The Fond du Lac County Dairy and Livestock extension agent says she supports three proposals designed to help Wisconsin’s struggling farmers pay off college debt, encourage diverse operations and plan for retirement. One proposal would forgive up to $30,000 in higher education debt for college graduates who commit to farming in Wisconsin at least five years. Extension agent Tina Coleman says another bill would fund two positions within the UW System to help farmers create succession plans for passing down their operations to younger family members. “There are a lot of farms that need help and support. I think having those individuals at the state level will help kind of spread the workload and help support our farming industry,” Coleman told WFDL news. A third bill would create a competitive grant program that would award grants of up to $50,000 for small-scale farming operations.
