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Haven't we heard farmers talking about all the EPA rules, regulations and paper work that was taking all their time, costing them money?

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March 7, 2015 - Farm Bureau, others question Scott Walker's proposed farm research cuts

"Researchers and supporters [read EPA and Big Education] of a program that helps farmers run cleaner and more efficient operations say they were “stunned” and “blindsided” by Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal to cut a third of the project’s funding.

Discovery Farms, a UW-Extension program that dates to 2001, applies science from a “plows-on” level, evaluates and monitors efforts by state farmers to control runoff, calibrate fertilizer use and employ techniques to conserve land and water.

It has a $750,000 budget, of which $248,000 would be cut in the governor’s proposed state budget.

UW-Extension officials noted the loss affects longstanding projects and the ability of the small program to leverage crucial additional grants and funds.

“We would have a 1.2-employee reduction of staff and we would pull back some of our sampling efforts, water quality analysis and a project (set) for Rock County,” said Amber Radatz, project co-director.

The project’s programs include monitoring 20 state farms and educating thousands of farmers on conservation strategies.

“This was a big surprise to our agency partners as well as our partners in farm groups and in UW-Extension,” she said. “We never had an inkling.”

The $248,000 comes from a surcharge on farm chemical sales that would be discontinued."..................