Gov. Evers, DATCP Announce $1 Million in Grant Awards to Support Farmer-Led Conservation and Clean Water Efforts

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), announced today that $1 million will be awarded to 49 farmer-led groups through the Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grant (PLWPG) Program. Funding will support producer-led conservation solutions by encouraging innovation and farmer participation in efforts to improve Wisconsin’s soil health and water quality.

“Ensuring every Wisconsinite has access to clean, safe water is not only about keeping our kids, families, and communities healthy, but it’s vital for the well-being of our farmers, our agricultural sector, and our economy, too,” said Gov. Evers. “Wisconsin’s farmers and producers know firsthand the value of clean water and soil and are critical partners in our state’s conservation efforts, so I’m glad to be continuing support for this program in my next budget to bolster their good work to protect our state’s water resources and ensure folks and families across our state have the clean, safe water they deserve.”

This awardee announcement comes as, earlier today, Gov. Evers announced his 2025-27 Executive Budget will increase funding for the PLWPG Program by $1 million over the biennium, bringing the total funding for the program to $2.5 million. According to DATCP, annual interest in the program continues to exceed the program budget, with his funding cycle receiving the highest number of requests in the program’s history.

This announcement also comes as earlier today Gov. Evers announced his 2025-27 Executive Budget will include more than $80 million in key investments to support Wisconsin farmers, farm families, and the agricultural industry as a whole. More information on the governor’s budget announcement is available here.

“The producer-led watershed protection grant program is just one of the tools in the toolbox for Wisconsin producers,” said DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. “Farmers are stewards of the land and water and understand the importance of innovation on the farm. It is great to see this program and farmer-led groups being supported, and I applaud the Governor’s leadership on increasing the funding for this valuable program.”

Gov. Evers recognizes that farmers are key partners in the state’s work to protect and preserve the state’s natural resources, and in all three of his previous budgets, Gov. Evers has supported increasing funding for the PLWPG, including increasing the program’s base funding to $1 million annually in the final 2021-23 biennial budget and securing an additional $500,000 over the biennium in one-time funding in the 2023-25 budget.

“As one of the first two farmer-led watershed groups funded by DATCP, the Horse Creek Farmer-Led Watershed program is now on its eleventh year of existence. It has been very rewarding watching how producer awareness has grown and the evolution of program focus,” said Timm Johnson, member of the Horse Creek Farmer-Led Watershed Council. “We are now focusing on soil health, water infiltration, crop health, and improving water quality in Horse Creek. Utilizing conservation practices and cover crops, we have dramatically reduced phosphorus and soil loss in the watershed.”

This year’s grant cycle will support three new groups, indicated below with an asterisk, while helping veteran groups continue to advance their work. A map of recipients, including one previously awarded group whose grant is still active, can be found on DATCP’s website here.

The 2025 PLWPG recipients and award amounts include:

• Antigo Producer-Led Watershed Protection Group* – $6,500
• Bad-Axe Farmer-Led Watershed Council – $20,450
• Biological Farmer Friends – $26,000
• Buffalo-Trempealeau Farmer Network – $26,000
• Calumet County Ag Stewardship Alliance – $16,500
• Cedar Creek Farmers – $8,000
• Central Wisconsin Farmers’ Collaborative – $22,000
• Chippewa Valley Producer-Led Watershed – $18,000
• Coon Creek Community Watershed Council Inc. – $26,000
• Dodge County Farmers for Healthy Soil & Healthy Water – $32,000
• Dry Run Farmer-Led Watershed Council – $11,700
• Eau Pleine Partnership for Integrated Conservation – $26,000
• Farmers for Lake Country – $19,250
• Farmers for the Upper Sugar River – $26,000
• Farmers for Tomorrow Watershed Council – $22,000
• Farmers of Fourteen Mile Creek* – $5,100
• Farmers of Mill Creek Watershed Council – $22,700
• Farmers of the Barron County Watersheds – $18,000
• Farmers of the Lemonweir Valley – $26,000
• Farmers of the Roche-A-Cri – $5,450
• Farmers of the Sugar River – $13,000
• Farmers on the Rock – $32,000
• FARMERS4HEALTH/Bear Creek Chippewa River Producer-Led Group – $18,000
• Flambeau Valley Watershed Group – $9,150
• Fond du Lac County Watersheds Alliance – $22,000
• Green County Clean Waters – $14,850
• Hay River Farmer-Led Watershed Council – $26,000
• Horse Creek Area Farmer-Led Watershed Council – $11,550
• Iowa County Uplands Watershed Group – $17,900
• Jefferson County Soil Builders – $22,000
• Kenosha County Regenerative Producers – $26,000
• Lafayette Ag Stewardship Alliance – $26,000
• Lake Wisconsin Farmer Watershed Council – $26,000
• Milwaukee River Watershed Clean Farm Families – $32,000
• Muddy Bottom Farmers – $10,100
• Peninsula Pride Farms – $26,000
• Producers of the Lake Redstone Watershed – $26,000
• Red Cedar Conservation Farmers – $22,000
• Rock River Regenerative Graziers – $22,000
• Rush Creek Watershed Conservation Council – $22,000
• Sauk Soil & Water Improvement Group – $25,200
• Seven Rivers Soil Cooperative Inc. – $32,000
• Sheboygan River Progressive Farmers – $22,000
• Shell Lake, Yellow River Farmer-Led Watershed Council – $17,600
• South Kinni Farmer Led Watershed Council – $11,000
• Walworth Alliance Teaching Environmental Regenerative Systems* – $22,000
• Watershed Protection Committee of Racine County – $22,000
• Western Wisconsin Conservation Council – $22,000
• Yahara Pride Farms Inc. – $18,000

About the Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grants

Including the recent round of funding, DATCP has awarded more than $7.2 million to 52 different groups across the state since the program started in 2015. Grant projects have focused on providing conservation education to farmers, conducting on-farm demonstrations and research, issuing incentive payments for implementing conservation practices, organizing field days, and gathering data on soil health and water quality.

In 2023, groups in the program delivered conservation practices on over 1.5 million acres, an increase from 1.1 million acres in 2022. This includes a 15 percent increase in no-till practices, a 30 percent increase in nutrient management, and a two percent increase in cover crop adoption. In addition, the program provides valuable peer-to-peer learning opportunities for farmers across the state.

Producer-led groups must work with a county land conservation department, the University of Wisconsin-Division of Extension, a non-profit conservation organization, or the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, who serve as the group’s collaborator. Funds cannot pay for real estate, loans, equipment, or lobbying, and the program places caps on the amount of funding that can be used for staff support to the groups. Each group must start with at least five farmers in the watershed.

For additional details on the impacts of Wisconsin’s producer-led groups, visit DATCP’s website.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.