The Sconi

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has announced the recipients of the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin (BLBW) grants for 2025. The initiative aims to bolster the state's agriculture and food sectors by aiding farms and businesses in processing, marketing, and distributing locally grown food products more efficiently. The grants focus on a diverse range of products, including organic vegetables, different hops varieties, and locally grown grain, among others.

"Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin grants help diverse sectors of Wisconsin food producers sell their products to local distributors, which in turn helps Wisconsin communities get access to more local foods," said DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. "We are pleased to help support the innovative projects funded in this round."

This year, 24 applications were received, requesting more than $761,000 in funds. Eventually, projects totaling $248,840 were chosen for support. The selected recipients are organizations such as B&E's Trees, LLC, Driftless Farms, LLC, and Fondy Food Center, Inc., with projects ranging from increasing local food sales with Wisconsin Maple Energy to value-added agricultural products pilot programs.

Recipients like GreenGold Gardens, LLC are focused on bringing fresh produce directly to consumers, while others such as Laxey Creek Sheep Ranch, LLC aim to replace imported products with locally grown options. Projects vary widely in their objectives, including regenerative farm marketing expansions and the demonstration of agroforestry systems.

The grants are part of Wisconsin's efforts to ensure communities have better access to locally sourced foods, creating a robust local food economy that benefits both producers and consumers. For more information on DATCP's Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin Grants, details can be found on their official website.