The report highlights factors negatively impacting the health of women and children in the state, including excessive drinking for adult women, a high rate of tobacco use among pregnant women, rising drug deaths and teen suicides. 

On top of that, Wisconsin has a relatively low number of children with “adequate” health insurance, according to the report. 

Still, the state ranked above the U.S. average in a number of areas including behavioral health for children, for which Wisconsin was ranked 10th in the nation. 

Wisconsin was also ranked above average for health policy related to women and children, though policy related to infants in particular was ranked just below the national average. 

In the clinical care category, Wisconsin was ranked 8th overall, driven by a strong performance for both women and infants. And health outcomes for women in the state were ranked 9th overall. 

See more: http://www.wisbusiness.com/2019/wisconsin-ranked-19th-for-health-of-women-and-children-in-new-report/ 

— Wisconsin’s fastest declining job category over the past nine years includes airline pilots, copilots and flight engineers, according to a recent study from CommercialCafe. 

In 2009, the state had 530 workers in these positions, the study shows. By 2018, that dropped to just 40 jobs, for a decrease of 92 percent. 

In many U.S. states, including the Midwest, the fastest declining occupations are in the industrial sector. Report authors chalk that up to increased automation of certain tasks that were once only performed by people. 

But in Wisconsin’s case, the job category with the greatest losses has a comparatively low automation probability — 18 percent, according to the study. By comparison, California lost 90 percent of its motion picture projectionist jobs since 2009, and that occupation has a 97 percent automation probability. 

Nationwide, the fastest declining job was farm labor contractor, with an 80 percent drop. Study authors say multiple factors could be contributing to this change, including farmers switching to crops that require less human labor. 

CommercialCafe is a commercial real estate information provider run by Yardi Systems, a large software company based in California. 

See the report: http://www.commercialcafe.com/blog/fastest-declining-jobs-in-the-us/ 

— The Senate’s Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules co-chair is threatening to block proposed state rules governing local approval of new or expanding livestock facilities unless the Evers administration starts over. 

Earlier this week, ag groups raised concerns about the proposed revisions, saying they could force some farms out of business. The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has stressed the proposed changes would only apply to new farms or those that undertake a significant expansion, meaning most current operations wouldn’t be impacted. 

But Sen. Steve Nass, R-Whitewater, said it has “been stunning to watch as DATCP bureaucrats have been rushing to move forward potentially devastating regulatory changes” and accused the agency of ignoring input from the ag community. 

Under state law, local governments don’t have to require permits for livestock facilities. But if they do, locals are required to abide by state standards. 

Among other things, the Evers administration is proposing new setback standards. For example, new facilities with at least 500 animals or those looking to expand to that many would have to site manure storage facilities at least 600 to 2,500 feet from neighbors’ property lines, depending on the herd size. That setback could be reduced if the farms took steps to mitigate the odor. 

DATCP plans to present a draft proposed rule to the agency board today with a final version to be voted on Nov. 7. 

— Rep. Mike Gallagher is calling for the United States to “completely change how we do business” in the foreign policy sector in the face of growing competition from China. 

Speaking at a closed-door reception this week in Washington hosted by the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce, the Green Bay Republican called China “a near-peer adversary of the order of the threat we faced from the Soviet Union.” WisPolitics.com was invited to the reception. 

But unlike the Cold War-era rivalry with the Soviets, Gallagher warned that “incredibly intertwined” economies meant competition with China would manifest itself on the home front. 

“It’s not as easy as us saying we can just turn this off and we can decouple our economies,” he said. “Wisconsin farmers sell a ton of soybeans to China, we have those kinds of companies like Hatco in Sturgeon Bay that make big toaster oven things that have factories in China and sell a lot of stuff to China.” 

Gallagher said the United States was “rightfully trying to get tough on China economically,” but knocked the Trump administration’s use of unilaterally imposed tariffs, which have led to escalating tit-for-tat retaliatory duties. 

See more at WisPolitics.com: http://www.wispolitics.com/2019/wed-pm-update-barrett-perez-tout-dems-revamped-ground-game/ 

— Milwaukee’s Midwest Energy Research Consortium is set to receive $1.67 million from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration, according to a recent release. 

The funds will be used to purchase training and development equipment for the M-WERC Center, supporting training for line workers, test technicians, power engineers and other positions. 

M-WERC is partnering with UW-Milwaukee, Milwaukee Area Technical College, the Innovative Educational Solutions Institute and corporate partners to train workers in M-WERC’s “extreme power conversion” development programs. 

“We’re excited about our ability to meet the critical workforce needs of our members as Milwaukee’s aging workforce begins to retire,” said Dan Ebert, executive director of M-WERC. “We already have commitments from our members to hire the first 100 graduates as soon as we can get them trained.” 

M-WERC was first founded in 2009 by a small group of universities and companies to support early-stage energy research. Since then, it’s grown to more than 90 members with an annual budget of more than $1 million. 

See the release: http://www.wisbusiness.com/2019/midwest-energy-research-consortium-economic-development-administration-announces-1-67-million-for-m-werc/ 

— The Wisconsin Technology Council has announced Marques Ogden, a former professional football player, will be the keynote speaker at the Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium Nov. 6 at the Monona Terrace.

Ogden will discuss how he recovered after his construction company lost $2 million on a project and consequently went bankrupt.

Recipient of the Top 100 MBE Winners Through The Center For Business Inclusion and Diversity and the Winner of the Rising Star Under Age 40 Award, Ogden is currently a speaker, author, marketer and business coach.

Tickets for the event can be found online: http://web.cvent.com/event/723ea893-2b2d-405b-b45f-0e453ad85e69/summary 

See more at Madison Startups: http://www.madisonstartups.com/former-nfl-player-ogden-to-keynote-ess/ 

#TOP STORIES#

# Proposal would increase penalties for assaults on Wisconsin nurses

http://www.wpr.org/proposal-would-increase-penalties-assaults-wisconsin-nurses

# GOP lawmaker vows to kill rules to reduce farm manure smell

http://www.apnews.com/af0ee63c40fc44cea146421d6bcfdd96

# Bryon Riesch Paralysis Foundation gives $1.25 million to Medical College of Wisconsin

# New investment to help M-WERC add 250 people for engineering, technician jobs in Milwaukee

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2019/09/18/new-investment-to-help-m-werc-add-250-people-for.html

#TOPICS#

# AGRIBUSINESS 

– WFU disagrees with counterparts over ATCP 51 changes

http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=1054&yr=2019

# CONSTRUCTION 

– Cristo Rey breaks ground on new $33 million campus

# FOOD AND BEVERAGE

– Get an early look at Wisconsin’s first Wahlburgers restaurant: Slideshow

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2019/09/18/get-an-early-look-at-wisconsins-first-wahlburgers.html

– Sneak peek inside Wahlburgers’ first Wisconsin location in Brookfield

# LABOR 

– Wisconsin GM workers part of nationwide strike

http://www.wpr.org/wisconsin-gm-workers-part-nationwide-strike

# POLITICS 

– DNC on the mind as Milwaukee business executives take over Washington: Slideshow

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2019/09/18/dnc-on-the-mind-as-milwaukee-business-executives.html

– Wisconsin Farm Bureau members return from Washington trip

http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=1055&yr=2019

# REAL ESTATE 

– Elm Grove home sold for nearly $1.8 million

– Metro Milwaukee home sales up 5% in August, GMAR says

# REGULATION 

– Key state lawmaker vows to lill manure storage rules

http://www.wpr.org/key-state-lawmaker-vows-kill-manure-storage-rules

– Lead on lead: Bills call on schools, daycares to test for contamination

# RETAIL 

– Kohl’s seasonal hiring plans include 1,640 Milwaukee-area jobs

# SMALL BUSINESS 

– Menomonee Valley celebrates local businesses with third annual Valley Week

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2019/09/18/menomonee-valley-celebrates-local-businesses-with.html

# SPORTS 

– The Ryder Cup’s newest business partner to debut activations at 2020 event at Whistling Straits

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2019/09/18/the-ryder-cups-newest-business-partner-to-debut.html

# TOURISM 

– Lakefront Brewery makes adjustments in effort to boost attendance at Fall Fest of Ale

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2019/09/18/lakefront-brewery-makes-adjustments-in-effort-to.html

– 700-mile bike network planned for Milwaukee and surrounding Southeastern Wisconsin counties

http://madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/mile-bike-network-planned-for-milwaukee-and-surrounding-southeastern-wisconsin/article_bbebabe4-e6a5-5de0-ab6f-92336728b167.html

– September 20 is Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Day

http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=1056&yr=2019

# COLUMNS 

– Plain Talk: Trump has made things worse for farmers, but will it matter?

http://madison.com/ct/opinion/column/dave_zweifel/plain-talk-trump-has-made-things-worse-for-farmers-but/article_686db6f8-deb5-570c-8b6a-6ca80d1c7cad.html

# PRESS RELEASES

<i>See these and other press releases: 

http://wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Content=82 </i>

Midwest Energy Research Consortium: Economic Development Administration announces $1.67 Million for M-WERC

Wisconsin Nurses Association: Workplace violence legislation