— Thirty projects aimed at boosting Wisconsin’s food production industry are getting $23.2 million through a USDA infrastructure program, state and federal officials announced.
Funding for the projects comes from the agency’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program, which aims to strengthen the “middle of the food supply chain,” expanding markets for small farms and food businesses, according to the USDA’s overview. The dollars allocated in Wisconsin are part of $420 million in total funding being awarded, coming from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Gov. Tony Evers says the awards will “help strengthen our supply chains and bolster economic opportunity and resilience” across Wisconsin.
“Wisconsin’s farmers, producers, and our agricultural industries are a critical part of our state’s economic success and help make sure we’re getting food to tables, grocery stores, and restaurants across our country and the world over,” he said in a statement on the funding.
The largest award in the state at nearly $2.9 million is going to farmer-owned processor Doudlah Farms Organics, based in Evansville. The company grows more than 20 varieties of products ranging from pinto and kidney beans to rye wheat and grains, as well as sunflower seeds and honey.
Its 20,000-square-foot processing facility, funded by the USDA program, is estimated to benefit 550 local and regional agricultural producers. It’s meant to make it easier to enter the market while improving sales channels for “organic, value-added” farm products, an overview from the agency shows.
Meanwhile, the Waupaca-based Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative will use its $460,000 award to expand its existing warehouse space and trucking fleet while improving distribution routes to connect with other supply chain initiatives in the state. The project is expected to benefit 250 local and regional food producers, the USDA says, with an emphasis on small-scale grocery and food service buyers and others.
And Red Door Family Farm, based in Athens, will use a nearly $400,000 award to build a packing shed and cold storage facility for its organic vegetables, as well as those produced by 20 other farms. The farm is also buying a refrigerated truck to transport produce from partner farms to local and regional wholesalers and retailers, along with charity groups including Feeding America and the Marathon County Hunger Coalition.
See the release and the full list of funded projects.
— A coalition seeking to restrict wake-enhanced boating on Wisconsin lakes has now expanded to 60 state-based groups, according to an update from organizers.
The coalition formed less than five months ago with five member groups, and is growing “at an incredibly rapid pace.” That’s according to Jeff Meessmann, who’s on the board for coalition member Last Wilderness Alliance, an environmental advocacy group.
“In the last month alone, fourteen new members have joined,” he said in a statement. “As the coalition grows, each member lends their expertise to the cause. One member may focus on damage to shoreline, while another has expertise in enacting local ordinances.”
Related efforts have centered on the impacts of wake-enhanced boating on state waterways and lakes, arguing the boating activity is harming property values and fish habitats. Member groups range from fishing organizations, sailors, property owners and others.
The group is highlighting local regulatory changes being made related to wake-enhanced boating, with nearly three dozen towns passing new limits on such activity over the past year. Yesterday’s announcement notes the coalition “will be active” in the coming state legislative session.
Mike Arrowwood, chairman for Walleyes for Tomorrow, says efforts aim to “show the Legislature there is an organic movement in support of managing these activities for the benefit of all Wisconsinites.”
See the updated list of member groups here, see more on the issue from Lakes at Stake Wisconsin, and listen to a recent WisBusiness.com podcast on this topic.
— Easterseals Wisconsin is expanding its Self-Employment Services program, which helps people with disabilities to start or grow a business.
The nonprofit group yesterday announced the expansion through a partnership with WEDC, saying it will be able to help a dozen more people during the first year of the expanded program. It helps clients create and execute business plans that are “tailored to their abilities and needs,” through feasibility studies, business plan development and technical help.
The release notes the expanded effort aims to build relationships with other organizations such as the Wisconsin Independent Living Centers, Aging and Disability Resource Centers, the U.S. Small Business Administration and others.
“This partnership will allow us to support more entrepreneurs with disabilities, helping them achieve their goals and make meaningful contributions to their communities,” said Easterseals Wisconsin Director of FARM & Vocational Services Jeff Kratochwill.
Listen to a recent podcast with Paul Leverenz, the nonprofit’s president and CEO.
— State health officials are urging property owners to test for radon, noting one in 10 homes in Wisconsin have elevated levels of the hazardous material.
The state Department of Health Services yesterday warned the colorless, odorless gas can enter homes through the foundations, posing a major health risk. The agency notes radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer, with about 962 people in Wisconsin affected by radon-induced cases of the disease.
“Indoor radon levels tend to increase during the colder months, so now is the perfect time to test your home or building for radon if you haven’t before,” DHS State Health Officer Paula Tran said in the release, which also says radon is easy to test for and leaks can be fixed.
Wisconsin has 17 information centers around the state focused on radon, which provide inexpensive testing kits, the release shows.
The agency is also touting the impact of a rule change enacted by the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families in 2023, which requires licensed child care providers to test for radon and put in a mitigation system if necessary. Since the rule took effect, Tran says 41 child care centers have mitigated high radon levels, improving the environment for at least 820 kids.
Children tend to be more sensitive to radon exposure, as they have smaller lungs and faster breathing rates, according to DHS.
“Preventing exposure to high radon in places where kids spend a lot of time is a significant way to reduce their overall exposure to radon,” Tran said.
See the release.
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— Gov. Tony Evers told reporters it was premature to say whether he would sign legislation to require officials in Wisconsin to cooperate with federal immigration agents arresting those in the country without documentation.
Evers continued to raise concerns about President-elect Donald Trump’s calls during the campaign for mass deportations, saying it would devastate Wisconsin’s dairy industry. He spoke to reporters on Friday as he previewed his coming budget and answered questions.
Evers also said he’s open to regulating Delta 8, a THC product, but said he’d like to do it in conjunction with changes to state laws on marijuana. Evers has proposed full legalization in the past, but GOP legislative leaders have said they have no interest in such a move.
See more from Evers’ remarks at WisPolitics.
TOP STORIES
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TOPICS
AGRIBUSINESS
– Free farm succession planning workshops in Wisconsin
CONSTRUCTION
– Downtown Milwaukee Dog Park pushes toward 2025 completion
– Neutral secures $133.3 million for construction of downtown mass timber tower
ECONOMY
– Despite turbulence in the Milwaukee hotel market, analysts see demand for new hotels in 2025
EDUCATION
– Milwaukee Area Technical College’s former DEI officer files federal discrimination lawsuit
– Evers calls DPI’s decision to change state test scores a ‘mistake’
ENVIRONMENT
– New data shows winters in Great Lakes region shrinking by two or more weeks since 1995
FOOD & BEVERAGE
– Wisconsin restaurant owner wins grant to strengthen American Black food traditions
– Verona Culver’s lunch business triples as it takes part in large-scale Abundant Life fundraiser
– Restaurant, bar going into former Dubai spot on State Street ready to open
FOXCONN REPORTS
– Foxconn acquires 20 acres in Mount Pleasant, but plans for that land are unclear
HEALTH CARE
– Ascension’s spring 2024 ransomware attack affects millions of patients
MANUFACTURING
– Wis-Pak plans to relocate HQ to Oconomowoc
RETAIL
– Kwik Trip to add stores, EV stations, distribution center in 2025
SPORTS
– Wrigley Field hockey series puts UW announcer on ice, and he loved it
– American Family Field winterization moving forward in 2025 with new lease
PRESS RELEASES
See these and other press releases
Evans Transportation: Drives new milestones and industry shift
Office of the Commissioner of Insurance: Administrative actions December 2024
