Local Food Businesses Growing Through Buy Local Buy Wisconsin Program

July 15, 2015

Join the growing list of local food businesses reaching their goals through the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection’s (DATCP) Buy Local Buy Wisconsin program.
Proposals for Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin grant-funded projects are now being accepted from individuals, groups, businesses and organizations involved in Wisconsin agriculture, food processing, food distribution, food warehousing, retail food establishments or agricultural tourism sites. Proposals could include collaborations or partnerships. Eligible project expenses include operating expenses, real estate and equipment.

Past recipients report increased sales and visibility for their products after putting their Buy Local Buy Wisconsin grant funds to work.

Bayfield Regional Food Producers Cooperative (Bayfield Foods), for one, reports an increase in food sales in the Bayfield-Ashland area after developing cross-promotional marketing and sales programs for poultry, pork, lamb, and beef producers. Their South Shore Meats and Lake Superior CSA programs saw sales of member products skyrocket as a result of the promotional campaign.
Wisco Pop!, a natural beverage company that features Wisconsin produced sweeteners and fruit juices, used the grant funds for staff time to market and distribute its single serve glass bottle soda to markets across the state.

There are $200,000 of grant funds available. The maximum grant award is $50,000 per project. Grant applicants must provide cash or in-kind match equivalent to or greater than 50% of the total project cost.

Pre-proposals must be received at DATCP by 4:00 pm on September 14th 2015. Pre-proposals include a cover page, budget template and three-page project description.

After an internal review of pre-proposals, qualified projects will be invited to complete a full proposal application and participate in an interview. The announcement of selected projects will be made in early 2016.

The complete grant manual, cover sheet and budget outline is available online at http://datcp.wi.gov/Business/Buy_Local_Buy_Wisconsin/BLBW_Grants. For more information, contact DATCP’s Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin Program Manager, Teresa Engel, at 608-224-5101 or teresa.engel@wi.gov.

 

Source:  DATCP