Wisconsin DATCP Looks Ahead After a Strong 2025

By Blake Jackson

As the holiday season offers a moment to reflect and plan ahead, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is reviewing the progress made over the past year while preparing for continued work in 2026.

Wisconsin’s food, forestry, and agricultural product exports totaled $2.03 billion during the first half of 2025, marking the state’s third highest first-half performance on record. While tariffs and federal trade policies led to a modest decline, Wisconsin remained the nation’s 12th-largest agricultural exporter.

With Governor Tony Evers’ continued support through market development funding in the 2025-27 Biennial Budget for the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports, DATCP plans to keep international trade a top priority in the coming year.

Alongside global markets, DATCP has remained focused on strengthening local food access. In 2025, programs such as the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program and the Tribal Elder Community Food Box Program played a critical role in connecting farmers, processors, and food security organizations, particularly as SNAP benefits faced uncertainty during a federal shutdown.

Food access efforts were further expanded with the creation of the Food Security and Wisconsin Products Program, a $5 million annual investment included in the biennial budget to support nonprofit food assistance organizations statewide.

DATCP also continued protecting animal agriculture through participation in the USDA’s National Milk Testing Strategy. Using routine milk samples from nearly all licensed dairies, more than 24,000 tests were conducted statewide in 2025. Early detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a Dodge County dairy herd highlighted the importance of this ongoing testing, which will continue in 2026.

Consumer and farmer support remained central to DATCP’s mission. The Bureau of Consumer Protection introduced new outreach toolkits to educate the public on fraud prevention and consumer safety, while the Wisconsin Farm Center expanded its Farmer Wellness Program.

Participation in online support groups grew significantly in 2025, and hundreds of counseling sessions helped support the mental health and well-being of Wisconsin farmers and their families.

Photo Credit: wisconsin-doa