Wisconsin Farmers Union is disappointed following the Joint Finance Committee’s decision to exclude the Local Food Purchase Assistance program from the state budget.
“The removal of WI LFPA from the final motion in review of DATCP’s Agricultural Assistance budget… is a missed opportunity to invest in a program that has delivered real benefits to farmers and communities,” says WFU President Darin Von Ruden. “This bipartisan initiative connects local producers with food access organizations, strengthens our state’s food system, and supports our agricultural economy.”
WFU mobilized a statewide action campaign in support of WI LFPA. Advocates spoke up at the Joint Finance Committee hearings in April.
Constituents also sent 1,258 letters to legislators across the political spectrum and in every corner of the state. This included 421 to the governor’s office. The rest went to legislators in 31 of 33 Senate and 76 of 99 Assembly districts. Within the legislative districts represented, Republican members received 490 letters and Democrats received 347. This broad-based outreach made it clear, from rural towns to urban neighborhoods, LFPA benefits communities all across Wisconsin.
By the end of August, every dollar allocated to Wisconsin through the federal LFPA program will have been spent.
In 2023 and 2024, WI LFPA had:
- 283 Producers Participating
- 72 Counties Served
- 261 Types of Products
- 254 Food Access Partners Receiving Deliveries
- $4.23M Worth of Food Delivered
“Farmers and community members, rural and urban alike, are united in their support for this program,” says WFU Government Relations Director Michelle Ramriez-White. “We urge state legislators to listen to their constituents and use their power as elected representatives to restore WI LFPA funding. We urge constituents to call their legislators and continue making their voices heard in support of funding for WI LFPA.”
