Agricultural Roads Improvement Program Grant Applications Open on October 6

Grant applications for the Agricultural Roads Improvement Program (ARIP) will open on October 6, 2025 after the program received $150 million in renewed funding in the 2025-2027 Biennial Budget. 

The application period will be open until December 15, 2025 and will distribute $50 million in grants during the first round of funding. A second round of funding will be announced in early 2026 to distribute $70 million in grants. ARIP operates under the Local Roads Improvement Program at the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and is a reimbursement program that pays up to 90 percent of total road improvement project costs.

Wisconsin Farmers Union supported ARIP in the 2025-2027 Biennial Budget as an important program for improving rural Wisconsin roads. 

“The inclusion of ARIP in the most recent state budget was an exciting win for Wisconsin's rural communities.” WFU Government Relations Director, Michelle Ramirez-White said. “ARIP will play an important role in the improvement of local agricultural roads over the next couple years.”

Local roads are the backbone of Wisconsin’s commerce and industry, providing the infrastructure that stimulates growth, supports a healthy economy, and sustains rural communities. Safe and reliable transportation is essential to family farms and to the continued vitality of Wisconsin’s agricultural economy.

Find more details on WFU’s policy related to maintenance of roads and highways on page 54 in the policy book.