NEWS
A Review: Evers Delivers State of the State Address O
n Jan. 12, Governor Tony Evers delivered the first virtual State of the State address. This annual address is usually broadcasted to the public by one of the local television stations with the governor speaking to a full crowd of legislators in the Assembly chamber. This year, however, the governor gave his remarks from the conference room in his office directly into a camera with no live audience. A significant portion of his message was devoted to the fallout created by COVID-19. Gov. Evers recounted how difficult the year has been for some, especially those whose loved ones may have died from complications of the virus. He encouraged those who have persevered and persisted to keep their businesses open, keep their communities safe, keep putting food on their tables and keep helping one another. He recalled that the state was able to invest nearly $2 billion in additional assistance to frontline health care efforts, businesses and farms. In the agriculture world that translated to direct financial assistance to more than 15,000 farms in Wisconsin. He gave a nod of appreciation to those farmers, growers and producers who kept working to maintain a food chain that could provide for our communities.
The changes brought about by the virus also segued into the digital divide that exists across our state. The pandemic highlighted the lack of access to high-speed internet for many citizens in Wisconsin. Gov. Evers quoted statistics from the Federal Communications Commission stating that more than 430,000 rural Wisconsinites lack access to high-speed internet. Wisconsin ranks 36th in the country for accessibility in rural areas. That is why he announced that 2021 will be the Year of Broadband Access. As a budget priority, he intends to invest nearly $200 million into broadband over the next biennium. He views high-speed internet access as a necessity, not a luxury. He suggested that every Wisconsinite across the state should have access to reliable high-speed internet. Other priorities presented by Gov. Evers included his recognition of a broken unemployment system. The pandemic created an influx of unemployment claims that could not have been anticipated, creating an insurmountable backlog of payments. Since March there have been more unemployment claims than the past four years combined. He called a special legislative session to take up a plan to modernize Wisconsin’s unemployment system to guard against this type of dysfunction from happening again. In addition, Gov. Evers intends to take on the redistricting of legislative maps that occurs every decade following the census. The districts are redrawn to reflect changes in movement of population in an attempt to keep constituent counts balanced among districts. The governor’s intent is to form a map commission that will seek feedback from people around the state in deciding where to draw legislative district lines rather than the current method defined in the state constitution giving that authority to the legislature. You can find the transcript of this speech at evers.wi.gov/ Pages/Home.aspx.
2021 Farm Bureau Policy
Adopted by delega tes at the 101st Wisco nsin Farm Bureau Feder ation Annual Meeti ng.
2021 Policy Book Available Online W
ant to know where Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation stands on an issue? The 2021 policy book is available at wfbf.com. The document reflects the most recent policy directives established by voting delegates at the 101st WFBF Annual Meeting in December. "Farm Bureau’s policy is established by members through a structured policy development process,” said WFBF President Kevin Krentz. “It makes me proud that suggestions and policy ideas come directly from members at the county level. Through this grassroots process Farm Bureau can work to represent its members’ needs. I encourage you to review our policy book and get involved in the process of policy development.” To view the policy book online, visit wfbf.com/policy/policy-development.
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Rural Route
WISCONSIN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
