DATCP: Public hearings scheduled to make agricultural enterprise areas official

Contact: Jane H. Larson (608) 224-5005

MADISON—Two public hearings will be held in August, the next step in the process needed to officially designate Wisconsin’s first Agricultural Enterprise Areas.

Twelve areas of mostly agricultural land covering nearly 200,000 acres will be the focus of the hearings sponsored by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. An agricultural enterprise area or AEA has been targeted for agricultural preservation and agricultural development by local communities and is part of Wisconsin’s Working Lands Initiative.

Groups of farmers and local government worked together to develop a petition to identify unique areas that are important for preserving farmland and growing agricultural businesses. An AEA does not control land use but it is a tool that the local community can use to help promote the future viability of existing agricultural and agriculture-related land use. Once an area is officially designated as an AEA, eligible farmers owning land within the AEA may enter into a voluntary farmland preservation agreement with the state. This enables the landowners to receive tax credits in exchange for agreeing to keep their farm in agricultural use for at least 15 years. At a recent meeting, the Board of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection voted to accept all 12 AEA petitions submitted to the department. The petitions were signed by more than 150 landowners, 27 city and town governments and 11 county governments in Bayfield, Chippewa, Dane, Dodge, Jefferson, Langlade, Polk, Rock, St. Croix, Shawano and Waukesha counties.

“The next steps are to make the designations official through the state’s rulemaking process and public hearings are part of that process,” explained Coreen Fallat, AEA program manager. “We encourage landowners, businesses, government officials and other interested parties to attend either of the public hearings on the designations. The hearings are an opportunity to learn more about the AEA program, to offer support or to share concerns or ask questions.”

The hearings will be 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. at each location.

* Eau Claire: Aug. 12, Town of Washington Town Hall, 5750 Old Town Hall Rd.

* Madison: Aug. 16, Board Room, 1st floor, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, 2811 Agriculture Dr.

If you are unable to attend the hearings, written comments will be accepted until Tues., Aug. 31, 2010. Send comments to DATCP, Attn: Coreen Fallat, PO Box 8911, Madison WI, 53708-8911. Comments will also be accepted electronically at either DATCPWorkingLands@wisconsin.gov or online at http://adminrules.wisconsin.gov then search on “ATCP 53.”

Because the department is following an expedited process for rule making, the DATCP Board will review the final rule draft this fall and the AEAs will become effective on January 1, 2011.