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SB 1146

Relating to: a dairy agriculture resilience investment now grant pilot program, granting rule-making authority, and making an appropriation. (FE)

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Sarah Keyeski and 3 co-sponsors

Wisconsin would create a limited, time-bound Dairy Agriculture Resilience Investment NOW Grant Pilot Program to fund resilience-focused upgrades for dairy operations.

Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 1146

Summary of Bill: SB 1146 (Session 2025, Wisconsin)

Overview

  • Intent: Establish a pilot program called the “Dairy Agriculture Resilience Investment NOW Grant Pilot Program.” The bill authorizes rule-making authority and makes an appropriation to support dairy farmers’ resilience, risk management, and sustainability efforts in Wisconsin.
  • Status: Introduced March 19, 2026; referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Revenue. The action history indicates it did not pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1 as of the latest update, but the bill text and specific provisions would still be relevant for understanding its aims and potential impact if enacted.

Key Provisions

  1. Dairy Agriculture Resilience Investment NOW Grant Pilot Program (Pilot Program)

    • Creation of a limited-duration grant program aimed at enhancing resilience in Wisconsin’s dairy sector.
    • Intended to provide financial assistance to dairy operations to adopt practices, technologies, or investments that increase resilience to market, climate, supply chain, or operational disruptions.

  2. Grant Eligibility and Use

    • Establishes criteria for eligible recipients (likely dairy farms, cooperatives, or other dairy-related agricultural entities; specific definitions would be in the bill text).
    • Outlines allowable uses of grant funds (examples commonly seen in similar programs include infrastructure upgrades, water/efficiency improvements, renewable energy, record-keeping or risk management tools, and risk mitigation strategies). The exact eligible expenses would be defined in the statute or implementing rulemaking.

  3. Rule-Making Authority

    • Grants the relevant state agency or agencies the authority to promulgate rules necessary to implement the pilot program.
    • Rules would cover application processes, scoring criteria, reporting requirements, compliance, and administration of funds.

  4. Funding and Appropriation

    • Provides a state appropriation to fund the pilot program.
    • Details on the total dollar amount, funding source, duration, and any matching requirements or caps per project or applicant would be in the bill’s text.

  5. Duration and Sunset

    • As a pilot program, the bill likely includes a sunset provision or an evaluation timeline to assess effectiveness and determine whether to expand, modify, or sunset the program after a defined period.

  6. Monitoring and Reporting

    • May require periodic reporting on grant distributions, outcomes, and metrics related to resilience, productivity, or financial stability of recipients.
    • Possible requirements for impact assessments or program evaluations to inform future policy decisions.

Who Is Affected

  • Primary Beneficiaries: Wisconsin dairy farmers and dairy-related operations seeking grants to bolster resilience.
  • Indirect Beneficiaries: The broader dairy industry and rural communities through increased productivity, stability, and potential spillover effects in jobs and local economies.
  • State Agencies: Agencies responsible for agriculture, finance, and program administration that would implement, monitor, and report on the pilot.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Introduction and Referral: SB 1146 introduced and referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Revenue.
  • Lifespan: As a pilot, it is expected to have a defined timeframe with a sunset or evaluation point.
  • Future Considerations: If the bill progresses, it would undergo committee hearings, potential amendments, and floor votes. Implementation would rely on subsequent rule-making to specify administration and eligibility details.

Notes and Considerations

  • The bill text would provide specific eligibility criteria, grant amounts, matching requirements (if any), and precise eligible activities.
  • The success and impact of the program would depend on appropriated funding levels, the efficiency of rule-making, and how well metrics capture resilience improvements.
  • No lobbying activity information was reported in the available materials, suggesting limited public advocacy disclosures in the provided record.

If you would like, I can extract and summarize the exact sections from the bill text (definitions, eligibility, funding, and rules) once the full text is accessible.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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