April 2025 • Community Economic Development Program • UW Extension

Author: Steven Deller, Professor, Agricultural & Applied Economics

The current administration’s trade policies, including tariffs on key partners, have sparked renewed focus on the role of foreign exports in Wisconsin’s economy. Since 2010, Wisconsin’s exports have grown by 39%, or $7.7 billion, reaching a total of $27.5 billion in 2024 and accounting for 8.1% of the state's GDP. In comparison, U.S. share of GDP attributed to exports was 10.9% in 2024.

The state's top export market is Canada, accounting for $7.9 billion (29% of total exports), up 31.2% from 2010. Mexico follows closely with $4.4 billion (16% of exports), showing a dramatic 116.7% increase over the same period. Exports to China, by contrast, make up just 6% of the state's exports, and Germany accounts for 4%.

Specific exports to Canada from the state include machinery ($655.4 million), converted paper products ($532.5 million), and plastic products ($514 million). Wisconsin's exports to Mexico are dominated by motor vehicle parts ($373.3 million), electrical equipment ($318.4 million), and plastics ($286.7 million), with a modest $72,000 in fruits and tree nuts.

Using the 4-digit NAICS classification, the state's largest export category is Agriculture, Construction, and Mining Machinery Manufacturing, which accounted for $1.76 billion in state exports in 2024. Wisconsin-based companies such as BouMatic, known for robotic milking technology, are major contributors. The state also exported $1.75 billion in Computer Equipment, including products from firms such as Titan of Sturtevant. Dairy Products rank 13th among Wisconsin exports, totaling $669.9 million (2.4% of total exports).

With 201 countries involved in Wisconsin’s exports, from major markets like Canada and Mexico to smaller partners like Gibraltar and Bhutan, it’s clear that trade policies will continue to shape the state's economy.

Rural Community Economic Development Specialist will design, deliver, and evaluate research-based educational programming and technical assistance focused on four counties in the Driftless Region: Grant, Crawford, Richland and LaFayette. Closes April 10.

Community Development Educator will focus on delivering programming and education related to housing, entrepreneurship, downtown/business district development, and community placemaking in Clark and Trempealeau counties. Closes April 7.

Although these positions are focused on specific counties, both will be part of a statewide team of community economic development staff and faculty who work together to conduct educational programming, research, and outreach.

The second annual Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities Conference is just around the corner, and you won’t want to miss it.

Participants will choose from 16 different tracks featuring more than 60 speakers sharing their knowledge and experience in breakout sessions, such as Bridging the Digital & Local Economy: Why Online Presence Matters, where they will discover how to help small businesses thrive in the digital age. Another session, From Kitchen to Consumer: Empowering Food Entrepreneurs in Your Rural Community, will offer valuable strategies for supporting food entrepreneurs. If you’re looking to engage with the next wave of high-growth entrepreneurs, don’t miss Identifying and Empowering the Next Generation of High-Growth Entrepreneurs in Wisconsin.

With so many engaging tracks and discussions, there will be something for everyone. Register now to join us for this transformative event that will equip you with the tools to build a vibrant and thriving local economy.  Click here for more information

We invite community leaders, local officials, housing advocates, and community development stakeholders from across the Driftless Region to register for the Driftless Region Rural Housing Summit on Tuesday, May 6, at Hillsboro Brewing Company in Vernon County.

This summit is a unique opportunity to enhance local capacity, foster regional collaborations, and strengthen connections to state and federal resources. Attendees will hear from expert speakers and participate in dynamic, interactive presentations and panel discussions focused on housing issues specific to the Driftless Region. The event will also feature valuable networking opportunities and resource takeaways.

The Driftless Summit is part of a statewide series organized by UW Extension, the WEDC Office of Rural Prosperity, and WHEDA. This series includes four regional housing summits, with other events scheduled for Lac du Flambeau on October 28 and Wisconsin Rapids/Stevens Point in Spring 2026 (date TBD). The series kicked off in Ashland last fall.

Registration is now open. For more details about the Driftless Region event, please contact Hannah McKeever from UW Extension Vernon County or Charlotte Peters from UW Extension La Crosse County. For information on additional summits in the series, please reach out to Kelly Westlund or Kristin Runge.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The Rural Wisconsin Entrepreneurship Initiative is piloting a new training for rural economic developers focused on agritourism. There will be a training in Crawford County on April 30 from 12-4pm. Participants will learn about the agritourism sector in the U.S. and Wisconsin and participate in a community conversation about how to support these businesses locally. If you are interested in participating, please contact Sara Tedeschi at sara.tedeschi@wisc.edu. If you would like to bring this training to your own county, please contact Maggie Cornelius at mmcornelius@wisc.edu.

Wisconsin Rural Partners Annual Summit • Wednesday, April 30 - Thursday May 1 • Riverstone Center, Fort Atkinson • Click here for more information

Agritourism Training • Wednesday, April 30 • Crawford County • Contact Sara Tedeschi at sara.tedeschi@wisc.edu or Maggie Cornelius at mmcornelius@wisc.edu to register and attend.

Driftless Region Rural Housing Summit • May 6 Hillsboro Brewing Company • Hillsboro • Click here for more information or to register

2025 Downtown Summit • Tuesday, May 20 - Thursday, May 22 • Wisconsin Downtown Action Council • Beloit • Click here for information

Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities Conference • Monday, June 16 - Wednesday, June 18 • Wisconsin Rapids • Registration now open

Schmidt, Conroy & Deller (2024). WIndicator: Understanding Wisconsin Prosperity in the National Context.

Summary: This WIndicator examines community prosperity in U.S. counties across poverty, unemployment, housing, and education over three decades. Wisconsin stands out with above-average prosperity, consistently outperforming the national average. Although Wisconsin counties are doing well, the most prosperous places in the state have shifted over time and the factors that underlie prosperity have also changed

McDermott, Conroy & Kures (2024). Wisconsin Economy Series Special Feature on Black, Latino, Asian, and Native Owned Businesses in Wisconsin. 

Summary:  This series of new reports highlights the growth and challenges faced by business owners of color in Wisconsin. The four special reports provide a breakdown of data among Black, Latino, Asian, and Native owned business. Each report provides data about the number and size of businesses as well as unique challenges each group faces.

Hadachek & Deller (2024). WIndicator: Wisconsin Farming: Insights from the 2022 Census of Agriculture. 

Summary: This WIndicator provides an overview of recent trends in Wisconsin farming using the 2022 Census of Agriculture.

Solomon, Beckendorf & Kay (2024). Civil Leadership for Vibrant Communities: Building Bridges through Deliberative Dialogue

Summary: This article describes a pilot program organized by University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension in partnership with Braver Angels, a national organization applying research-based skills to building bridges. The authors report on the series structure and content, its goals, and the impacts on participants.

For information on upcoming programs from Community Economic Development, or to connect with educators or specialists in your area, please reach out to Kristin Runge, Program Manager.