Congressman's bill hands Wisconsin public forest to moss company
H.R. 5866 — To require the Secretary of Agriculture to release a reversionary interest in certain land in the Black River State Forest in Millston, Wisconsin, and for other purposes. · Filed by Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) · Introduced Oct 28, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to release a federal reversionary interest (a claim that the land revert to federal ownership if not used for public purposes) in approximately 31.83 acres of state forest land in Millston, Wisconsin, so that the state can trade it to Deli, Inc., a sphagnum moss company, in exchange for approximately 37.27 acres of private land that Deli owns or will acquire. The net effect is that a private moss-production company gains control of public forest land, while the state forest gains slightly more acreage in return.
Why we flagged it
The bill is functionally a targeted land transfer benefiting a specific private company (Deli, Inc.) in the sponsor's district (Millston, Wisconsin), disguised as a routine forest-management exchange. The stated purpose masks a private commercial benefit.
What the text implies
- Removal of federal reversionary interest permanently extinguishes the U.S. government's ability to reclaim the land if the state fails to maintain it for public purposes, eliminating a key public-interest safeguard.
- The bill does not require Deli, Inc. to maintain public access, recreational use, or environmental stewardship standards on the acquired forest land, unlike the original federal requirement.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
Deli, Inc. (sphagnum moss production company)