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Ag group seeks improvements to Wisconsin’s Water Quality Trading Clearinghouse

An agricultural group would like to see more utilization of Wisconsin’s Water Quality Trading Clearinghouse.

Chad Zuleger with the Dairy Business Association tells Brownfield the bipartisan program was created three sessions ago in 2020 but has not been able to deliver the expected results. “There are good people doing good work out there, but really, are we getting to the intent of what the legislature wanted to do which was conduct trades between farms and municipalities to protect water quality, especially in key areas.”

Zuleger says farmers are using conservation practices that improve water quality by reducing phosphorus, suspended solids, and other contaminants in surface water.  He says the clearinghouse was designed to help municipalities meet goals while rewarding farmers for their stewardship. “We don’t think it’s being used to its full capacity and we’d like to change that. We’d like to see that program working more both for farmers and for municipalies looking to trade credits through the nutrient trading clearinghouse.”

Zuleger says changing some of the program guidelines would increase participation in the program, and the state’s Department of Natural Resources is considering some changes. “DNR has come out with some amendments to their guidance document and that’s open for public comment now. We’re reviewing those changes and looking to provide comment on how we think this program can work better.”

Since 2023, the Water Quality Trading Clearinghouse has been administered by Resource Environmental Solutions, a third-party environmental mitigation and restoration firm that connects municipal credit buyers to farmers with verified credits to sell.

AUDIO: Chad Zuleger with the Dairy Business Association discusses the Wisconsin Water Quality Trading Clearinghouse with Brownfield’s Larry Lee