FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 13, 2022
Contact: Morgan Cavitt, Public Information Officer, (608) 852-7438, morgan.cavitt@wisconsin.gov
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MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is accepting applications for 2023 Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grants through September 16, 2022. These grants are awarded to producer-led groups to help support and advance farmer participation in local watershed conservation efforts.
Through 2021-2023 budget, Governor Evers authorized an increase to annual program funding. DATCP will award up to $1 million in Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grants in 2023. Eligible groups can receive up to $40,000. The grants aim to help farmers find and promote conservation solutions best suited for their watershed, based on topography, soil, types of operations, and other factors that differ among regions of the state.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be groups of at least five farmers whose farms are in the same watershed. Each farm must have produced at least $6,000 in gross farm revenue last year, or $18,000 over the past three years. Each group must partner with a county land conservation department, the University of Wisconsin-Extension, or a nonprofit conservation organization. New and established groups are eligible to apply.
How to Apply
Grant information and application materials are available at https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Programs_Services/ProducerLedProjects.aspx and must be submitted to DATCP through email in Microsoft Word. For more information, contact DATCP Producer-Led Watershed Manager Dana Christel at dana.christel@wi.gov or (608) 640-7270.
Program Information
Since its inception in 2015, DATCP has awarded more than $4.2 million to 41 groups in watersheds across the state. Grant projects have focused on providing conservation education to farmers, conducting on-farm demonstrations and research, issuing incentive payments for implementing conservation practices, organizing field days, and gathering data on soil health and water quality.
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