Press Release: Gov. Evers, DATCP Announce $5 Million to Support Local Farmers and Bolster Statewide Hunger Relief Efforts 

State of Wisconsin sent this bulletin at 01/07/2026 05:00 AM CST
Office of Governor Tony Evers
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 7, 2026
Contact: GovPress@wisconsin.gov 
 
Gov. Evers, DATCP Announce $5 Million to Support Local Farmers and Bolster Statewide Hunger Relief Efforts 
Funding provided by 2025-27 biennial state budget to connect local nonprofit food assistance programs with local farmers and producers to keep shelves stocked 
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), today announced that $5 million in funding is being awarded for statewide hunger relief efforts through the Food Security and Wisconsin Products Grant Program, which the governor secured continued funding for through a $10 million investment in the 2025-27 Biennial Budget. The Food Security and Wisconsin Products Grant Program was created by Gov. Evers in 2020 to connect local nonprofit food assistance programs, such as food pantries, with local producers to keep shelves stocked with nutritious, locally produced food.  

“With all the uncertainty coming from the federal government regarding food security and supporting the most vulnerable—including kids, veterans, and seniors—these grants will help provide reliable food for Wisconsin communities, ensure secure funding for food service organizations, and provide steady business for Wisconsin’s farmers, producers, and processors,” said Gov. Evers. “These funds will ensure Wisconsin’s kids, families, and communities have healthy, nutritious food throughout the year.”

Two Wisconsin food assistance organizations, Hunger Task Force Inc. and Feeding Wisconsin, will each receive a total of $2.5 million to purchase food to be distributed to individuals and families in communities across the state at no cost to consumers. Under the program, funding can only be used to purchase food that meets a minimum standard of Wisconsin food product, which means that at least 51 percent is produced or processed in Wisconsin.  

“With the creation of this grant program, Gov. Evers has shown that food security is a top priority in Wisconsin,” said DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. “Through this program, food assistance organizations will have the ability to extend their reach and strengthen their ability to provide Wisconsin-grown and processed foods to those who need them most.”

The funding was provided by the 2025-27 Biennial Budget signed into law by Gov. Evers last summer, which built upon the governor’s and the Evers Administration’s efforts to support Wisconsin’s agricultural industries and proud heritage as America’s Dairyland. In addition to the $10 million investment to continue the Food Security and Wisconsin Products Grant Program, the final 2025-27 Biennial Budget included $3 million to continue the Tribal Elder Community Food Box Program that helps Tribal elders access nutritious, culturally-relevant food while supporting Wisconsin producers, increased funding for the successful Dairy Processor and Meat Processor Grant Programs, and continued investments to support farmers and their families' mental health, among other priorities. 

“The Wisconsin Food Security Grant Program was a critical legislative priority for Feeding Wisconsin and our network of food banks in the 2025-27 Biennial Budget,” said Executive Director of Feeding Wisconsin Jackie Anderson. “We are deeply appreciative of the bipartisan support this initiative received, as well as the Evers Administration’s leadership in ensuring the program’s successful implementation. This program not only strengthens food security for individuals and families across Wisconsin but also ensures that locally grown and produced Wisconsin foods are invested back into our communities.”

“Hunger Task Force is grateful for the leadership of Gov. Evers and the Wisconsin State Legislature and their shared commitment to supporting local agriculture and families facing hunger in our state,” said CEO of Hunger Task Force Matt King. “In partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Hunger Task Force will use 100 percent of these funds to purchase foods from small and mid-sized Wisconsin farmers and producers, and will provide these foods absolutely free of charge to hunger relief programs across the state.” 

More information on the program can be found here.

ADDITIONAL EFFORTS BY THE EVERS ADMINISTRATION TO BOLSTER WISCONSIN’S FOOD SECURITY AND AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES    

Amid the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, the Trump Administration delayed critical food assistance for the nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites—including nearly 270,000 kids—who depend on Wisconsin FoodShare for basic food and groceries. Gov. Evers spent weeks urging the Trump Administration to use readily available federal funding and levers to prevent millions of Americans from losing food assistance, and hours after a federal court ordered the Trump Administration to stop withholding SNAP payments to states and directed the administration to use billions of dollars in readily available federal funding to provide food assistance payments to millions of Americans, Gov. Evers announced the Evers Administration immediately moved to pay full November payments for all Wisconsin FoodShare members.   

Over the past seven years, Gov. Evers has also secured critical investments for farmers, producers, and their families, including supporting the state’s meat and dairy producers, investing in farmer mental health resources, and bolstering Wisconsin’s exports worldwide. Gov. Evers recognizes that Wisconsin’s $116 billion agricultural industry is as critical to the state economy as it is to Wisconsin’s heritage and culture, and ensuring its continued growth and success for generations to come will be critical to ensuring Wisconsin’s continued growth and success.        

In addition to $10 million to continue the Food Security Initiative in the most recent 2025-27 Biennial Budget signed by Gov. Evers in July, this budget builds upon efforts of the Evers Administration to date to support Wisconsin’s agricultural industry and proud heritage as “America’s Dairyland,” by providing:     

  • Ongoing funding for the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports (WIAE) program to continue to support farmers and producers wanting to expand into new markets and increase output and help Wisconsin navigate international markets for agriculture, forestry, and food products;  
    • Under Gov. Evers’ leadership, according to the WIAE, Wisconsin is currently ranked 12th in the nation for agricultural exports by state, up from 13th in 2021. Today, under Gov. Evers’ leadership, Wisconsin is well on its way to becoming a top 10 state in the country for agricultural exports. 
  • $150 million to continue support for the Agricultural Roads Improvement Program, created by Gov. Evers in the 2023-25 biennium, ensuring the ongoing improvement of Wisconsin’s rural roads to help farmers and producers and the state’s agricultural and forestry industries move products to market safely and efficiently;  
    • $30 million of the $150 million secured for ARIP will be specifically targeted to bridge and culvert repair to help improve and repair deteriorating bridges across the state.  
  • $20 million to create a new state program designed to support dairy and agriculture resilience;    
  • $3 million to continue the Tribal Elder Community Food Box Program that helps Tribal elders access nutritious, culturally relevant food while supporting Wisconsin producers;   
  • $800,000 to increase the available funding for the successful Dairy Processor Grant Program;   
  • $1 million to bolster and support the Meat Processor Grant Program;    
  • Over $2.4 million over the biennium for the Meat Inspection Program to ensure meat products are produced safely and match nutrition labels;   
  • $200,000 to support farmers and their families’ mental health;   
  • $500,000 to increase funding for the Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grant Program, which helps enable producers and producer-led groups to implement nonpoint source pollution abatement strategies to improve Wisconsin’s soil and water quality;    
  • $2 million to continue the commercial Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program, which aims to protect vital soil and water resources; and   
  • An additional $1.6 million to support the cover crop insurance program, which helps assist farmers with rebates of $5 per acre of a cover crop planted for crop insurance premiums paid on those acres.  

Gov. Evers also exercised his broad, constitutional veto authority to partially veto aspects of the budget that were outside of the bipartisan budget negotiations. More information about the bipartisan budget signed by Gov. Evers is available here. 
 
An online version of this release is available here.
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