Dodge County Group Receiving Funds From Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grants

(Juneau) A Dodge County farmer group will be receiving funds from the latest round of Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grants. Farmers for Healthy Soil and Healthy Water are a part of 35 other organizations selected by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.

Officials with DATCP say farmers will use the funds to work with conservation organizations to address soil and water issues specific to their local watersheds. Dodge County Farmers for Healthy Soil and Healthy Water will be getting $33,180. A newly funded group, Jefferson County Soil Builders, is in line to receive $18,522.

Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grants give financial support to farmers willing to lead conservation efforts in their own watersheds. The emphasis is on innovation and practices not already covered by other state and federal programs.

This is the seventh round of grant awards since funding was first made available in the 2015-17 state budget. The 2021-23 budget authorized annual program funding totaling $1-million-dollars. Grant requests for 2022 totaled nearly $1.2-million.