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What to know about Wisconsin program, dumped by Trump, that put farm food in pantries and schools

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What to know about Wisconsin program, dumped by Trump, that put farm food in pantries and schools


The U.S. Department of Agriculture has ended a program that paid Wisconsin farmers to grow fresh produce for food pantries.

The Wisconsin Local Food Purchase Assistance Program was part of a nationwide project that began in 2021 with the goal of supporting local farmers and reducing hunger.

Here’s what to know about the program and why it was canceled.

What was the Wisconsin Local Food Purchase Assistance Program?

Those who used the program described it as a win-win that improved farmers’ bottom lines and promoted healthy eating of locally sourced food.

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It was administered through the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. The Wisconsin Farmers Union, the Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative and Marbleseed, an organic farming nonprofit, were program partners.

The program issued two kinds of grants: One to farmers to help them expand their market reach by working with local hunger relief groups, and one to local organizations to set up programs that purchased Wisconsin-grown or Wisconsin-raised food and gave it for free to people in need.

How many Wisconsin farmers and food pantries participated?

During last year’s growing season, almost 300 farms participated in the program, sending $4.2 million worth of food to more than 250 pantries and schools, according to a news release about the termination from the Wisconsin Farmers Union.

The organizations receiving the food ranged from small, local pantries to major food banks like Feeding Wisconsin and Hunger Task Force, which supplied the food to their own networks of pantries.

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Almost 40% of the producers picked to receive funding last year were Black, Indigenous or other people of color, more than half were new or beginning farmers, and 42% of the farms were women-owned. The program was in part aimed at giving historically marginalized groups a leg up in the world of agriculture, which is overwhelmingly white and male.

How did it work?

Once farmers were chosen for the grant, they worked with staff from Marbleseed to create their contract, make projections about how much food they planned to sell, and set their prices. Each farmer was awarded between $5,000 and $25,000 for their contributions.

About once a week during the growing season, a driver from the Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative would visit the farms and pick up food items that had been packed into boxes for shipping. From there, the boxes would get distributed to individual pantries and food banks. Every county in the state was served by the program.

Why did it end?

In a March 7 termination letter, USDA deputy administrator Jack Tuckwiller wrote that the program “no longer effectuates agency priorities.”

The cancellation comes as President Donald Trump enacts sweeping cost-cutting measures to reduce the size and scope of the federal government.

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Jackie Anderson, executive director of Feeding Wisconsin, said in the news release that the elimination of the program was especially disheartening during a time of “significantly increased” need for food bank services. More than 617,000 Wisconsin residents are food-insecure, according to Feeding America.

Madeline Heim is a Report for America corps reporter who writes about environmental issues in the Mississippi River watershed and across Wisconsin. Contact her at 920-996-7266 or mheim@gannett.com.



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Wisconsin

Wisconsin Badgers guard John Tonje meeting with two second-round teams at NBA Draft combine

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Wisconsin Badgers guard John Tonje meeting with two second-round teams at NBA Draft combine


Wisconsin Badgers guard John Tonje got some good exposure to scouts during the NBA Draft combine this week.

He generally performed well, with one down performance in the middle, but it was enough to attract more attention from NBA teams.

According to WTMJ reporter Ashley Washburn, Tonje said he was going to be meeting with the San Antonio Spurs and Cleveland Cavaliers to wrap up the week.

The Spurs hold the second, 18th and 38th overall picks in the draft, while the Cavaliers pick 49th and 58th.

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Recent mock drafts have had Tonje going in the second round, but he’s been trending slightly upward since his combine performance.

The 18th pick is probably out of reach for the second-team All-American, but any of those teams’ later picks could be in play.

He’ll also meet with a lot more than just these two organizations at the combine, but the Cavaliers’ interest signals that they believe they could land him in the mid-to-late second.

We’ll see if they get the chance.



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Wisconsin Pension Fund Sold $300M BlackRock Bitcoin ETF Stake Amid Tariff Turmoil, New Filing Shows – Decrypt

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Wisconsin Pension Fund Sold 0M BlackRock Bitcoin ETF Stake Amid Tariff Turmoil, New Filing Shows – Decrypt


In brief

  • According to an SEC filing, Wisconsin sold its entire $300M stake in BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF in early 2025.
  • The sale came amid rising U.S.-China trade tensions and sweeping tariffs from the Trump administration.
  • Crypto markets tumbled, with Bitcoin falling below $75,000 and Ethereum dropping to two-year lows as trade fears grew.

The State of Wisconsin Investment Board quietly liquidated its entire $300 million stake in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) sometime during the first quarter of 2025, according to a new 13F filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Thursday.

The sale occurred against the backdrop of growing market uncertainty triggered by a wave of U.S. tariffs that rattled global trade and risk assets.

Notably, the filing’s cutoff date—March 31—came just two days before the so-called ‘Liberation Day’ on April 2, 2025—a reference to the day the U.S. imposed comprehensive tariffs affecting nearly all its major trading partners.

The SEC filing, dated May 15, confirms SWIB sold its Bitcoin ETF holdings ahead of the March 31 reporting date for the end of the first quarter of the year.

According to the board’s previous filing, dated February 14, the fund held 6,060,351 IBIT shares, worth approximately $321,501,621.

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Shifting market optics

The broader economic landscape also shifted dramatically following President Donald Trump’s inauguration, which began an aggressive new trade policy that seeks to reshore manufacturing on U.S. soil and spur domestic growth.

The administration announced 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on Chinese imports on February 1. Two days later, the Canada and Mexico tariffs were paused for 30 days, though the 10% tariff on China took effect on February 4.

By February 11, President Trump reinstated a 25% tariff on steel imports and raised the tariff on aluminum to 25%. Trade pressure ramped up on March 4, when the U.S. increased tariffs on China to 20%.

The tit-for-tat policy spiral of tariffs led to significant market instability, with Goldman Sachs analysts warning the new tariffs could push core inflation to 3.8% this year.

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The crypto markets were not left unscathed, where Bitcoin fell 2.3% to around $83,200, while Ethereum dropped 4.5%.

Amid a retaliatory spiral, U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods surged to 145%, while China raised tariffs on U.S. products to 125%, sending Bitcoin below $75,000.

Tensions began to ease in May when the U.S. and China temporarily reduced tariffs.

The U.S. lowered its rate on Chinese goods to 30%, while China reduced its tariff on U.S. imports to 10%.

As of mid-May, President Trump has also paused most reciprocal tariffs on other countries.

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Edited by Sebastian Sinclair

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Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan enters plea in first federal court appearance since indictment for blocking immigration arrest

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Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan enters plea in first federal court appearance since indictment for blocking immigration arrest


The Wisconsin judge who allegedly helped an illegal migrant evade immigration authorities pleaded not guilty through her attorney on Thursday.

Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan entered the preliminary plea in federal court, which was surrounded by a swarm of protesters supporting the judge, who has become a symbol of resistance against the Trump administration’s immigration policy.

Dugan, 66, was arrested last month after being accused of obstruction of justice and concealing Mexican national Eduardo Flores-Ruiz from federal law enforcement.

Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan is seen entering the Milwaukee Federal Courthouse on May 15, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wis. Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Stay up to date on the Wisconsin judge who allegedly helped a migrant doge ICE


She is accused of rushing Flores-Ruiz, who is accused of domestic battery, out of her courtroom and encouraging him to use an exit that is not usually available to the public to help him evade immigration agents who were there to bust him.

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She has denied wrongdoing in the case, with the defense seeking to have the charges dismissed, arguing that the judge is entitled to judicial immunity for her official acts. 

Former US Solicitor General Paul Clement, who is on Dugan’s legal team, has slammed the prosecution as unprecedented and unconstitutional. 

People gather during a demonstration in support of Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan at the Federal Courthouse in Milwaukee on May 15, 2025. Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Protesters seen outside the courthouse. Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dugan’s lawyers have requested a speedy trial during Thursday’s hearing, which lasted only five minutes. 

The high-profile arrest led to outcry from Democrats, with protesters lining up outside the courthouse on Thursday in support of Dugan. 

The protesters flashed signs that read, “Free Judge Dungan,” as they also criticized the spade of deportations under President Trump.  

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Dugan’s trial is scheduled to begin on July 21. 

The two charges against Dugan carry a maximum penalty of six years in prison and a $350,000 fine.  



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