MON AM News: Observers warn Trump’s promised mass deportations would be costly for Wisconsin’s ag industry; Environmental advocates slam utilities for delaying coal plant shutdown

December 9, 2024

— Agricultural observers in Wisconsin are leery of Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan, saying it could deal a multi-billion dollar blow to the state’s ag industry.

Trump has pledged to declare a national emergency after he’s inaugurated in January in order to deport immigrants living in the country illegally en masse, as well as mobilize military assets to do so.

While the exact size of the undocumented workforce in Wisconsin and elsewhere is notoriously difficult to pin down, the Migration Policy Institute estimates 70,000 undocumented immigrants live in Wisconsin, including 47,000 or 70% that are employed. That total includes 5,000 working in agriculture. Wisconsin agriculture more broadly supports about 354,000 jobs annually, or 9.5% of the state’s total employment, according to DATCP.

Those MPI figures are based on 2019 data, but a spokesperson said the institute does “not think that the size of the unauthorized population has increased exponentially” since then, noting the overall undocumented immigrant population in the United States has remained relatively stable for the past 15 years or so.

When asked about the potential economic impact of mass deportations on the state’s farming industry, UW-Madison Prof. and economist Steven Deller offered a “rough estimate” of $4.49 billion based on the undocumented ag worker total from MPI. To create a working model, he assumed all 5,000 work on Wisconsin dairy farms, which he said collectively employ about 49,000 people in the state and add $15.2 billion in industry sales or revenues.

“If you removed 5,000 undocumented immigrant workers that would have an economic impact of 14,396 jobs and $4.49 billion in industry sales … undocumented immigrants account for 29.5% of the impact of dairy farms,” Deller wrote in an email. “That is a reflection of how important these immigrants have become to Wisconsin dairy.”

Tyler Wenzlaff, director of national affairs for the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, warns of a “ripple effect” of mass deportations throughout the economy due to state agriculture’s employment of undocumented workers. Though he added “it’s hard to assess” specific impacts beyond a loss of workforce before a concrete policy proposal comes out.

But Wenzlaff said in a recent interview that farmers in Wisconsin are taking a “wait and see” approach at this point, noting campaign rhetoric can differ from governing policy.

“Sometimes, those can look very different from what was originally posed, and what you might have in your mind,” he said, adding many WFBF members are Trump supporters. “What he actually does can look completely different from what we think we might see, when the proposal actually comes to implementing it and what that mass deportation might actually look like.”

Paul Mitchell, director of the Renk Agribusiness Institute at UW-Madison, also questioned “how much of this is political posturing,” though he expects at least some deportations to happen as a fulfillment of election promises.

But in a new interview on “UpFront,” Gov. Tony Evers pledged to push back on mass deportations in Wisconsin.

“As far as taking people from farms and factories in this state, that are the backbone of this economy, that will not work for us,” Evers said. “We’ll find out if they get that far. I’m not sure they will get that far.”

Jose Martinez, CEO of nonprofit immigrant advocacy group UMOS Inc., said both farmers and immigrants are “very concerned, very nervous” about the threats of mass deportation. The group provides social services and workforce support to this community, which he argues takes on the jobs “that nobody wants to do” such as picking fruits and vegetables and other fieldwork.

“I always tell folks, if there’s an agricultural labor job that’s considered labor-intensive, then you’re going to find that folks that are working in these labor-intensive jobs are individuals that are undocumented,” he said in an interview, adding mass deportations would leave a “void” in the state’s workforce.

See the full story at WisBusiness.com.

— Environmental advocates are slamming the co-owners of the Columbia Energy Center for once again delaying the coal-fired plant’s retirement date, while the utilities argue it’s “the best path forward” for meeting reliability and affordability goals.

Alliant Energy, Madison Gas and Electric Company and Wisconsin Public Service Corp. last week announced they are pushing back the retirement of the coal plant from 2026 to 2029, after previously delaying its planned 2024 closure. The utilities say doing so “provides the companies time to explore” converting one of the energy center’s units to natural gas before 2029.

The announcement cites “changing market conditions” and says the companies will be able to leverage current generation assets to improve reliability.

In a statement Friday, Sierra Club Wisconsin Senior Campaign Coordinator Cassie Steiner expressed outrage that the utilities “have once again kicked the can” on shutting down the plant. She said the group is “further exasperated” by the companies considering converting the station to run on “deadly methane gas.”

“Make no mistake: methane gas is not a ‘transition fuel’; it’s a way for utilities to keep exploiting captive customers for an even greater corporate profit while polluting those same communities they are supposed to serve,” Steiner said in a statement.

She argues clean energy sources can “reliably” meet customers’ energy needs “at a far cheaper cost and at no risk to their health.”

But the utilities say their use of natural gas has a key role in “enabling the ongoing transition toward greater use of renewable resources” by providing a flexible resource to meet grid demand when necessary.

“A potential conversion, if sought by the co-owners and approved by regulators, would satisfy future capacity needs while also complementing the co-owners’ renewable resources,” they said.

The delay announcement also points to recent recommendation from the Midcontinent Independent System Operator to “delay resource retirements” in order to meet expected growth in electricity demand. MISO is the regional system operator for part of Canada and multiple states including Wisconsin.

See the utilities’ announcement.

— Marquette University’s School of Dentistry has opened a renovated dental clinic as part of a multi-phase “revitalization” project.

The university recently unveiled the 2,900-square-foot Delta Dental Urgent and Special Care Clinic, previously called the Advanced Care Clinic. It provides care for emergency and special needs patients, and has a private operating room with a wheelchair lift and bariatric chair for people with disabilities.

“Our students are learning in state-of-the-art facilities with enhanced equipment and technology that will prepare them to successfully and seamlessly begin their careers upon graduation,” President Kimo Ah Yun said in the release.

Starting in 2022, the revitalization project initially renovated two pre-doctoral clinics and began construction on the Dr. Patrick Pralle Innovation Center before moving to renovating remaining pre-doctoral clinics in the second phase. The university says the third phase will involve upgrading seven specialty clinics, six classrooms and patient areas.

To fund these efforts, the School of Dentistry first raised about $7.5 million from various donors including Delta Dental of Wisconsin, and later received a $1.02 million federal grant to upgrade equipment and boost capacity. Last year, the state pitched in $10.75 million, the release shows.

See the release.

— The state Department of Justice has announced a $7 million federal DOJ grant for an addiction treatment program.

The grant will be used to establish the Wisconsin Deflection Initiative, which aims to help people with addiction find treatment and other support “before they experience crisis, overdose, or criminal justice involvement,” the release shows. Funding comes from the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program.

Elements of the effort include outreach to at-risk people, improving responses to overdoses, coordination between law enforcement and health care and more.

“Making treatment more accessible is important not only for those struggling with substance-use disorder but for public safety as well,” Attorney General Josh Kaul said in a statement. “This grant will allow for more to be done to help fight addiction.”

See the release.

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— In a recent Dem radio address, Gov. Tony Evers encourages Wisconsinites to support local businesses this holiday season.

The Dem governor proclaimed Nov. 30 through Dec. 31 as “Shop Small Wisconsin Season,” saying small businesses “support Wisconsin families, create community spaces, and bring unique products and services to every corner of our state.”

Evers emphasizes small businesses are more likely to hire and buy locally, employing about half of Wisconsin workers and giving back to their communities. About two-thirds of every dollar spent at a small business stays in the local community, benefiting Wisconsinites across the state, he notes.

“When our small businesses succeed, our communities and local and statewide economies succeed,” Evers says.

Evers says his administration has been proud to “champion” the success of Wisconsin’s small businesses, and hopes the proclamation allows that to continue.

“Now’s the perfect time to visit your favorite small businesses, maybe check out a couple new ones, too, and show your support to our neighbors and communities,” Evers says.

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