Do you have a production idea you want to test out on your farm but don’t know where to get started? Many Wisconsin farmers have used grants to develop value-added enterprises, try out innovative production and marketing techniques, and educate other farmers and the public about sustainable agriculture. But figuring out whether a grant program is right for you and working through the application can be intimidating.
Individuals interested in learning more about possible grant opportunities or other financial options are invited to attend informational workshops scheduled around the state this fall. The workshops will discuss when grants make sense and cover ways to plan your project and strengthen your application.
Grant programs to be covered include:
- USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grant program, which funds research and education projects that advance sustainable agriculture;
- USDA’s Specialty Crop Block Grant (SCBG) program, a program administered locally by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) which funds endeavors that enhance the competitiveness of Wisconsin specialty crops;
- Wisconsin’s Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin grant program, a DATCP program which funds projects that increase the demand for and supply of locally produced foods in Wisconsin; and
- DATCP’s Farmer-led Watershed Grants Program, which provides grants that go to projects that focus on ways to prevent and reduce runoff from farm fields and work to increase farm participation in these voluntary efforts.
Dates and locations:
Friday, Sept. 21 in La Crosse (western Wisconsin) To register, contact: [email protected] or 608-785-9593 by Sept. 14.
Saturday, Sept. 22 in Dodgeville (southern Wisconsin) To register contact: Barry Hottmann or Gene Schriefer at [email protected] or [email protected] or 608-930-9850 by Sept. 14.
Friday, Sept. 28 in Green Bay (eastern Wisconsin) To register contact: Liz Binversie at [email protected] or 920-391-4612 by Sept. 20.
Thursday, Oct. 11 in Medford (north-central Wisconsin) To register contact: Cathy Mauer at [email protected] or 715-748-3327 ext. 3 by Oct. 4.
The registration fee of $15 will cover the cost of lunch and materials. The workshops are sponsored by UW-Extension, USDA, DATCP, and Michael Fields Agricultural Institute.
For more information about the workshops contact: Diane Mayerfeld, UW-Extension [email protected] or (608) 262-8188 or Erin Peot, UW-Extension [email protected] or (608)890-4606.
