Today, I spoke at Ag
Day at the Capitol, the largest gathering of farmers across Wisconsin, about
investments included in my budget proposal that will guarantee our agriculture tradition
remains strong.
Here are a few fun
facts about agriculture in Wisconsin:
- Every year,
agriculture contributes more than $88 billion to our economy.
- With over 68,700
farms, our agriculture sector provides 413,500 jobs every year – that’s
approximately 11.9% of Wisconsin’s employment!
As we travel throughout
the state, we consistently hear from farmers and other members of state
agriculture about the same concerns – an effective transportation system and
more effective ways to manage our land and water resources.
Our biennial budget
proposal addresses these issues – and more issues critical to rural communities
– to ensure Wisconsin’s agriculture tradition remains strong for generations to
come.
Last week, I had the honor of speaking to members of the
House Republican Conference in Washington D.C. As they pursue their agenda, I
urged them to “Go Big and Bold.”
What exactly does this mean? Well, here in Wisconsin, we know
actions speak louder than words. In 2011, we went big and bold by rejecting the
status quo, and now, our state has emerged as a national reform leader, with a
Reform Dividend that lets us invest more into student success while providing
over $8 billion in tax relief.
As House Republicans pursue reform for our nation in a number
of areas, I encourage them to be positive, go big, and be bold in delivering on
their promises to the American people.
Wisconsin’s economy continues to
create jobs, while private-sector wage growth grew 7% between September 2015
and September 2016.
Other indicators of the state of
Wisconsin's economy include:
- Initial
Unemployment Insurance (UI) claims ended 2016 at their lowest level since
1988. Continuing unemployment claims ended 2016 at their lowest level
since 1973.
- More
people were employed last year in Wisconsin (November 2016) than at any
point in our state's history.
- After
adjusting for inflation, total private sector wages in 2015 grew 5.1%, the
best growth since 2001.
- After
adjusting for inflation, average weekly wages in 2015 increased 3.6%, the
best growth since 2001.
We enjoy sharing all the great news about our state with you. It is an honor to serve as your Governor and represent the people of Wisconsin.
Sincerely,
Governor Scott Walker
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