106.40 Agricultural education and workforce development council.

(1) Definition. In this section, “council" means the agricultural education and workforce development council.

(2) Functions.

(a) The council shall seek to do all of the following:

1. Increase the hiring and retention of well-qualified employees in industries related to agriculture, food, and natural resources.

2. Promote the coordination of educational systems to develop, train, and retrain employees for current and future careers related to agriculture, food, and natural resources.

3. Develop support for employment in fields related to agriculture, food, and natural resources.

4. Recommend policies and other changes to improve the efficiency of the development and provision of agricultural education across educational systems.

(b) The council shall seek to accomplish the purposes under par. (a) by advising state agencies on matters related to integrating agricultural education and workforce development systems, including all of the following:

1. The coordination of programs.

2. The exchange of information related to educational and workforce development needs.

3. The monitoring and evaluation of programs.

(c) The council shall identify criteria for evaluating the success of its activities, shall evaluate the success of its activities using those criteria, and shall annually report the results of the evaluation in the report under sub. (5).

(3) Committees.

(a) The council shall create an executive committee that includes the secretary of agriculture, trade and consumer protection or his or her designee, the state superintendent of public instruction or his or her designee, and the secretary of workforce development or his or her designee. The council shall select members of the executive committee so that fewer than half of the members of the executive committee are state employees. The executive committee shall provide guidance to the council and to staff that support the functions of the council. The executive committee shall meet between meetings of the council.

(b) The executive committee may create other committees to assist the council in its work. The committee members may include members of the council, employees of the agencies and educational institutions with members on the council, employees of other state agencies, representatives of organizations, and others. The council and the executive committee shall consider the need for committees on the subjects within the scope of the council's functions under sub. (2) and other subjects determined to be appropriate by the council and the executive committee. A committee shall annually provide a written summary of its meetings and activities to the executive committee for review and inclusion in the report under sub. (5).

(4) Assistance. The department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, the department of public instruction, the department of workforce development, the department of natural resources, the technical college system, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the School of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the College of Business, Industry, Life Science, and Agriculture of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, and the College of Natural Resources of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point may assist the council in performing its functions.

(4m) Meetings. The council shall meet at least annually and may meet at other times on the call of at least 6 members or on the call of the executive committee. Section 15.09 (3) does not apply to the council.

(4s) Reviews.

(a) The department of public instruction shall annually prepare a review of agricultural education programs in primary and secondary schools.

(b) The technical college system shall annually prepare a review of agricultural education programs in technical colleges.

(c) Each of the individuals specified in s. 15.227 (15) (a) 8. and the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Extension, jointly or individually, shall annually prepare a review of agricultural education programs in the University of Wisconsin System, with input from or review by the University of Wisconsin System administration.

(5) Annual report. In September of each year, the council shall submit a report to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature as determined by the speaker of the assembly and the president of the senate, under s. 13.172 (3), the governor, the secretary of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, the state superintendent of public instruction, the secretary of workforce development, the secretary of natural resources, the chief executive officer of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, the president of the University of Wisconsin System, the director of the technical college system, the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Extension, the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, and the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The council shall include all of the following in the report:

(a) A summary of the activities of the council during the fiscal year ending on the preceding June 30.

(am) The reviews prepared under sub. (4s).

(b) The council's reaction to the reviews prepared under sub. (4s).

(c) A list of current and anticipated challenges related to agricultural education.

(d) Recommendations of the council, including any recommendations related to the structure of the council or the termination of the council.

(e) Dissents of any council member related to the activities and recommendations of the council.

History: 2007 a. 223; 2011 a. 32; 2017 a. 59 s. 1238; Stats. 2017 s. 106.40.