WED AM News: Federal funds expected to expand ag conservation programs; GOP lawmakers introduce community solar bill

— More farmers will be able to participate in conservation programs through funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, according to the head of the Wisconsin Farmers Union. 

Speaking yesterday during a virtual press conference organized by Dem lawmakers, WFU President Darin Von Ruden touted the impact of the IRA’s $20 billion in funding for agricultural conservation efforts. He said those federal dollars are vital for keeping farms in business as well as supporting environmental initiatives. 

“Right now, for every slot of programs that are available, only one out of every three farmers can participate because there’s not dollars available there,” he said. “So this is certainly going to open that window up to more farmers.” 

Senate Minority Leader Melissa Agard, D-Madison, noted the IRA also included $14 billion to support development of clean energy resources in rural areas. She said these federal dollars will have a direct impact on farmers in Wisconsin. Von Ruden also highlighted the potential for rural communities to benefit from this provision of the law, pointing to solar and wind projects as examples. 

“One thing that I’m hearing loud and clear from our members is that farmers want to be a part of the solution to climate change, and something that the Inflation Reduction Act will allow us to do is be those participants,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Clean Wisconsin Climate, Energy and Air Program Director Chelsea Chandler noted agriculture currently contributes more than 10 percent of U.S. climate pollution. She pointed to soil disturbance and loss from erosion, overuse of fertilizers and pesticides, and “improper” livestock management as key environmental problems in Wisconsin. 

To reduce these impacts, she argued the state’s ag industry needs to introduce more food-bearing trees and perennial plants, boost biological diversity and reduce fertilizer use. 

“The many climate-smart practices and programs that the IRA funds can help address these needs,” she said. “For example, the Conservation Stewardship Program, or CSP, can help improve grazing management and grassland conservation.” 

Dem. U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan noted IRA funding will go toward efforts to sequester carbon from the atmosphere, reduce emissions, improve surface water and groundwater quality, expand habitats for fish and wildlife and more. But he said the upcoming federal farm bill will need to “keep this level of important funding available” to meet demand for climate-focused programs. 

“We want to make sure family farmers in Wisconsin can sustain these practices that not only are good for the environment, but are good for their family farms and the practices they are doing,” he said. 

Still, Pocan raised the question of whether a 2023 farm bill will even make it through Congress to President Biden’s desk. 

“We’re hoping first of all that there’s a farm bill, period,” he said. “Because you saw our opening week, what normally is a 40-minute process of electing a speaker took five days and 15 votes … ideally, we would continue this level of funding, because there are farmers who need it and it’s good for both addressing climate as well as helping in the rural communities.” 

See a recent story on the potential for IRA funding: https://www.wisbusiness.com/2023/federal-funding-for-clean-energy-seen-as-transformational-though-state-impact-remains-uncertain/ 

— Republicans have introduced legislation that would allow communities to set up smaller solar farms intended to reduce utility costs for locals without taking up large areas of farmland.

The bill would allow community members and solar providers to come together to form a community solar company that would be allowed to build smaller solar panel fields. The measure also would require the small groups to get approval from their municipalities through a two-thirds vote. Sen. Duey Stroebel, author of the Senate version, in a Capitol news conference yesterday said utility rates are “going up way too fast.”

“And this is a way we can do something about that,” the Saukville Republican added. “We can introduce competition, and we can have community solar fill that void that we don’t have right now, in what is a monopolized business right now with power generation.”

Rep. Scott Krug, R-Nekoosa, said constituents in his rural district are concerned about large solar projects taking over thousands of acres of agricultural land. The bill’s provision to require local approval makes him “happy to be involved.”

Krug also noted the smaller community solar projects could provide lower electricity rates while only occupying small portions of land. Solar panels could go up on 20 to 40 acres of less valuable land such as brownfield sites, which leaves more productive land for agriculture and other industries, he added.

See the release:

— In a recent study, researchers at UW-Madison and the University of Maryland found corporate investment often helps boost climate-focused technologies in the later stages of development. 

The study was co-authored by Morgan Edwards, an assistant professor with UW-Madison’s La Follette School of Public Affairs and the Nelson Institute Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment, and Kavita Surana, a senior fellow at the Center for Global Sustainability at the University of Maryland. 

They focused on a dataset of 6,996 startup companies developing climate-related technologies in North America, Europe and Israel that were founded from 2005 to 2021. And they used data from 9,749 investors participating in 33,698 investment deals. 

Along with their findings on corporate investors’ role in near-market development for climate tech, the researchers also found major corporations including Shell, Samsung and Google’s parent company Alphabet are “playing an outsized role” in this space. 

These businesses each invested in more than 25 climate-tech startups between 2016 and 2021, according to the study published in the academic journal Joule. Plus, several corporations including Amazon, Ford and Alphabet each invested more than $1 billion, they found. 

Also, certain industries such as fuel cell and hydrogen technologies saw a “much higher percentage” of corporate investment than others, including hydropower, nuclear and biomass.

But Edwards argues in a release that “a whole host of new technologies” will be needed to reach a net-zero or net-negative emissions economy. 

“Many innovations are currently in development but not yet mature,” Edwards said. “Finding the right mix of corporate, private, and public investments will be critical to getting these technologies to market quickly and encouraging new innovations.”

See the release: https://cgs.umd.edu/news/new-paper-highlights-importance-corporate-investment-climate-tech-innovation 

See the full study: https://www.cell.com/joule/fulltext/S2542-4351(23)00087-9 

<br><b><i>Top headlines from the Health Care Report …</b></i> 

— Gov. Tony Evers joined Dems to announce a bill that would repeal the state’s 1849 abortion ban, saying a GOP bill to add exceptions “doesn’t cut it.” 

And scientists at UW-Milwaukee are helping develop advanced laser technologies that could shed new light on human biology and medicine. 

<i>For more of the most relevant news on COVID-19, reports on groundbreaking health research in Wisconsin, links to top stories and more, sign up today for the free daily Health Care Report from WisPolitics.com and WisBusiness.com.</i> 

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#TOP STORIES#

# The tale of two suburbs: development heavy Brookfield expands, North Shore suburbs nearly at capacity

# Milwaukee is considering legal action against Kia and Hyundai

https://www.wpr.org/milwaukee-considering-legal-action-against-kia-and-hyundai-heres-why

# UW-Madison extends Teacher Pledge to pay tuition for future educators

https://captimes.com/news/education/uw-madison-extends-teacher-pledge-to-pay-tuition-for-future-educators/article_7b0fd14e-4cba-5811-b294-99d90c5f19a4.html

#TOPICS#

# ADVERTISING 

– Real estate developer Josh Jeffers’ company to sponsor hospitality area at Summerfest amphitheater

# AGRIBUSINESS 

– WCMA expands staff to support continued growth in dairy industry

http://wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=338&yr=2023 

# ECONOMY 

– Milwaukee County 2050 event will examine challenges and opportunities facing the community in coming decades

# EDUCATION 

– UW-Madison extending tuition promise program aimed at boosting number of school teachers in state

https://www.wpr.org/uw-madison-extending-tuition-program-aimed-boosting-school-teachers-state

– Bestselling authors donate to UW-Madison to fight statewide teacher shortage

https://www.postcrescent.com/story/news/education/2023/03/21/susan-and-james-patterson-donate-5m-to-uw-madison-school-of-education/70022294007/

# HEALTH CARE 

– Ascension Wisconsin leadership team undergoing overhaul during controversial stretch

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2023/03/21/ascension-announces-shakeup-of-leadership-team-in-wisconsin/70034791007/

# INVESTING 

– Milwaukee startup zizzl raises over $3 million to support national growth

# LABOR 

– USDA to gather Wisconsin data about farm labor

http://wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=339&yr=2023 

# LEGAL 

– Milwaukee takes next step in suing Kia, Hyundai. Here’s what we know so far

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2023/03/21/milwaukee-leaders-explore-lawsuit-following-kia-hyundai-thefts/69937113007/

# REAL ESTATE 

– Three Leaf Partners’ development strategy about more than buildings. It’s also about impact.

https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2023/03/20/three-leaf-partners-multifamily-projects-impact.html

– Industrial buildings in Racine and Kenosha counties sold for $26.2 million

# RETAIL 

– Northridge Mall industrial redevelopment generates call to add retail

https://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/news/2023/03/20/northridge-mall-industrial-redevelopment-retail.html

# SPORTS 

– Wisconsin women’s hockey team makes history winning 7th national title, most of all time

https://www.wpr.org/uw-badgers-womens-hockey-team-history-winning-7th-national-title-ncaa

# TOURISM 

– Ambassador Hotel reopening restaurants, adding catering

https://www.jsonline.com/story/entertainment/dining/2023/03/21/milwaukee-ambassador-hotel-reopening-restaurants-adding-catering-deco-cafe-fitz-wyndham-covid-closed/70033124007/

– Study: Oktoberfest brings $26M of economic impact to La Crosse area, supports year-round tourism

https://lacrossetribune.com/news/study-oktoberfest-brings-26m-of-economic-impact-to-la-crosse-area-supports-year-round-tourism/article_9028285c-c810-11ed-8ae8-5f49a6f79b95.html

# UTILITIES 

– Community solar debate returns to legislature with GOP, clean energy support

https://www.jsonline.com/story/money/business/energy/2023/03/21/community-solar-bill-aims-to-change-wisconsin-clean-energy-landscape/70016630007/

# PRESS RELEASES

<i>See these and other press releases: 

https://www.wisbusiness.com/press-releases/ </i>

UW-Milwaukee: Scientists to contribute to first-of-its kind scientific imaging effort

UW-Madison: Teacher Pledge program extended