WI LFPA IMPACT TOOL KIT
We can’t wait to hear YOUR WI LFPA impact!
Explore this tool kit to help you polish, share, and amplify your WI LFPA story. The WI LFPA Impact Tool Kit is just a glimpse into the wide variety of ways to share your impactful Wisconsin Local Food Purchase Assistance Program story. The goal of this tool kit is to SUPPORT YOU in sharing your story and to WORK TOGETHER to spread our WI LFPA stories near and far.
QUICK LINKS
WISCONSIN LOCAL FOOD PURCHASE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (WI LFPA)
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) had a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service to create the Wisconsin Local Food Purchase Assistance (WI LFPA) Program. The program aimed to strengthen local food systems, support Wisconsin farmers, and distribute fresh nutritious foods to underserved communities.
DATCP worked collaboratively with producers, distributors, food security organizations, and tribal partners to provide program development, coordinate transportation and logistics, and procure food from local producers through partnership with Marbleseed, Wisconsin Farmers Union, and Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative.
GOALS
Support local producers and processors by building and expanding economic opportunities.
Broaden and strengthen partnerships of local producers and processors with food distribution partners and local food networks to ensure the distribution of fresh and nutritious foods in underserved communities.
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HOW IT WORKED
WI LFPA Program Team administered two grant programs:
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Designed for farmers interested in expanding their wholesale reach to farm-to-food access programs through training and technical assistance and access to community building and networking.
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Designed for community partners to implement projects that purchased Wisconsin- grown, raised, or minimally processed food and distributed it at no cost to underserved communities.
farmers and community partners were awarded grant contracts
to grow fresh, nutritious food
that was picked up and distributed
to food access partners throughout Wisconsin
and provided to underserved communities at no charge
PROGRAM IMPACTS
Through 03/11/2025
289
Growers Participating
72
Counties Served
254
Food Access Partners Received Deliveries
$4.23M
Worth of Food Delivered
DIRECT TO FARMER GRANTS ONLY
Through 03/11/2025
187
Growers Participating
261
Types of Products Delivered
67
Counties Served and Tribal Nations
97
Food Access Partners Received Deliveries
$3.10M
Worth of Food Delivered
COMMUNITY PARTNER GRANTS ONLY
1/2024 To 03/11/2025
129
Growers Participating
49
Counties Served and Tribal Nations
182
Food Access Partners Received Deliveries
$1.12M
Worth of Food Delivered
ECONOMIC IMPACT
TRANSPORTATION, LOGISTICS, & INFRASTRUCTURE
WI LFPA built long-term local food infrastructure
Building routes to move local food throughout the states
The Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative (WFHC) was founded in 2012 by and for farmers to help build sales and refrigerated transportation infrastructure to get more local food to regional markets. The WFHC has been proud to work with farmers, food pantries, and other partners through WI LFPA to build more economical routes.
Through WI LFPA, the WFHC:
Delivered 77% of WI LFPA purchased product in 2024
Built out transportation routes from each farm to each food access partner
Managed over 20 distribution routes including on-farm pickup, aggregation, and distribution
Formation of the Super Transport Cooperative
Statewide distribution through WI LFPA has been a catalyst in the formation of the Super Transport Cooperative (STC). The STC is a partnership between multiple distributors that will collectively provide statewide services. The STC will manage logistics to effectively move product from Wisconsin farms to food assistance programs, schools, and health care facilities across the state.
Expanding Long-Term Distribution and Logistics
Statewide, cold-chain distribution supports resiliency and benefits farmers, food access partners, schools, early childcare centers, and other institutions.
Lead: Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative (WFHC)
Partners: Keewaydin Farms, Pura Vida, Chippewa Valley Produce, Seasonal Harvest, Central Rivers Farmshed, Olden Organics
For more information contact:
Tara Roberts-Turner, General Manager
Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative
tara@wifoodhub.com — (715)-227-1990
LET’S TALK ABOUT WI LFPA!
Planning to share your WI LFPA story on social media? Prepping for an interview with a journalist? Making a call to spread the word about WI LFPA?
Follow this how-to guide to maximize your storytelling impact!
WHAT’S THERE TO SAY ABOUT WI LFPA?
Consider incorporating these talking points into your WI LFPA story.
Market Access & Growth:
WI LFPA helps small and mid-sized farmers develop wholesale readiness, increasing profitability and expanding market reach to larger buyers.
Fair Prices & Strong Relationships:
All parties work together to create agreements and a resilient supply chain. This allows for farmers to plan for investments in their operations and for food programs to plan on a reliable supply of fresh and nutritious foods.
Investing in Food Supply Chain Infrastructure:
Wisconsin needs infrastructure like coordinated refrigerated trucks and cold storage to reduce transportation costs, which is one of the biggest barriers to local food distribution. WI LFPA investments helped build the “middle layer” of food infrastructure that has been missing for decades.
Food Access for All:
By connecting farmers with food banks and local buyers, WI LFPA supported Wisconsin agriculture while ensuring families facing hunger had access to fresh, locally grown food.
STRAIGHT-TO-THE-POINT IMPACTS
289
72
254
$4.23
farmers/growers participated in the program.
WI counties and Tribal Nations received local food deliveries
food access partners benefited from deliveries of fresh, local food.
million worth of food was delivered to communities in need
Through 3/11/2025
SPREAD THE WORD
