Ag export grant funding announced

Nine projects aimed at expanding Wisconsin exports have been selected for about $700,000 in total funding, DATCP announced. 

The grant funding comes from the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports, which has now provided $1.2 million since getting its start in 2021. The program’s goal is to increase exports of dairy, meat, crops and other agricultural products by 25 percent by June 2026. 

“These grant projects will help Wisconsin businesses engage in trade opportunities and facilitate valuable connections between buyers and sellers,” DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski said in the agency’s release. 

According to DATCP, recipients must provide matching funds equal to 20 percent of the grant award. The projects funded in the first round of grants have begun, while the latest projects selected for funding will begin early this year. 

Recipients include: Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin, with $90,000; Wisconsin Beef Council, $50,000; World Dairy Expo, $100,000; Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, $100,000; Wisconsin Cheesemakers Association, $100,000; Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association, $49,950; Center for Dairy Research, $43,980; UW-Madison, $49,719; and UW-River Falls, $100,000. 

See the release: https://www.wisbusiness.com/2023/dept-of-agriculture-trade-and-consumer-protection-announces-export-expansion-grant-recipients/ 

See more on the program here: https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/AgDevelopment/WisconsinInitiativeForAgriculturalExports.aspx