News

Livestock marketer welcomes Wisconsin’s smaller animal service fee increase

A livestock marketer is pleased Wisconsin is backing away from a huge animal service fee increase.

Curt Larson with Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Association tells Brownfield the original plan to raise fees on animal health services, livestock dealers, truckers, and sales barns was too high, and absorbing a 55 to 60 percent increase to make up for seventeen years of inflation has less impact.  “It’s a lot easier to absorb a $200 dollar a year fee than it is to absorb a $7,000 dollar a year fee, so certainly, it’s much more manageable.”

Larson says reducing the fees does not solve the real problem, and that is finding funding for the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection to support the programs.  “Again, DATCP still needs to cover their costs and I guess part of this is dependent on the Legislature.  I mean, we can talk about whatever percent increase we want but if we can’t find the extra funding from the Legislature and the program stays in a deficit, we’re not going to get where we need to be and we’re going to be back talking about it anyway.”

Larson says costs for everything are increasing, and DATCP was able to shift money from other programs to cover expenses, but that won’t be possible moving forward.  Larson says another comment period coming on DATCP’s new plan.  He says he’s also working with others in the ag industry to offer guidance to state leaders to eliminate the program’s million-dollar operating deficit.

AUDIO: Curt Larson discusses the reversal of course for Wisconsin’s proposed fees for animal health programs, livestock dealers, truckers, and sales barns with Brownfield’s Larry Lee.