State Lawmakers Propose Legislation Taking Away DATCP's Ability to Change Fees

Tuesday, October 28th, 2025 -- 10:00 AM

(Wisconsin Radio Network) State lawmakers propose legislation that would take away the ability of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection to raise fees on animal markets, dealers and truckers.

According to the Wisconsin Radio Network, Farmer and State Representative Tranel says DATCP’s proposed fees go up as much as 1700 percent, calling that unreasonable and unsustainable.

The Cuba City Republican says feedback has been loud and overwhelming and that all of those fees are going to get passed on to producers. Tranel says putting the current fees into the state statutes would mean unelected bureaucrats could not increase them using administrative rules.

He notes the State Supreme Court recently took away the Legislature’s power to oversee agency rules, but the Legislature can take a vote and say whether or not they think this is an appropriate time to increase fees by this astronomical amount.

Tranel notes the fees come on top of the President’s plan to buy beef from Argentina, which adds more uncertainty to the market. He’s had discussions with Ag Secretary Randy Romanski, and is hopeful a more reasonable solution can be reached.

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