USDA grant aims to address sustainability in Wis. farmers’ markets and equitable food access

The U.S. Department of Agriculture awarded UW-Madison Extension a $200,000 grant that will be used to study six different farmers’ markets in north central Wisconsin.

Last year, NewsChannel 7 shared how central Wisconsin was aiming to bridge healthy food disparities. It revealed UW-Madison Extension was in the midst of applying for this grant to help make healthier foods more accessible.

Now that UW-Madison Extension received the grant, the money will be used towards studying the Waupaca, Rome, Marshfield, Wausau, and both summer and winter farmers’ markets in Stevens Point. It’s a two-year planning grant that will address sustainability with equitable food access with SNAP benefits.

The grant money will be used for a study conducted by a group of business and food sustainability interns from UW-Stevens Point and UW-Madison. The groups will be divided among each of the six markets. The study will: look at whether or not the market has the ability to process electronic benefits transfers, EBT, see how successful their SNAP benefits program is-- if they have it, how it’s been run, if it’s profitable, and how they can make the program more sustainable