Midwest Mid-Session Legislative Update: Growing Opportunities in Wisconsin

Since January, AFT has been planting seeds for improved agricultural policy across the Midwest. This blog is part of a three-part series spotlighting our work in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana. Read on to learn what we’ve been up to in Wisconsin, what we’re working on now, and an action you can take to support better food and farm policy in your state!

Wisconsin Legislative Agenda

AFT is advocating for two key legislative priorities this session that would advance farmland protection and soil health across Wisconsin:

Securing Funding for the Purchase of Agricultural Easements (PACE) Program (AB50 / SB45) - PACE is a proven tool for permanently protecting Wisconsin’s working farmland — but it has remained unfunded since 2011. Governor Evers’ proposed budget includes $15 million to revive the program. The budget now rests with the Joint Finance Committee (JFC), and AFT is actively working to ensure this critical investment makes it into the final biennial budget.

Launch a Transition to Grazing Pilot Program (AB118 / SB113) - This legislation would launch a pilot program to help farmers shift to forage-based grazing systems. By providing financial support, infrastructure funding, and hands-on technical assistance, the program would empower producers to adopt grazing practices that improve soil health and water quality — while maintaining profitable, resilient farm businesses.

As Wisconsin's legislative session progresses, AFT will continue collaborating with partners and legislative champions to advance policies that integrate our Smart Solar principles with farmland protection—ensuring Wisconsin’s land is used wisely and sustainably. This Summer, we will also be working with partners to identify legislative options for expanding market opportunities for Wisconsin grown barley, rye, and wheat.

Advocacy in Action

The Wisconsin AFT team has been working in tandem with farmland advocates to educate lawmakers and engage the public, building momentum behind PACE funding. Our partners across land trusts, municipalities, and farmer advocacy organizations have come together to create a powerful coalition in support of this critical investment in Wisconsin farmland protection.

On April 15th, AFT co-hosted a legislative information session at the State Capitol with Representative Travis Tranel, focused on the urgent need to address farmland loss in Wisconsin. Farmers Kyle Zweig and Dick Cates kindly shared their personal experience protecting their farms under easements, demonstrating the on-the-ground benefits of farmland protection. Lawmakers and staff attended to learn how agricultural conservation easements can serve as a powerful tool to keep farmland in production for future generations.

You can watch the presentation here and read more about the event here. 

Throughout April, AFT mobilized farmland advocates to speak up at Joint Finance Committee (JFC) Public Listening Sessions held across the state to gather input on budget priorities. These sessions offered a vital opportunity to advocate directly for farmland protection funding. It was inspiring to witness advocates speak out at these events and to read written testimony highlighting the real-world value of protecting our farmland. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the public comment process – no matter the budget outcome, your voices made a real difference.

On May 1^st, the public comment period for Wisconsin’s biennial budget officially closed. To amplify the voices of our partners and farmland advocates, AFT submitted a final request to the Joint Finance Committee urging them to retain the full $15 million allocation for the PACE Program. This submission included a petition signed by over 360 Wisconsinites and a formal letter endorsed by 16 stakeholder organizations—powerful evidence of the broad and unified support for funding Wisconsin’s farmland.

Take Action: Advocate for our State’s PACE Program

Although the official public comment period on Wisconsin’s biennial budget has ended, the Joint Committee on Finance (JFC) will continue making funding decisions through the end of June. That means there’s still time to advocate for full funding for the PACE program.

The most impactful way to support PACE is by calling your legislators. Reach out to your State Representative and Senator and share why protecting Wisconsin’s farmland matters to you.

• If your legislator is a member of the JFC, urge them to include the full $15 million for the PACE program in the final state budget.

• If they’re not on the JFC, ask them to advocate to their colleagues who are.

You can also help by signing and sharing our petition. Every signature strengthens the case for farmland protection—now and into the future.

You can find your legislators here: https://maps.legis.wisconsin.gov/
You can find members of the Joint Committee on Finance here: https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/committees/joint/2920

Interested in what we’re up to in Illinois and Indiana?