By Rep. Paul Anderson
The Legislature continues to work on an on-call basis during the COVID-19 outbreak and a session has been scheduled at the Capitol this Tuesday to take up a workers’ compensation bill. Members have been working on this package over the past two weeks and it addresses the concerns of business and labor, and helps out our front-line first-responders.
Time also this week has been set aside this week for tele-conference committee meetings at the Legislature. That’s in anticipation of another in-person session at the Capitol next Tuesday, April 14. It’s expected to once again focus on COVID-related issues that have been generally agreed upon by both chambers. The state has already allocated nearly $600 million with more nearly certain to be approved.
The CARES ACT, passed in Washington two weeks ago, contains funding for the states in their fight against Covid-19. It’s estimated each state will receive over $1 billion to help cover expenses related to the virus. That same piece of legislation also contains wording on a Small Business Administration loan program that’s designed to help small business weather this economic storm. On the SBA’s own website, it says specifically that the program is designed for the “non-farm private sector.”
Some are wondering, however, if the SBA is following congressional intent. There is new language in the legislation that mentions small agricultural cooperatives, so does that open the door to make farming interests eligible? Among the features of the program are $10,000 grants to small businesses and Economic Injury Disaster Loans ranging up to $2 million.
One thing is for sure, and that is agriculture needs some kind of stability and certainty. In the last week, prices for cattle and hogs dropped limit down on the futures market, while milk prices declined by roughly 30 percent. With the precipitous drop in oil prices and fewer miles being driven by the public, ethanol production is a losing proposition and plant cutbacks are occurring. That means less demand for corn and a corresponding drop in its price at the farm gate.
Dairy is especially hurting right now. With school and institutional demand for fluid milk and cheese dropping off a cliff, along with exports drying up, processors can’t keep up with the quick and unexpected change in buying habits. At the same time stores were posting limits on the number of gallons consumers can purchase, dairymen as close as Wisconsin are dumping milk because there is no place to send it.
It’s not just agriculture. Nearly every type of business has been negatively affected in some way. The Stay at Home order issued by the governor is set to expire Friday, but it’s expected to be renewed.
It is my hope, however, that some modifications will be made that will allow some to resume their business activity. Take lawncare and landscaping interests, for example. They can certainly adhere to social distancing guidelines when they come to spray your yard or cut your grass. I have been in contact with the governor’s office, asking for those folks to be allowed to go back to work, especially since they have a narrow window to get some of their work done in the spring.
The state’s deputy registrars have also been shut down. However, they have been allowed to open up again this week. Since the Stay at Home order was put into effect, those who have purchased trucks for work in road construction or for farm use have been unable to get those vehicles transferred. Now, these transactions can happen, and that’s good news.
Where it’s safe, it seems appropriate to loosen some of these restrictions and let people go back to work again.
-30-