Gov. Tony Evers announced that Wisconsin is now the 10th largest exporter of food, forestry and agricultural products in the United States.
The 2026 Quarter 2 reports show Wisconsin exports reached $2.13 billion in the first half of 2026—the highest first half year on record. According to the Q2 report, Wisconsin exports increased 5.42 percent compared to the first half of 2025.
The 2021-23 budget marked the first time that state funding had been allocated to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection’s International Agribusiness Center. 2021 Wisconsin Act 92 later provided metrics for this investment.
In collaboration with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, DATCP submitted a strategic five-year plan for the funding, named the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports, to the Wisconsin State Legislature on Dec. 31, 2021. This initiative aims to boost the export of dairy, meat, crop, and other agricultural products by 25 percent and allows DATCP to have flexibility to respond and react to changing market conditions.
The WIAE has helped raise Wisconsin’s national standing in agricultural exports from 13th to 10th in the years since its creation. In his latest budget, the governor secured ongoing funding for this essential program. More information on the WIAE is available on DATCP’s website.
The 2025-27 Biennial Budget provides:
- $150 million to continue support for the Agricultural Roads Improvement Program;
- $30 million of the $150 million secured for ARIP will be specifically targeted to bridge and culvert repair;
- $20 million to create a new state program designed to support dairy and agriculture resilience;
- $10 million to continue the Food Security Initiative that connects local nonprofit food assistance programs, such as food pantries, with local producers to keep shelves stocked;
- $3 million to continue the Tribal Elder Food Security 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.
