Wisconsin grants support local food systems

By Blake Jackson

Wisconsin's Local Food Purchase Assistance (WI LFPA) Program is offering two grants: the Direct-to-Farmer grant and the Community Partners grant. These grants aim to support local food systems, Wisconsin farmers, and provide fresh, nutritious food to underserved communities. Applications for both grants are open until November 22, 2023.

The Direct-to-Farmer grant offers Wisconsin farm businesses the opportunity to receive grants ranging from $5,000 to $25,000. These grants will facilitate contracts with price agreements for projected products, pre-season payment schedules, product quality, and procurement and distribution procedures. The administration of the Direct-to-Farmer grant is managed by Marbleseed, and for additional details, inquiries can be directed to info@marbleseed.org.

On the other hand, the Community Partners grant allocates funds from $30,000 to $300,000 for non-profit and community organizations. These organizations can participate in a competitive grant process to purchase Wisconsin-grown, raised, or minimally processed food for distribution to underserved communities in the state. This grant is overseen by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP). Further questions about the Community Partners grant can be sent to katie.kracht@wisconsin.gov.

To provide more information and answer queries, DATCP is hosting an informational webinar on October 20, 2023, at 11 a.m.

The WI LFPA Program, a collaborative initiative between DATCP and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service, is focused on enhancing local food systems, supporting Wisconsin's farmers, and ensuring the equitable distribution of fresh, nutritious foods to underserved communities. The program works closely with producers, distributors, food security organizations, and tribal partners, providing program development, transportation coordination, logistics, and local food procurement in partnership with Marbleseed, Wisconsin Farmers Union, and the Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative. For additional information on the WI LFPA Program, visit wilocalfood.org.

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