Any good news about agriculture usually is good news for Green and Lafayette counties, two of Wisconsin's most ag-reliant counties.
Agriculture provides nearly 420,000 jobs in the state, employing 12 percent of the workforce. The percentage in Green and Lafayette counties is higher.
News released by Gov. Jim Doyle's office Monday and Tuesday no doubt will positively impact the counties.
On Monday, Doyle announced the creation of the Agricultural Education and Workforce Development Council. The council will provide long-term promotion of agricultural education and will improve employment opportunities in the state's diverse and growing agricultural sector.
"Finding employees is difficult for many who work in agriculture. Motivating young people to take up the study of agriculture is a goal we all share," said Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, D-Alma, one of the law's authors. "The creation of the new council is the beginning of our statewide effort to grow our workforce in a coordinated way."
The council's duties include:
• Monitoring changes in employment needs in agriculture.
• Researching emerging jobs and the training needs associated with those jobs.
• Assisting schools with agricultural material that helps teachers better prepare and motivate students for a career in agriculture.
• Encouraging the recruitment of agriculture education teachers and offering ongoing training for agricultural educators to better prepare children for ag-related jobs.
• Recommending policy related to agriculture education.
Council members include leaders from education, agribusiness and production agriculture, as well as state agencies and the Legislature. The council will be supported through private donations.
Increased and improved education to prepare the next generation of agricultural leaders is critical to Wisconsin's economic future. The agriculture industry is going through a number of changes, many presenting new and exciting economic opportunities for our region and state.
An announcement Tuesday in Evansville highlighted that promise. There, Gov. Doyle discussed a state grant of $4 million to Landmark Services Cooperative for the construction of the state's first soybean crushing facility.
While the plant, which will create soybean oil that eventually will become biodiesel fuel, will be in Rock County, it's impact will be felt throughout Green and Lafayette counties.
The plant will process 20 million bushels of soybeans annually. Now, most of the state's soybean crop is processed in other states and sold back to Wisconsin farmers for feed.
Wisconsin ranked 14th in the nation in soybean production in 2007 with 51.9 million bushels. Wisconsin is the only top-producing soybean state without a large-scale soybean crushing facility.
The new facility will allow local farmers to keep soybeans, and more money, in Wisconsin.
"The soybeans Wisconsin grows so well will stay here in the state, get processed in Evansville and may end up fueling tractors along these roads," Doyle said. "This facility offers us a way to create jobs, free us from big oil companies and advance our commitment to renewable energy."
Which is good news for everyone, but particularly for the local agriculture economy.
Agriculture provides nearly 420,000 jobs in the state, employing 12 percent of the workforce. The percentage in Green and Lafayette counties is higher.
News released by Gov. Jim Doyle's office Monday and Tuesday no doubt will positively impact the counties.
On Monday, Doyle announced the creation of the Agricultural Education and Workforce Development Council. The council will provide long-term promotion of agricultural education and will improve employment opportunities in the state's diverse and growing agricultural sector.
"Finding employees is difficult for many who work in agriculture. Motivating young people to take up the study of agriculture is a goal we all share," said Sen. Kathleen Vinehout, D-Alma, one of the law's authors. "The creation of the new council is the beginning of our statewide effort to grow our workforce in a coordinated way."
The council's duties include:
• Monitoring changes in employment needs in agriculture.
• Researching emerging jobs and the training needs associated with those jobs.
• Assisting schools with agricultural material that helps teachers better prepare and motivate students for a career in agriculture.
• Encouraging the recruitment of agriculture education teachers and offering ongoing training for agricultural educators to better prepare children for ag-related jobs.
• Recommending policy related to agriculture education.
Council members include leaders from education, agribusiness and production agriculture, as well as state agencies and the Legislature. The council will be supported through private donations.
Increased and improved education to prepare the next generation of agricultural leaders is critical to Wisconsin's economic future. The agriculture industry is going through a number of changes, many presenting new and exciting economic opportunities for our region and state.
An announcement Tuesday in Evansville highlighted that promise. There, Gov. Doyle discussed a state grant of $4 million to Landmark Services Cooperative for the construction of the state's first soybean crushing facility.
While the plant, which will create soybean oil that eventually will become biodiesel fuel, will be in Rock County, it's impact will be felt throughout Green and Lafayette counties.
The plant will process 20 million bushels of soybeans annually. Now, most of the state's soybean crop is processed in other states and sold back to Wisconsin farmers for feed.
Wisconsin ranked 14th in the nation in soybean production in 2007 with 51.9 million bushels. Wisconsin is the only top-producing soybean state without a large-scale soybean crushing facility.
The new facility will allow local farmers to keep soybeans, and more money, in Wisconsin.
"The soybeans Wisconsin grows so well will stay here in the state, get processed in Evansville and may end up fueling tractors along these roads," Doyle said. "This facility offers us a way to create jobs, free us from big oil companies and advance our commitment to renewable energy."
Which is good news for everyone, but particularly for the local agriculture economy.
