Progressive Thinking

Sen. Smith writes about carbon sequestration for Wisconsin, the ecological and economical role farmers can play for curbing climate change and enhancing agricultural opportunities for future generations.

MADISON - Severe drought conditions plagued Wisconsin’s growing season this spring and summer. This winter shifted from fifty degrees and rainy to subzero temps and snowy. I don’t often put a lot of stock in short term weather observations as an indicator for climate change, but it’s hard not to notice over my own lifetime how our weather has progressively gone haywire. There is no doubt that cumulative observations and data gathering around the world is showing that climate change is to blame.

As carbon dioxide levels increase, we need a solution to put the carbon back into the ground where it belongs – it’s called carbon sequestration. This is where farmers play a key role in our work toward curbing the effects of climate change. Farmers don’t put on their bibs, grease up their equipment and say, “I’m going to sequester carbon today,” but they do a darn good job of it. Their primary goal is to profit from the land, but they accomplish far more than that just by doggedly pursuing their primary purpose.

Farmers understand weather. It should come to no surprise, they are taking notice of erratic weather patterns, changing precipitation levels, and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. For farmers to produce, they need goldilocks weather – not too hot, not too cold, not too dry, and not too wet. Consistent seasonal weather helps them plan for planting and harvesting. But climate change poses a significant challenge for farmers to produce high crop yields and maintain overall farm productivity.

Farmers are seeing the benefits of carbon sequestration practices such as cover cropping, agroforestry, and no-till farming. These actions stabilize soils during heavy rains, provide carbon to the soil through plant material that decays allowing microbes essential for plant growth to thrive and add nutrients back into the ground to be utilized by the next crop. Most of all though, carbon sequestration methods are natural and efficient ways to rehabilitate soils while also producing crops. It lets farmers leave the ground better for future generations.

If those reasons aren’t enough, increased profitability may be the main reason farmers are adopting carbon sequestration practices. Improved soil health leads to higher yields, reduces dependence on synthetic fertilizers, and lowers production costs. Farmers can market directly to carbon-conscious consumers too. Sustainably grown products fetch a premium in the market, offering Wisconsin farmers a competitive edge.

A carbon credit marketplace is emerging rapidly and farmers stand the most to gain from it. It essentially puts a price on pollution. Companies that cannot go green or want to go green can offset their emissions by purchasing credits from farmers or others who are committed to carbon sequestering practices. This presents a lucrative opportunity for farmers to diversify income streams. It is relatively new, but it could help farmers with the financial resources to retool their practices and put a little extra cash in their pockets just by doing the right thing.

The only stumbling block for the farmers in Wisconsin to participate in the carbon farming marketplace is a confidential and standardized calculator designed to show farmers how much they can be paid for adopting new practices.

Recently, in the Senate Agriculture and Tourism Committee, we approved Senate Bill 409. This bill from Senator Rob Cowles (R-Green Bay) and Loren Oldenburg (R-Viroqua) allows our Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) to create a free online, interactive carbon calculator. This new tool would allow farmers to confidentially plug in information about their farming operation into the calculator to figure out new ways to reduce their carbon footprint and how to enhance their current practices for carbon sequestration.

Carbon sequestration is not merely a scientific concept; it is a practical solution with tangible benefits for Wisconsin farmers. It is truly a win-win-win for farmers – it lowers carbon dioxide emissions, regenerates soils and creates significant financial incentives. Farmers are resilient, resourceful individuals who are geared well for tackling climate change. They might just be the linchpin for our way out of this mess. Either way, farmers adopting carbon sequestration practices today will usher in a new era of agriculture designed for regeneration and sustainability for generations to come. That is something we can all believe in.

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.

Senator Smith previews the new Agricultural Road Improvement Program that seeks to bolster roads critical to agriculture and move food to families throughout Wisconsin.

Eau Claire, WI - “Wisconsin farmers may feed the world, but if a fertilizer truck cannot cross a rural bridge or a milk truck is weight limited from driving on a town road, it is hard for Wisconsin farmers to get their products to consumers.”

The statement above was made by my friend and colleague Senator Brad Pfaff (D-Onalaska). He was reminding us all how much we depend on a safe and reliable transportation system to send food from the farm to our homes. It becomes a challenge for farmers to efficiently move their product to market and turn a profit when those roads deteriorate and fail.

Roads are built nowadays to withstand harsh weather conditions and the heavier cars, trucks and machinery that drive over them on a daily basis. Most of our agricultural routes are comprised of roads and bridges that were built decades ago when tractors, trucks and other farm machinery were much smaller. Although adequate for the time, these roads are critical for getting agricultural commodities to market have taken a beating from larger and heavier agricultural traffic seen today.

When road bed material becomes wet under the blacktop or concrete, it expands during the winter freeze. When spring comes, the road bed material thaws out, becoming softer and the blacktop and concrete fractures. This freezing and thawing cycle creates more and more weaknesses in our roads. Local governments with numerous farms have needed to place restrictions on these older roads, especially during the spring thaw when road beds are softer than other times of the year.

It’s very expensive to resurface roads and even more to rebuild them completely with upgraded materials to handle the newer, heavier traffic that keeps products and people moving. Town budgets were stretched to the limit for decades so it was a huge relief when the legislature restructured the shared revenue formula and added funding for municipalities in 2023. But, often overlooked in that conversation was a new program created when Governor Evers signed 2023 Wisconsin Act 13. The Agricultural Road Improvement Program (ARIP) goes beyond the Local Road Improvement Program (LRIP) that was already in place.

ARIP will provide $150 million total split into two rounds of funding. The first $75 million round of funding will open up for local governments very soon and the second $75 million will open up later this summer or early fall. ARIP can provide up to 90% of the cost for each project, so be sure to get in touch with your local governments and encourage them to apply.

Agricultural road projects considered for ARIP funding are expected to result in the reduction of labor costs, fuel costs and repeated trips caused by weight limits. Priority will be given to projects that improve access by the largest number of agricultural producers to lands and facilities used for production; provide the greatest positive economic impact; target roads and structures that provide the only feasible access to agricultural lands; support local governments that can demonstrate fiscal or administrative challenges for completing a project; reduce the amount of trips for agricultural producers; and result in the greatest amount of goods transported.

This $150 million surely won’t go far enough to cover all the needs in our rural communities, especially here in western Wisconsin. However, it will give us a more accurate picture of what we need to do to strengthen our agricultural infrastructure in future budgets. Reach out to your local government officials and encourage them to submit grant requests for ARIP this year.

When farmers have good roads, they can get their goods to market. We all benefit from fresher products, cheaper prices and better selections for all the goodness Wisconsin farmers have to offer.

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.

Senator Smith explores new opportunities for Republicans and Democrats to work together for solving Wisconsin’s challenges.

MADISON - The New Year is a time to look ahead, set goals, and make changes for the better. The best way forward is to glance backward, taking stock of what went well and what can be improved. Then, with last year in the rearview mirror, we can focus on how to make big impacts for the year ahead.

Last week I wrote about some of the bipartisan highlights we experienced throughout 2023. The first of our two-year biennial session is complete and the end of session is quickly approaching in May. There’s so much more to accomplish before legislators hit the road for campaign season.

Child care continues to remain the most pressing issue our growing families face each day. Without long term investments in programs like Child Care Counts, our economy will spiral out of control. Child Care Counts was a successful program borne out of the pandemic that helped child care workers earn a better wage and employers to retain quality early-childhood educators all while keeping the costs lower for families. Child Care Counts kept parents in the workforce and money in the pockets of the people who were spending it in our local economy.

Republicans have had numerous chances to extend the program and a multi-billion dollar surplus leaves us no excuse to not make this critical investment in our workforce and the development of our youngest. Thankfully Governor Tony Evers (D) was able to use $170 million in emergency funding until June 2025. Our kids deserve better than a patch job. Wisconsin needs a long term solution for parents to stay in the workforce and for kids to have the early education they need to excel in life. We can get the job done, but it’ll take a big bipartisan lift in the years ahead.

There’s been a seismic shift in Wisconsin and nationally how we utilize renewable energy. Partisan disagreement is fading when it comes to climate-friendly energy alternatives. Businesses enjoy a better bottom line, residents can breathe better air quality and we can make the improvements needed to curb climate change now for our future generations. Our new energy infrastructure is coming from numerous sources spread over a wider area. That means infrastructure investments to transfer power from solar fields to subdivisions will need to be made.

The bill called, “Right of First Refusal” (ROFR) is making its way through the legislature. ROFR ensures that investments going to Wisconsin’s grid are done by energy providers we’ve trusted for decades instead of opening the door to out-of-state companies that are more interested in turning a profit than properly and efficiently serving customers. ROFR has bipartisan support and there’s a good chance it can pass into law before the end of session in May.

Another New Year opportunity that’s gaining traction is Final Five Voting. A couple weeks ago I spelled out the advantages for adopting Final Five Voting in our federal U.S. Senate and House of Representative elections. Simply put, this bill allows voters to vote for one person in the primary, regardless of political party. During the general election, voters can list their preference for the candidates as first, second, third, fourth and fifth. An instant runoff occurs and the lowest performing candidates are eliminated, each person’s votes goes to the next pick on their ballot until only two candidates are left. The candidate with the most votes wins.

This bill is a great opportunity for voters to have candidates more interested in them instead of trashing their opponents. In addition to a more civil dialogue, it might even encourage ordinary citizens to run for office. It’ll be tough to get it done this session, but we will continue to push for a better alternative for voters to have their voices heard.

We’ve accomplished a lot last year and we have so many opportunities to build on our bipartisan work. There will undoubtedly be plenty of partisan squawking from legislators on each side of the aisle. However, if last year is was an indicator for what we can accomplish together, then Wisconsin is in store for some big opportunities in the New Year.

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.

Senator Smith looks back at the bipartisan achievements of 2023 and the hope for continued collaboration in the New Year. Have a happy holidays!

BRUNSWICK, WI - While this is the time of year for reflection, it’s also a time when we should look forward. Families may have celebrated weddings, births and other life changing events – these are the hallmarks of our past year. In the political sphere, headlines usually focus on events that are not so positive. Constructive bipartisan accomplishments are worth commemorating and remembering as we start the New Year.

Wisconsin has a biennial legislative session, so in the odd-numbered year, the legislature and governor go right to work on the next biennial budget. Certainly many of us would have liked a final budget that reflected priorities Governor Evers had placed in his proposal. But, like each budget presented by the governor since winning his election in 2018, the Republican-led Joint Committee on Finance rejected it and crafted their own version.

Trashing the Governor’s budget wasn’t the best way to start bipartisanship this year, however, both Democrats and Republicans got the job done for UW-Eau Claire’s Science and Health Sciences building. That’s huge for the UWEC, the Eau Claire community, the Chippewa Valley region and our state. It’s an investment we can truly tout as a positive, bipartisan accomplishment. I hope you can be as excited as I am to see how the unique partnership between Mayo Clinic and UWEC plays out for our region being a leader in rural healthcare.

For decades towns, villages and cities saw their share of state revenue declining. Revenue limits made it impossible for communities to keep up with inflation. Year after year, it became harder for local governments to meet the needs and expectations of their citizens. During the 2022 campaign, incumbents and challengers alike promised that shared revenue would be a top priority. We all know how campaign promises don’t always pan out, but this bipartisan effort to fix shared revenue became real in 2023. In fact, the shared revenue bill was finished before the budget. This bipartisan achievement will pay dividends for our local communities for years to come.

A real headline grabber was state funding to upgrade the Brewers stadium. It captured the attention and imagination of the press and public. Opinions were all over the place about why public money should go toward a professional sports stadium. The state of Wisconsin is the owner and landlord of the property, and we have the responsibility to maintain it. I’m proud of the fact that, when the bill came to the Senate, we were able to foster a bipartisan partnership to protect our state’s interests, fulfill our obligations and keep the Brewers in Wisconsin. On top of it all, we found a way to direct more resources to communities in every corner of Wisconsin and up the contribution by the Brewers to fund the final deal.

Another bipartisan effort to highlight that will pay off for rural Wisconsin was the creation of the Agricultural Road Improvement Program. This program offers a one-time $150 million investment to fix and upgrade deteriorating infrastructure to benefit agriculture. Keeping agricultural goods flowing through Wisconsin benefits everyone in our state.

Before we broke for the holidays, Republicans and Democrats teamed up again to modernize Wisconsin’s alcohol regulations. This overhaul legislation makes many changes to Wisconsin current alcohol regulations and creates a new state office to implement and oversee them. Some of the beneficial changes are allowing wineries to stay open as long as bars and local brewers can now sell out-of-state beer and own off-site locations. This bill was good for enhancing oversight while also creating new opportunities for our local wineries and craft brewers.

Democrats and Republicans may fight like cats and dogs at times, but when we work together, we can accomplish great things. Here’s to hoping 2023 was the bipartisan bedrock we can build on moving into 2024.

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.

Senator Smith writes about his bipartisan bill to create final five voting for U.S. Senate and Representative elections.

MADISON - Under the current lay of the land, the political parties are in control – that means the most important part of the U.S. Senate and House of Representative elections occurs during the primary election. Senators and representatives run further to the right or left to appease their base electorate to get out of the primary as the winner rather than what might be best for the general public. Elections are too important to have a partisan primary voting system that forces voters to choose only between two candidates for the general election.

Final five voting offers voters choices and it will force candidates and your elected officials to be more responsive to you. I’ve introduced this bipartisan bill (2023 Senate Bill 528) with Senator Jesse James (R-Altoona), Representative Daniel Riemer (D-Milwaukee) and Representative Ron Tusler (R-Harrison).

This is how it works:

1. All candidates who fulfill the expectations to run for office are listed together on the same ballot in the primary, regardless of party affiliation. The five candidates who receive the most votes will advance to the general election.

2. On the general election ballot, voters will rank their choices of the final five. A voter’s top choice would be number one, then he or she may select a 2^nd choice, 3^rd choice, 4^th choice and 5^th choice. After all the votes are cast, an instant runoff occurs. It will eliminate the lowest performing candidates and automatically transfer the voter’s vote to next highest ranked candidate until only two candidates remain. The candidate with the most votes between the two remaining candidates wins.

Some politicians fear changes such as rank choice voting. Answering to voters is oftentimes their main concern. Just last week, legislators circulated a constitutional amendment to ban ranked choice voting from becoming an option in Wisconsin.

Opponents claim rank choice voting can be complicated and clumsy. For instance, without the open primary like we used in SB 528, there might be 35 candidates on the ballot which voters would need to rank. Yes, simply using rank choice voting without the primary to whittle it down to 5 candidates would be messy like it has been in some locales. The key is the open primary where the voter only votes for one candidate of their choice to advance to the general election.

The La Crosse Tribune recently wrote an editorial supporting final five voting. Their sentiment hit the nail on the head when they wrote, “The problem is that the voters are losing. Solution-based legislation is losing. Good governance is losing. Democracy is losing. Who is winning? Special-interest groups that fund the extremes and count on the gridlock of status quo to paralyze responsible governance.”

Under final five voting, candidates for federal office must be more responsive to the voters from the start. As lawmakers in Washington they must listen to the public. They must spend less time and resources bashing other candidates or their ideas because they may need that 2^nd or 3^rd choice from supporters of their rival. A more civil and constructive campaign happens. Radical agendas lose and civil candidates can win.

While voters get more civil engagement, ordinary citizens may also feel more compelled to run for office. Voters may see more idea sharing in campaigns and, once elected, your elected officials should be more willing to work with everyone across all political stripes. They will become less interested in their political party and special interests and more interested in you. The voters become the winners under final five voting.

As Republican U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin’s 8th District said, “At a time of intense partisanship, we’re in dire need of solutions. This idea is not just a good place to start, but a way for our state to revitalize its rich history in political innovation.”

Something must change, but nothing changes if we don’t try.

Senator Smith represents District 31 in the Wisconsin State Senate. The 31st Senate District includes all of Buffalo, Pepin and Trempealeau counties and portions of Pierce, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson and St. Croix counties.