Office of Governor Tony Evers *FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:* February 14, 2025 Contact: [email protected]    *Gov. Evers Delivers Radio Address Highlighting Budget Investments to Support Wisconsin’s Farmers, Producers, and Agricultural Industries Statewide*   Audio File of Radio Address. [ [link removed] ]

MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today delivered his weekly radio address highlighting his plans to invest more than $80 million in his upcoming 2025-27 Executive Budget to support Wisconsin farmers and farm families, producers, and processors and the state’s $116 billion agricultural industry statewide.

More information about the governor’s comprehensive plan to invest in supporting support Wisconsin farmers, farm families, and the agricultural industry as a whole is available here [ [link removed] ].

"Hey there, folks! Governor Tony Evers here.

I’ve made supporting the agricultural industry a top priority since Day One.

Whether supporting the future research and workforce this industry needs to keep up with the demands of the 21st Century, ensuring agricultural communities have the roads, broadband, and water infrastructure they need to be successful, or fighting to make sure farmers have the support and mental health resources they need, I’ve been proud to support Wisconsin farmers and farm families over the past six years, and my next budget will be no different.

My budget is going to continue this work with a more than $80 million investment.

This includes investments to support farm operations, such as creating a new pilot program aimed at supporting on-farm projects that improve resilience and efficiency of farm operations, like upgrading IT infrastructure and milking equipment.

We’re also going to continue our efforts to support the supply chain and address food insecurity with a proposed $30 million for the Food Security Initiative we launched during the pandemic that connects food pantries with local producers.

And as we’ve done in prior budgets, we will be continuing to support the Meat and Dairy Processor Grant Programs as well as the Meat Talent Development program to make our supply chain more resilient while addressing our state’s longstanding workforce challenges.

And we’re going to continue supporting the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports with another more than $170,000 in funding for that successful program.

Since we created and launched that program in 2021, Wisconsin now ranks 11th in exports—up from 13th.

And we’re doubling funding for farmer mental health initiatives.

Folks, my administration and I remain committed to continuing our work to uplift this vital industry and the farm families that make it all possible because Wisconsin’s agricultural industry isn’t just core to our economy—it’s core to our culture, heritage, and who we are as a state.

Thank you."
  An online version of this release is available here [ [link removed] ]. ###

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