November 2, 2022 — The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has signed a $2.94 million cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service to create the Wisconsin Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) Program. The new program aims to strengthen local and regional food systems, support Wisconsin farmers, and distribute fresh nutritious foods to underserved communities.
DATCP will work collaboratively with producers, distributors, food security organizations, and tribal partners to provide program development, coordinate transportation and logistics, and procure food from local producers. The following organizations will utilize funding to:
- Marbleseed will provide producer education and technical assistance as well as offer $1.5 million in grants for farmers to provide food to underserved communities.
- Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative will support the strategic movement of food around the state and engage aggregation businesses.
- Wisconsin Farmers Union will work to further develop Wisconsin’s local food network of farmers, local food businesses, food security partners, and non-profit organizations by organizing online resources and mapping local food system partners.
For more information on the Wisconsin LFPA Program, visit DATCP’s LFPA webpage. (https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/AgDevelopment/LocalFoodPurchasingAgreement.aspx)