July 7, 2026: DATCP Accepting Applications for Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grants Through September 15

​FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 7, 2026
Contact: Dan Richter, Public Information Officer, (608) 419-5352, [email protected]

MADISON, Wis. - The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is accepting applications for 2027 Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grants through September 15, 2026. These grants are awarded to producer-led groups to help support and advance producer-led conservation solutions and farmer participation in local watershed conservation efforts.

Funded by Governor Evers' 2025-27 Biennial Budget, the budget for the Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grants in 2027 totals $1 million. Eligible groups that apply 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.

"Farmers in Wisconsin lead on soil and water health initiatives because they know the value of these efforts," said Governor Tony Evers. "My administration has worked to provide additional funding for these programs, and I am proud that we have increased the program's on-the-ground support for producers."

The last two funding cycles have been record-setting with the highest number of requests in the history of the Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grant program, with 49 groups applying. In 2025, those requests totaled almost $1.65 million.

"For more than ten years, farmers across Wisconsin have been leading conservation efforts within their communities as part of the Producer-led Watershed Protection Grant Program," said DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. "The work that these groups perform is admirable, and I'm pleased that it will continue with this next round of grants."

Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must be groups of at least five farmers whose farms are in the same or adjacent 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 collaborate with a county land conservation department, the University of Wisconsin-Extension, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, or a nonprofit conservation organization. Both newly formed and established groups are eligible to apply.

How to Apply
Grant information and application materials are available on DATCP's Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grants webpage and must be submitted by email in Microsoft Word format. For more information, contact Producer-Led Watershed Program Manager Dani Heisler at [email protected] or (608) 640-7270.

Program Information
The Producer-Led Watershed Protection Grants program is the first state program of its kind in the nation. Since the program first began in 2015, DATCP has awarded over $8.2 million to 56 producer-led watershed groups across the state. Requests for funding since the program's inception total more than $11.5 million. 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. In 2025, conservation practices implemented by groups in the program impacted 1.6 million acres.

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