Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) have announced $1 million in grants for 49 farmer-led watershed groups. These grants, part of the Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grant (PLWPG) Program, will help farmers protect soil health and also improve water quality across Wisconsin.
“Clean, safe water is essential for our kids, families, and communities,” said Governor Evers. “Farmers understand the importance of healthy soil and clean water, and they play a key role in conservation. I am proud to support this program and increase its funding in my next budget.”
The governor’s 2025-27 Executive Budget will add $1 million to the PLWPG Program. This increase will bring the total program funding to $2.5 million. DATCP reports that interest in the program continues to grow, with this year seeing the highest number of requests since its launch.
The funding announcement follows the governor’s earlier budget proposal to invest over $80 million to support farmers, farm families, and the state’s agricultural industry.
“The producer-led watershed program is one of many tools available to Wisconsin farmers,” said DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. “Farmers care deeply about the land and water. This program encourages innovation and also supports their efforts to protect these resources.”
The grants will support three new groups and help established groups continue their work. One recipient, the Horse Creek Farmer-Led Watershed Council, has seen significant success since it started 11 years ago.
“We’ve reduced phosphorus and soil loss by using cover crops and conservation practices,” said Timm Johnson, a council member. “We’ve also increased soil health and water infiltration.”
Since 2015, DATCP has awarded over $7.2 million to 52 groups statewide. These groups have educated farmers, tested conservation methods, and implemented practices on more than 1.5 million acres in 2023—a 400,000-acre increase from 2022.
The 2025 PLWPG recipients 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
*Indicates new groups receiving funding.
