Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation released the following statement from WFBF President Brad Olson regarding the veto of Assembly Bill 956 that would have created an exemption for certain agricultural warehouses from sprinkler system requirements to prevent potential pollution of surface and groundwater.
“In light of the Governor’s recent comments about the high cost of fertilizer and agricultural inputs, it is incredibly disappointing to see this bill vetoed. Our agribusiness partners and members should not be subject to lengthy, costly and uncertain variance processes just to avoid doing something no one should ever do. If these facilities catch fire, spraying water escalates it. It turns a financial disaster into an environmental disaster by overwhelming secondary containment in the building, causing ground and surface water contamination.
The Governor’s veto ignores both the real-world risks and practical solutions needed to protect businesses, our natural resources, farmers and the inputs they rely on.”
