A commentary by Secretary Randy Romanski of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP)
MADISON, Wis. – Happy holidays, Wisconsin! Though it’s often a busy time of year, the holiday season is also when many count their blessings, express their thanks and gratitude toward one another, and set goals for the year ahead. At the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), we’re reflecting back on the successes achieved over the past year, while also identifying ways to build upon those achievements in 2026.
Wisconsin food, forestry, and agriculture product exports reached $2.03 billion in the first half of 2025 – the state’s third highest first half on record. Though tariffs and federal trade policies have contributed to a slight decrease in those exports, the state remains the 12th largest exporter of agricultural products in the U.S. With continued strategic investments for market development that Governor Evers included in his 2025-27 Biennial Budget for the Wisconsin Initiative for Agricultural Exports, DATCP will continue to make exports and international trade a priority in 2026.
While helping export Wisconsin food products around the world is an important endeavor, so too is ensuring that Wisconsinites have access to fresh, local foods right here at home. With the federal government shutdown jeopardizing SNAP benefits for many Wisconsinites, DATCP programs such as the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program and the Tribal Elder Community Food Box Program were needed more than ever in 2025. Through these programs, DATCP is able to help Wisconsin farmers, processors, and food security organizations make connections with one another and get Wisconsin-grown and -processed foods to those who need them most. Food security efforts were further bolstered by the introduction of a Food Security and Wisconsin Products Program, which Governor Evers included in his 2025-27 Biennial Budget. This $5 million annual investment provides grants to Wisconsin’s nonprofit food assistance organizations for the purpose of purchasing and distributing food to communities across the state. The first round of awardees of the program will be announced soon.
In the spring, DATCP began participating in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) mandatory National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS), using milk samples from farms that are already collected through routine sampling by DATCP’s Division of Food and Recreational Safety and Division of Animal Health. These tests represent nearly all licensed dairies in Wisconsin. After more than 24,000 tests statewide, HPAI was detected earlier this month in a dairy herd in Dodge County. This instance, detected early thanks to routine testing, demonstrates how our participation in the NMTS is a tool to detect and try to limit the spread of HPAI. Testing will continue in 2026. DATCP will continue to support the agriculture industry and protect the health of animal agriculture.
This year, DATCP’s Bureau of Consumer Protection launched a series of Consumer Protection Outreach Toolkits, which are a collection of free and easy-to-use materials for educating the public on consumer protection topics in classrooms, youth programs, workplaces, and community workshops. Toolkit topics include common scams and frauds, identity theft, safe online shopping, consumer protection for educators, consumer protection during the holidays. If you haven’t utilized these toolkits yet, you can access them at https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/
DATCP’s Wisconsin Farm Center continued offering numerous free and confidential resources to Wisconsin farmers this year, including expanding the reach of its Farmer Wellness Program. In 2025, participation in the program’s online support groups grew by over 50 percent from 2024, with a total of 230 attendees for the year. That’s nearly seven times the number of people who attended when the support groups launched in 2021. Furthermore, over 500 counseling sessions were attended by Wisconsin farmers and their family members through the Farmer Wellness Program in 2025, further demonstrating how resources like these are utilized by Wisconsin farmers.
As 2025 draws to a close, I am grateful for the staff at DATCP and for the work they have done to contribute to these successes. I’m equally as thankful for you, Wisconsin – for our farmers, our processors, our agribusinesses, and other entities who make the state’s agriculture industry the thriving powerhouse that it is. We look forward to 2026 and to all the potential and opportunity it may bring. Happy New Year!
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