MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers sent a letter to every member of Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation urging them to support a comprehensive Farm Bill that reflects the needs of Wisconsin’s agricultural economy, including taking needed action to safeguard Wisconsin’s hemp industry and strengthen the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), known as FoodShare in Wisconsin. The governor’s letter also urges leaders to invest funding and staffing to support critical dairy, forestry, crop and animal health, and conservation and water quality programs that are at risk and that Wisconsin’s agricultural industries depend on.

This letter comes as farmers, producers, and rural communities continue to face significant challenges thanks to President Donald J. Trump’s trade wars and erratic tariffs, global market instability and supply chain disruptions due to animal disease threats, and workforce shortages. Further, a recent Farm Bureau survey found that 58 percent of farmers are reporting worsening financial conditions due to rising fertilizer and fuel costs.

“I also once again urge you to take needed action to prevent mass disruption of the hemp industry due to the federal hemp definition change passed by Congress last year,” wrote Gov. Evers. “As Wisconsin’s federal delegation, I urge you to ensure the Farm Bill remedies this issue and encourage you to pursue a science-based federal framework that supports innovation, protects lawful businesses, and allows Wisconsin farmers and producers to compete in a rapidly evolving marketplace. …Wisconsin farmers and businesses deserve the certainty and support necessary to fully realize the economic benefits of this thriving sector. 

“The Farm Bill is more than agricultural policy; it is economic policy, nutrition policy, conservation policy, and rural development policy,” concluded Gov. Evers. “Its impacts are felt in every corner of our state, and I urge you to continue working across the aisle to advance a comprehensive Farm Bill that protects Wisconsin’s farmers, strengthens our food systems, safeguards our natural resources, and invests in the future of rural communities.”

The governor’s latest letter outlines the importance of Wisconsin’s FoodShare program that nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites, including seniors, veterans, and approximately 270,000 Wisconsin kids, rely on for basic food necessities. Unfortunately, new requirements for the program enacted through President Trump and Republicans’ so-called ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ are imposing significant new administrative burdens on states, creating unnecessary complexity in administering the program and increasing the risk of benefit disruptions for eligible households. In fact, according to national reporting, more than 770,000 kids have already been cut off from receiving this vital food assistance due to these changes nationwide.

Gov. Evers also underscored that Wisconsin has consistently maintained one of the lowest SNAP error rates in the nation. Last month, he announced Wisconsin is just one of nine states that will avoid paying exorbitant new penalty fees to the Trump Administration next year, which could have been as much as $205.5 million for Wisconsin’s taxpayers alone. In his letter, Gov. Evers is urging federal leaders to reverse these harmful changes and protect food security for Wisconsin’s kids, families, and seniors in the next Farm Bill.

In addition to supporting Wisconsin’s FoodShare program, a summarized list of the recommendations outlined in Gov. Evers’ latest letter for the comprehensive Farm Bill includes funding for:  

  • Specialty crop and organic agriculture programs, including the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and the National Organic Certification Cost Share Program, which support research, innovation, market development, and producer competitiveness; 
  • Trade, local food, and supply chain investments, including the Market Access Program, which expands domestic and international markets for Wisconsin producers and strengthens local food systems; 
  • Farmer assistance and risk management programs, including the Certified Mediation Program, which provides critical financial counseling and dispute resolution services for producers; 
  • Dairy support programs, including the Dairy Business Innovation and Dairy Margin Coverage programs, which help dairy farmers diversify, manage market volatility, and strengthen the long-term competitiveness of Wisconsin’s dairy industry; 
  • Conservation and watershed protection programs, including the Conservation Reserve Program and subprograms, which help improve soil health, protect wildlife habitat, reduce nutrient runoff, and strengthen climate resilience; 
  • Water quality and source water protection initiatives, including the “Grassroots” Source Water Protection Program and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s (D-Wisconsin) Healthy H2O Act, to safeguard drinking water, support private well owners, and help communities address PFAS, nitrate contamination, and other emerging water quality challenges; 
  • Forestry and forest health programs, including the Forest Service’s Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources Program, Statewide Forest Action Plans, and Good Neighbor Authority partnerships, which support healthy working forests, sustainable forest management, and long-term partnerships between Wisconsin and the Forest Service; and 
  • Plant and animal health programs, including the Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention Program, which strengthen disease prevention, biosecurity, and the resilience of Wisconsin agriculture. 

Additionally, as outlined in the letter, Gov. Evers emphasized the need for revision of the new restrictive federal hemp law passed by Congress at the end of last year, either within the Farm Bill or in additional legislation. The governor expressed in his letter, and in a previous letter earlier this year, that if Congress does not revise the new federal hemp laws, it is projected to jeopardize $700 million in economic impact and nearly 3,500 jobs in Wisconsin, as well as the growing sector of legitimate hemp businesses and producers across the state. The new federal definition, which is set to take effect in November 2026, sets the legal limit of THC in final hemp-derived cannabinoid products at 0.4 milligrams per container, ultimately causing many existing lawful products to be reclassified in a manner that effectively eliminates existing business models, forcing closures, layoffs, and lost investment. The impacts of the new federal hemp bill will be further intensified in Wisconsin due to the fact that Wisconsin has not yet legalized medical or recreational marijuana, despite multiple attempts by Gov. Evers to do so.

The need to revise the federal hemp law is also critical to the state’s agricultural economy, as the growing of hemp has become a strong diversification option for Wisconsin farmers, and as of November 2025, Wisconsin had 470 federally licensed hemp producers. Without timely federal legislative action, Wisconsin producers may be forced to abandon hemp cultivation altogether, resulting in lost income and diminished economic opportunities, especially in rural communities.

Gov. Evers’ letter to every member of Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation is attached.