Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Not Voting on ATCP 51 Updates
Monday, November 4th, 2019 -- 9:31 AM
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) -Citing the need for more time and feedback from the industry, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture has chosen not to send proposed updates to ATCP 51 to its citizens-based governing board for consideration.On Friday, State Agriculture Secretary-designee Brad Pfaff announced that the agency is not yet ready to send the revisions to the DATCP board, which is scheduled to meet in Madison later this week. ATCP 51 is the legislative policy that sets standards and procedures local governments must follow if they require permits for new or expanding livestock operations. In September, a coalition of Wisconsin farm groups called on the state's agriculture board to reject the proposed changes, saying they would harm or destroy many farm operations, along with allied businesses that depend on production agriculture to survive. Rep. Gary Tauchen of Bonduel, who chairs the Assembly Agriculture Committee, added that the agency's move provided an opportunity to gather more input from the industry.
But leaders with the Wisconsin Farmers Union disagreed with the move and urged DATCP officials to reconsider their decision to table the vote. Had the board approved the changes, the revised policy would have been brought to the state legislature for a vote. The DATCP is required to review the rules every four years. The current proposal includes changes recommended following the 2014 review that were confirmed by the 2018 committee. Prior to this proposal, there have been no updates to ATCP 51 since its adoption in 2006.
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