Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has formally requested the USDA to reverse a sudden policy change

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has formally requested that United States Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins reverse a sudden policy change requiring a 25 percent cost-share match for the Dairy Business Innovation Initiative. The newly introduced mandate applies to the fiscal year 2026 funding cycle and threatens to cut off vital financial and technical assistance to dairy producers, cheesemakers, and processors across Wisconsin and the nation.

In his letter, Governor Evers emphasized that the four regional DBII centers—which are managed by public universities, state agriculture agencies, and nonprofit trade groups—lack the financial resources to meet the new matching funds requirement. He warned that unless the USDA withdraws the provision and reissues the funding opportunity, the centers will be forced to shut down their operations, depriving small dairy businesses of essential resources needed to diversify products, expand processing capacity, and enter new markets.

The governor highlighted that this administrative burden comes at a particularly challenging time for agricultural producers who are already dealing with severe drought, elevated fuel costs, and broader market volatility. Joining a coalition of 28 dairy industry organizations and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, Evers called on Secretary Rollins to align the department's actions with its stated support for American dairy farmers by swiftly removing the match rule.