Gov. Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) on Tuesday announced the third round of Export Expansion Grants, which will support seven projects — including multiple in Dane County — focused on expanding dairy, meat and crop exports.
A total of $315,649 was awarded in this round to not-for-profit organizations located in Wisconsin that currently serve statewide agribusinesses. All projects must be completed by May 1, 2026. Recipients must provide cash or in-kind matching funds equal to 20% of the grant award.
The following organizations received Export Expansion Grants in this cycle:
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Center for Dairy Research (University of Wisconsin) — $62,768 to develop dairy products expected to be competitive in international markets through the analysis of current market products from selected countries;
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Green County Development Corporation — $62,770 to study barriers and provide technical assistance to producers interested in accessing international markets;
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UW-River Falls — $41,766 to study effects of potential retaliatory tariffs on U.S. dairy exports, identify potential emerging markets with less risk of tariffs and assess Wisconsin producers’ readiness to enter those markets;
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Wisconsin Beef Council — $30,000 to continue education efforts and promotion of beef in Central America, working with the U.S. Meat Export Federation;
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Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association — $62,770 to expand consultative services, technical support for marketing campaigns, shipping and logistics costs for buyer samples, in-store demo costs and retail sampling and merchandising;
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Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association — $30,000 to explore new markets and promote Wisconsin fresh, chipping and seed potatoes in Mexico; and
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Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (University of Wisconsin) — $25,575 to provide export promotion and buyer training to grow the export market in Tanzania for Wisconsin-produced bovine semen and embryos.
The first two rounds of funding for Export Expansion Grants totaled over $1.7 million across 22 projects.
