WCMA Applauds Unanimous Senate Passage of Plan to Boost Agricultural Exports

Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) applauds members of the Wisconsin State Senate, following the body’s unanimous approval of Senate Bill 325, investing $5 million to boost agricultural exports over the next five years. “With new trade agreements in place and household incomes rising in emerging markets, there is tremendous opportunity to grow sales of Wisconsin agricultural products abroad,” said John Umhoefer, WCMA Executive Director.  “This targeted investment will provide dairy processors with the support they need to navigate the logistics of export endeavors and grow their global customer base, building a stronger, more stable dairy industry.”

SB 325, authored by Sen. Joan Ballweg (R-Markesan) and Rep. Tony Kurtz (R-Wonewoc), supports a new five-year-long initiative led by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) in partnership with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, to boost the export of dairy, meat, and other agricultural products by 25 percent.  The bill specifies that $2.5 million, or half the total funds appropriated, will be used to increase the export sales of milk, cheese, yogurt, whey and other dairy products.

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