SNAP‑Ed cuts to end FoodWIse services; committee weighs resolution and local relief

At a Dunn County Community Resources and Tourism Committee meeting, Extension staff reported that the recent federal reconciliation bill eliminated SNAP‑Ed funding, which will end FoodWIse nutrition‑education services statewide and likely trigger layoff notices beginning Oct. 1 and continuing on Nov. 1 and Dec. 1 for affected UW–Madison Extension employees. The staff member said UW–Madison has provided limited funds to keep some employees on by seniority for a short period and that employees will receive benefits through the end of the month in which their employment ends.

The report was introduced by an Extension staff member and followed by Macy Leen, FoodWIse educator for Chippewa and Dunn counties. Leen described FoodWIse programming in the county and statewide impacts, including youth and adult behavior changes documented in recent evaluations. She said FoodWIse statewide reached tens of thousands of Wisconsinites, that many markets and schools used program materials, and that local farmers‑market incentive programs — including the Menomonie Farmers Market match — depended on FoodWIse support.

Why it matters: FoodWIse provides direct nutrition education in early‑care settings, schools, farmers markets and community agencies and supports market incentive programs that increase the purchasing power of SNAP (FoodShare) recipients. Committee members said losing the program would affect local food security, school and market programming, and nutrition incentives.

Key details provided to the committee:
- The Extension staff member reported that SNAP‑Ed funding was removed in the reconciliation bill and that FoodWIse services will end statewide Sept. 30 absent new federal or state action. The committee was told layoff notices are expected to begin Oct. 1, with additional notices possibly on Nov. 1 and Dec. 1, depending on seniority and available funds.
- Macy Leen, FoodWIse educator, said FoodWIse statewide data show measurable behavior changes after programming (for example, reported increases in fruit and vegetable consumption among youth and increased label reading among adults). Leen said local work included supporting the Menomonie Farmers Market, reinstating a market‑match nutrition incentive this season and helping markets secure sponsorships and equipment. She said Menomonie’s market currently has about 40 vendors that accept SNAP benefits.
- Leen described state and federal funding mechanisms that support local nutrition incentives: the state allocated $425,000 (Act 201) as a match to help expand nutrition incentive funding, and a regional application tied to the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) was accepted to create a Western Wisconsin region for distributing those funds; Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin is the nonprofit partner on that grant effort.
- Extension staff noted UW–Madison’s “callback” policy: if positions are later reinstated, there is a process to recall laid‑off employees, potentially allowing rehiring if funding returns.

Committee response and next steps: committee members discussed whether to prepare a proclamation or a resolution to urge state and federal officials to restore SNAP‑Ed funding. Staff advised the preferred route is to draft a resolution for the county legislative committee (and, where appropriate, to use model language from the Wisconsin Counties Association). Committee members asked staff to include an impact statement or data in any resolution to show the local effects of lost FoodWIse services. The committee did not vote on a resolution at the meeting; members directed staff and corporation counsel to draft language and bring it back to the committee and to the legislative committee for possible adoption and transmission to state or federal representatives.

Quotes (from meeting participants):
"The reconciliation bill did pass. And so that does mean that all SNAP‑Ed funding ... was eliminated," the Extension staff member said, describing the expected layoff timeline and the university’s short‑term funding measures.
"We'd be in favor of adding it to the legislative agenda," a committee supervisor said in support of pursuing a formal resolution.
"We reinstated the market match this season," Macy Leen said, describing the Menomonie Farmers Market match program and local vendor participation.

Ending: Committee members asked staff to draft a resolution and an impact statement for review at a future committee meeting and to coordinate with corporation counsel and the county’s legislative committee. Staff said they would also share information about state and federal funding avenues and continue to update the committee as they learn more about timelines and potential reinstatement.