Members of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association applauded the bipartisan passage and signing of the 2025-2027 biennial state budget.
The bill includes more than half a billion dollars of funding, championed by WCMA, to support dairy innovation, boost dairy exports, address food insecurity, and strengthen the food supply chain through key infrastructure and workforce support.
The budget increases funding for the popular Dairy Processor Grant Program from base funding of $400,000 to a total of $1.2 million over the biennium.
“These targeted, small-dollar grants offer valuable support for companies like mine as we work to innovate – and maintain Wisconsin’s reputation as a global leader in dairy processing,” says Andy Hatch, chair of WCMA’s Policy Committee and owner of Uplands Cheese of Dodgeville.
The budget directs $10 million to the Food Security Initiative over the biennium, supporting local hunger relief organizations’ purchases of Wisconsin dairy products, as well as meat and produce. It also directs $3 million to the Tribal Elder Food Security program.
“Our business, and others like ours, are glad this budget offers the opportunity for us to continue to partner with nonprofits across Wisconsin to address food insecurity,” says JD Greenwalt, General Manager of Westby Cooperative Creamery.
The budget allocates an additional $150 million over the biennium to the Agricultural Roads Improvement Program, continuing a successful initiative first funded in the 2023-2025 state budget. Across previous grant offerings, roughly three-quarters of all awarded ARIP grant dollars have supported construction projects that, at least in part, benefit dairy businesses and their rural communities.
“Investing in Wisconsin’s rural roads is critical for the long-term strength, stability, and success of our business and our industry – and the entire food supply chain,” says Scott Caliebe, CFO of Pine River Pre-Pack of Newton, which benefited from a previous ARIP grant.
The budget provides $2 million in continued funding for the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports over the biennium, a program with a proven record of boosting the state’s engagement in foreign markets. In 2024 alone, Wisconsin dairy exports jumped by nearly $100 million, exceeding a total value of $406 million, which represents a nearly 200-to-1 return on the state’s investment.
“The Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports helps businesses like ours grow our share of the global marketplace by navigating practical barriers and building valuable connections in overseas markets,” notes Kim Heiman of Nasonville Dairy, which operates in Marshfield and Curtiss, exporting products worldwide.
The 2025-27 state budget includes $7.8 million per year to support the Dairy Innovation Hub, which harnesses cutting-edge research and development at three University of Wisconsin campuses. It further provides $360 million for childcare programming, an amount that will help Wisconsin retain services critical to workforce engagement.
