Wisconsin Senator Calling for the State Budget to Include Funding for Local Roads Used by Farmers

Friday, April 28th, 2023 -- 8:01 AM

(Wisconsin Ag Connection) Wisconsin State Senator Joan Ballweg is calling for the state budget to include funding for improving local roads that serve farmers.

According to the Wisconsin Ag Connection, Ballweg, who chairs the Agriculture and Tourism Committee and sits on the Joint Committee on Finance, believes that using $150 million from the state's budget surplus to fund critical agricultural road and bridge projects is necessary.

Ballweg has first-hand experience with posted weight limits on local roads, which make it difficult for farmers to transport their products to main arteries. She notes that many local Wisconsin roads have weight limits posted during the spring thaw, forcing ag suppliers and milk haulers to make multiple trips with partial loads.

While Wisconsin has put a lot of money into major highways, little aid has gone to improve the town and county roads that connect farmers to the main roads. Ballweg believes that this lack of attention to local infrastructure has been overlooked for some time.

With the proposed funding, Ballweg hopes to make it easier for farmers to transport their products and to ensure that agricultural road and bridge projects receive the attention they need. By doing so, Wisconsin's agricultural industry will have the infrastructure it needs to thrive.

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