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Wisconsin’s ag department proposes large livestock fee increases

A farm organization is urging livestock producers and marketers to push back against Wisconsin’s proposed animal health fee increases.

Jason Mugnaini with Wisconsin Farm Bureau tells Brownfield the changes would be to administrative rules ATCP 10 and ATCP 12 governing animal disease and movement, animal markets, animal dealers, and livestock truckers. “This proposal shifts the entire cost of the program entirely on the backs of industry fees. There will not be any state support that’s being provided by DATCP (Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection).”

The Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection says the fees have not been updated since 2009 and the costs to administer animal health programs have continued to increase.  Mugnaini says those increased costs will hurt farmers. “The dramatic increases are going to ultimately result in fewer marketing options, less opportunity to sell livestock, and that inevitably is going to mean lower prices, thinner margins for farmers because those fees will have to be born on each animal that’s sold.”

Mugnaini says that will likely mean surcharges at livestock markets, on top of the extra fees paid for inspections and transportation.  He says Class A animal market fees will go up 1,700 percent. “That fee will be about $7,400 dollars more. You know, registration for animal dealers are going to see a sizable increase going from about $220 right now up to about $670.”

Mugnaini says the registration for animal transport vehicles will go up from ten dollars to over three hundred dollars, all costs that must be passed on.

Mugnaini says surrounding states do not put the entire cost of the program on user fees and Wisconsin shouldn’t either. “While we’re looking at $7,000 fees for animal markets, Minnesota has a public stockyard fee of around $300, currently less that what we already charge. Illinois is $200, Michigan is about $400, so we’ll be wildly outside of the fee structures of our Midwestern neighbors and I think that will push people to start selling animals and livestock in other states.”

Wisconsin Farm Bureau is urging producers to participate in the state’s public comment hearings on September 11^th, 16^th, and 17^th.  He says Wisconsin needs to reconsider the fee increases and maintain the programs in a way that is equitable, fair, and consistent with neighboring states.

AUDIO: Jason Mugnaini discusses the proposed Wisconsin DATCP fee changes under Administrative Rules ATCP 10 and ATCP 12 with Brownfield’s Larry Lee.