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Wisconsin proposes big revisions to animal health fee plan

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is backing away from a proposal that could increase animal health program fees.

The department says they received more than 500 comments on the proposed fees.  Tim Fiocchi with Wisconsin Farm Bureau tells Brownfield all of the comments from farmers, livestock dealers, truckers, and sales barns were in opposition.  “People reached out to the agency and to their legislators and, you know, with two legislative proposals that have already been circulated, we now see DATCP listening to the input that they got and kind of pushing a re-do button on this rule.”

DATCP says the revised fee proposal would amount to an inflationary adjustment to account for the roughly 17 years since the fees were last adjusted to support these animal health programs.  Fiocchi says this will be less impactful to the agricultural community than the original proposal, but it doesn’t solve the funding problem.  “It will also require that there will be some legislative action to provide funding for these animal health, and frankly human health functions at the agency.”

If passed as originally proposed, fees under administrative rules ATCP 10 and ATCP 12 would have jumped as much as 17-hundred percent.  For example, an Animal Market Class A license would have jumped from $420 to $7,430 annually.  Fiocchi says Wisconsin already has fees that are higher than our neighboring states, and Farm Bureau is committed to working with the agency and legislators to figure out a sustainable path forward.

Administrative Rule ATCP 10 supports the following animal health programs: Certificate of Veterinary Inspection Forms, Intermediate Handling Facilities, Disease Certifications (Brucellosis, Tuberculosis, Pseudorabies), Equine Infectious Anemia Retests, Equine Quarantine Stations, Feed Lots, Medical Separation, National Poultry Improvement Plan, Farm-Raised Deer, and Fish Farms.

Administrative Rule ATCP 12 supports Animal Markets, Animal Dealers, and Animal Truckers.

A recent State Supreme Court decision now prevents the elected officials at the State Legislature from reviewing department administrative rules.

AUDIO: Tim Fiocchi from Wisconsin Farm Bureau discusses the reversal in direction for DATCP’s animal health program fees with Brownfield’s Larry Lee.