(MADISON) Families across Wisconsin are still struggling to put food on the table — and state leaders say keeping those cupboards stocked remains a priority.
Wisconsin agriculture officials say the state continues to invest millions of dollars in programs designed to connect people facing food insecurity with food grown and made close to home. That includes new funding aimed at helping food pantries, Tribal communities, and local farmers at the same time.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the state launched its Food Security Initiative, using $70 million in federal funding to link food-insecure households with Wisconsin farmers and producers. State officials say that work laid the groundwork for new efforts now moving forward.
Under Gov. Tony Evers’ 2025–27 state budget, Wisconsin will invest $5 million each year in a new Food Security and Wisconsin Products Program. The program will provide grants to nonprofit food assistance organizations to buy and distribute food across the state, with a focus on Wisconsin-grown products.
State officials say the goal is to shorten the distance between farms and dinner tables while making sure people who need help can get it.
Another part of that effort is the Wisconsin Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program, a federally funded initiative administered by DATCP. The program focuses on strengthening the middle of the food supply chain — including food processing, transportation, and manufacturing — areas that often determine whether local food can reach consumers.
By investing in those systems, the state says small farms and food businesses gain access to more markets, consumers see more locally made products, and new jobs are created along the way.
Food banks and pantries across Wisconsin are also seeing growing demand, driven in part by uncertainty around federal programs. State agriculture officials say those local organizations have stepped up to meet the need, relying on volunteers, donors, and community partners to keep food moving to families.
