Wisconsin Farmers Union

What Wisconsin Farmers Union does

Wisconsin Farmers Union is a member-driven agricultural advocacy organization founded in 1930 and headquartered in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. It represents family farmers, dairy producers, and rural communities across the state through policy advocacy, cooperative development, educational programming, and grassroots organizing, with a stated focus on issues including dairy supply management, conservation, immigration, and rural energy policy.

The organization operates a broad programmatic portfolio including Dairy Together, Conservation & Stewardship, the Farmer-Led Watershed Council, Farm Fresh Atlas, the St. Croix Valley Food Alliance, Wisconsin Women in Conservation, a Farmer-Labor Solidarity program, and a youth leadership program called Kamp Kenwood. Newer additions include Wisconsin Futures (a public education initiative), an Immigration Resource Hub, and Market on River, a physical facility that also serves as headquarters. The organization runs its annual convention as its formal policy-setting body and coordinates with affiliated entities including National Farmers Union and advocacy coalitions such as RENEW Wisconsin and Indivisible.

Its business model is membership-funded: WFU is structured as a 501(c) nonprofit that derives primary revenue from member dues, supplemented by programmatic grants, events, and earned income from facilities such as Market on River. There are no productized technology offerings or commercial software components; the organization's "products" are advocacy outputs, educational programming, and member services rather than licensable technology.

Name

Wisconsin Farmers Union

Legal name

Wisconsin Farmers Union

Website

https://wisconsinfarmersunion.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1930

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wisconsin Farmers Union is a Wisconsin-based 501(c) nonprofit founded in 1930 that advocates for family farmers and rural communities through policy work, education, and member programs including Dairy Together, conservation, and the Immigration Resource Hub.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Advocacy and Cooperative Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Crop Production (1151), Support Activities for Animal Production (115210)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI), Pasture-Based & Grazing Dairy Systems (AFAEACAI), H-2A & Agricultural Visa Labor Contractors (AFACAHAB)

Keywords

• Agricultural advocacy
• Farmer cooperative development
• Rural policy advocacy
• Farmer education programs
• Watershed conservation initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Chippewa Falls

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Wisconsin Farmers Union generates primary revenue through annual membership dues. The organization operates a membership portal through GrowthZone and promotes membership signup and renewal through its website.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Wisconsin Farmers Union is a member-supported nonprofit that advocates for family farmers and rural communities through cooperative development, agricultural policy advocacy, conservation programs, youth education, and grassroots civic engagement. It sells annual memberships and delivers programming such as Dairy Together, the Farmer-Led Watershed Council, and Kamp Kenwood to Wisconsin farmers and rural residents.

Product overview

Wisconsin Farmers Union is a member-driven advocacy organization rather than a technology company. Its offerings consist of educational programs, advocacy initiatives, community programs, and facilities. The organization operates multiple programmatic initiatives including Dairy Together (dairy policy reform), Conservation & Stewardship, Farmer-Led Watershed Council, Farm Fresh Atlas, St. Croix Valley Food Alliance, WI Women in Conservation, and Farmer-Labor Solidarity. Physical facilities include Market on River (mixed-use headquarters in Chippewa Falls) and Kamp Kenwood (youth camp and venue). Recent public education initiatives include Wisconsin Futures and an Immigration Resource Hub. These programs work together to advance the organization's mission of enhancing quality of life for family farmers through educational opportunities, cooperative endeavors, and civic engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dairy Together: Initiative focused on dairy farm sustainability and farmer advocacy
• Wisconsin Futures
• Market on River
• Kamp Kenwood

Products and services

• Annual WFU Membership Annual membership program for Wisconsin farmers and supporters that grants voting rights in the union's grassroots governance, access to member-only programs (Dairy Together, Farmer-Led Watershed Council, Kamp Kenwood discounts), policy updates, and chapter participation. Offered in Farmer, Associate, and Supporting categories.
• Dairy Together A producer-led initiative that organizes Wisconsin dairy farmers around a hybrid cooperative/supply-management proposal (the Dairy Revitalization Plan) to restore viable milk prices. Includes farmer meetings, policy advocacy, and coalition building with consumer and rural partners.
• Farmer-Led Watershed Council Conservation program in which Wisconsin farmers organize peer groups to improve soil health and water quality in local watersheds, with access to technical assistance and cost-share opportunities.
• Kamp Kenwood Summer youth camp on the shores of Lake Wissota in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, providing cooperative education, leadership development, and outdoor programming to rural Wisconsin youth (typically grades 4–12). Family camp and leadership retreats are also offered.
• Market on River Community marketplace operated by WFU connecting Wisconsin farmers and rural producers with local consumers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 500 Wisconsin residents mobilized in a single community event (Eau Claire rally, June 2026) against AI data center expansion
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• IndivisiblecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2026Wisconsin Farmers Union co-organized a 500+ person community rally in Eau Claire with Indivisible and three other Wisconsin advocacy groups to build momentum for stronger statewide safeguards on data center development. This coalition represents a strategic alliance for shared policy advocacy.
• Grassroots Organizing Western WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2026Wisconsin Farmers Union partnered with Grassroots Organizing Western Wisconsin to organize a community rally in Eau Claire opposing large-scale AI data center expansion. The partnership leverages each organization's community organizing capacity.
• Wisconsin advocacy coalition (three additional unnamed groups)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2026The Eau Claire rally was organized by five Wisconsin advocacy groups total (including WFU, Indivisible, and Grassroots Organizing Western Wisconsin) to build statewide momentum for data center safeguards.
• RENEW WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWisconsin Farmers Union supports a Wisconsin legislative bill enabling community solar projects outside utility control, working alongside RENEW Wisconsin and Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty. RENEW Wisconsin is a renewable energy advocacy organization.
• National Farmers UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Farmers Union works with Congress on behalf of Wisconsin Farmers Union and other state affiliates to permanently authorize and fund local food procurement programs, and covers agricultural workforce development, labor, immigration, broadband, healthcare, and rural development policy at the federal level. WFU participates in National Fly-In events in Washington D.C.
• FairShare CSA CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSarah Leong of Squashington Farm, a WFU member farm, serves on the FairShare CSA Coalition Board, representing a connection between WFU member farms and the broader regional CSA network.
• Puentes/BridgesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founded by fifth-generation dairy farmer John Rosenow, Puentes/Bridges helps farming communities build understanding across cultural and language differences between Mexican workers and farmers. Featured in WFU's immigration and dairy webinar series.
• Dairy TogethercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDairy Together is a WFU-led initiative focused on dairy policy reform, advocating for growth management in the Farm Bill. It is listed as a key WFU project alongside the Farmer-Led Watershed Council, St. Croix Valley Food Alliance, and other programs.
• Farmer-Led Watershed CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA WFU-affiliated project focused on farmer-led conservation and stewardship, operating in partnership with local farmers to address watershed health through on-the-ground conservation practices.
• St. Croix Valley Food AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA WFU-affiliated regional food systems initiative building connections between local farmers, food producers, and consumers in the St. Croix Valley region.
• WI Women in ConservationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA WFU-affiliated initiative focused on conservation education and peer support specifically for women in Wisconsin agriculture.
• Vernon Economic Development AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhile the Specialty Crop Block Grant was awarded to Vernon Economic Development Association, WFU is referenced as a collaborative partner in regional agricultural initiatives involving seed breeding, trials, and marketing of Wisconsin heirloom vegetable varieties.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Farm Bureau Federation: The national umbrella organization for state Farm Bureaus. Operates a far broader policy and insurance portfolio than WFU, with a more industry-oriented posture, but competes for general farm policy influence and rural member mindshare nationally.

Regional players

• Practical Farmers of Iowa: Iowa-based farmer-led organization with an overlapping mission on sustainable agriculture, on-farm research, and farmer-led conservation — closely mirroring WFU's Farmer-Led Watershed Council and conservation programs.
• Land Stewardship Project: Minnesota-based farmer-led organization with a member-driven model, stewardship and conservation focus, and rural community advocacy comparable to WFU's approach.

Direct peers

• Iowa Farmers Union: Another NFU state chapter with a comparable grassroots advocacy model focused on family farmers and rural Iowa communities. Useful comparability for member retention, chapter structure, and program mix outside Wisconsin.
• Minnesota Farmers Union: Sister state chapter of National Farmers Union operating the same member-driven advocacy model in Minnesota. Highly comparable in structure, programs (youth camps, policy advocacy, cooperative development), and target membership of family farmers and rural communities.
• National Farmers Union: The national federation of which WFU is a state affiliate. Shares WFU's mission, policy priorities, and grassroots organizing model, and provides the federal Fly-In channel through which WFU members engage Congress. Functionally a parent/peer rather than a pure competitor.
• Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation: Wisconsin's other major statewide general-purpose farm membership organization. Directly competes with WFU for the same Wisconsin farm household members and policy influence, but operates with substantially larger membership and offers insurance/financial products as additional revenue.

Emerging players

• National Young Farmers Coalition: A national grassroots organization focused on the next generation of farmers. Overlaps with WFU's youth and leadership development mission but is specifically oriented toward younger producers and land-access advocacy.
• Center for Rural Affairs: A Midwest-based rural advocacy organization working on family farm and rural community policy. Comparable in grassroots advocacy orientation and rural-community focus, with a multi-state rather than single-state footprint.

Others

• RENEW Wisconsin: A Wisconsin-based clean energy advocacy nonprofit that partners with WFU on community solar legislation. Not a competitor; rather a coalition partner that shares part of WFU's policy agenda and may be a useful comp for foundation/grant-funded advocacy scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WIFarmersUnion
• Facebookfacebook.com/WIFarmersUnion
• Instagraminstagram.com/wifarmersunion
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wisconsin-farmers-union

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wisconsin Farmers Union