Walker announces $50 million to boost rural areas, educate farmers

Gov. Scott Walker announced a new proposal Wednesday to inject $50 million per year into rural economic development projects.

The announcement came hours before the governor’s State of the State speech. The plan includes a multifaceted approach to improving the economic well-being of Wisconsin’s agriculturally focused and most sparsely populated regions.

The program requires the areas receiving aid must have a population under 155 persons per square mile in order to receive the funds. Fifty-six out of 72 counties in the state would pass this requirement.

The proposal would require the Wisconsin Economic Development Board to both direct funds into existing economic development programs and develop new initiatives based on the needs of Wisconsin’s rural communities.

The Governor’s Family Farm Fund is one of these new programs that, in part, will aim to improve water and soil quality on existing farms in the state as part of Walker’s push to increase agricultural trade.

In addition, Walker has tasked the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to implement $200,000 in scholarships to aid in educating aspiring dairy farmers in Wisconsin. This investment continues Walker’s push to keep young adults working within the state.

“We are helping make sure that today’s farmers will be here tomorrow and long into the future” Walker said in a recent press release.