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GrassRoots Organizing Western Wisconsin
People.
Power.
Change.
Forge your own politics.
Together we’re creating our own vision for the future of WI. Become a delegate at the GROWW Assembly to help shape the first GROWW State Legislative Agenda.
GROWW is a grassroots movement of people across western Wisconsin building power to protect our communities and shape a future where all of us can live and work with dignity, look out for our neighbors, and make ends meet.
We’re neighbors, parents, farmers, renters, and Wisconsinites of all shades coming together to take back local control and hold decision-makers accountable to the people — not corporate interests. Through our organizing, leadership development, and collective action, we’re building the power we need to balance the scales.
Together, we’re proving that when ordinary people get organized, we can change what’s possible — in our towns, our counties, our state and beyond.
Upcoming Events
Saturday, February 28
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM at Saint Croix Central High School – Auditorium
GROWW Assembly: Setting our Statewide Agenda
At GROWW Assembly, GROWW members are coming together to take a big first step for our organization: vote on our legislative agenda of top priorities for the election and next...
We build power together to create the change we need for everyone in our communities to make ends meet, live with dignity, and have a voice in shaping the decisions that impact us.
See GROWW in the News
- Rural Wisconsin vs. Corporate Ag
Ridge Breeze Legal Hearing: Here’s what to know
The legal battle to stop the proposed Ridge Breeze expansion to 6,500 cows will come to a head on Tuesday, March 3, when a contested case hearing opens in Eau Claire.
The first day of the hearing will be for public testimony, during which area residents and business owners will be able to provide comments about the expansion’s threat to their water and the environment.
- Rural Wisconsin vs. Corporate Ag
Big Ag lobbyists try to take money from program for small farms
Big Ag lobbyists are attempting to undermine legislation designed to support small dairy farms in Wisconsin. Senate Bill 323 and Assembly Bill 363 would create a low-interest loan program for farms under 1,000 animal units, but the Wisconsin Farm Bureau is pushing to remove that limit—opening the door for large factory farms to access funds intended for small and mid-sized farmers. Bill author Sen. Rob Stafsholt has stated he does not intend to change the threshold, emphasizing the bill’s original purpose: helping smaller farms afford needed improvements.
The effort comes amid broader concerns about corporate consolidation in Wisconsin’s dairy industry. A recent report highlights how large industrial operations have pursued public financing for major expansions, including a proposed 6,500-cow facility in Pierce County that sought $18 million in tax-exempt funding before local residents successfully pushed back. Advocates argue that communities must remain vigilant, using local tools and statewide policy reforms to ensure public resources prioritize small farms and protect rural health, infrastructure, and water.
- Civic Solidarity
- Member Opinions
Before the wave hits: Rural Wisconsin organizes against the One Big Beautiful Bill
On July 4th, while rural western Wisconsin celebrated Independence Day, Congress quietly passed HR1 — a massive federal tax and spending law that locks in tax cuts for the wealthy while setting in motion deep cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and affordable health coverage. The damage is designed to arrive slowly, filtered through county budgets and local institutions that already operate on the brink.
Bill Hogseth, GROWW Co-Executive Director and Organizing Lead reflects on, organizing before the wave hits. Local organizers and residents are uncovering what HR1 will mean for our rural communities, listening to county leaders and neighbors, and building a county-by-county movement to stop a quiet class war (hidden behind a loud & violent culture war) and protect the services that hold our communities together.
- GROWW Wide
- Member Opinions
Editorial: What is possible when we unite?
This year, we know all of us in Wisconsin will be inundated with messages of division, especially leading up to the Spring and Midterm elections in April and November. Corporate interest groups and the ultra-wealthy want to divide us – by the color of our skin, by where we are from, how long we’ve lived here – so they can continue to call the shots. They distract us with a deluge of news so that we keep blaming each other instead of blaming them. They pass bills removing healthcare and food for us in our community while giving tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy and the largest corporations.
GrassRoots Organizing Western Wisconsin: Residents in western Wisconsin warn county officials of HR1’s looming budget crisis
Residents from Dunn, Pierce, Polk, and St. Croix counties warned county boards that HR1, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill”, is poised to trigger significant local budget reductions in essential services across western Wisconsin. In county budget hearings this month, residents delivered letters and gave testimony that the funding cuts in HR1 translate directly into hunger, untreated illness, longer waits for crisis care, and heavier burdens on families already stretched thin.
Western Wisconsin residents hit the streets demanding SNAP benefits be restored
“The fundamental here is really simple right. People shouldn’t have to follow court cases and executive orders to know if they can buy breakfast in the morning,” said GROWW Member Abraham Smith. He, along with Dunn County residents came to Eau Claire to share more about how SNAP (FoodShare) cuts impact people and families in WI. Smith said the message is “step forward, Fund SNAP at 100%.”
- Rural Wisconsin vs. Corporate Ag
Ridge Breeze Legal Hearing: Here’s what to know
The legal battle to stop the proposed Ridge Breeze expansion to 6,500 cows will come to a head on Tuesday, March 3, when a contested case hearing opens in Eau Claire.
The first day of the hearing will be for public testimony, during which area residents and business owners will be able to provide comments about the expansion’s threat to their water and the environment.
- Rural Wisconsin vs. Corporate Ag
Big Ag lobbyists try to take money from program for small farms
Big Ag lobbyists are attempting to undermine legislation designed to support small dairy farms in Wisconsin. Senate Bill 323 and Assembly Bill 363 would create a low-interest loan program for farms under 1,000 animal units, but the Wisconsin Farm Bureau is pushing to remove that limit—opening the door for large factory farms to access funds intended for small and mid-sized farmers. Bill author Sen. Rob Stafsholt has stated he does not intend to change the threshold, emphasizing the bill’s original purpose: helping smaller farms afford needed improvements.
The effort comes amid broader concerns about corporate consolidation in Wisconsin’s dairy industry. A recent report highlights how large industrial operations have pursued public financing for major expansions, including a proposed 6,500-cow facility in Pierce County that sought $18 million in tax-exempt funding before local residents successfully pushed back. Advocates argue that communities must remain vigilant, using local tools and statewide policy reforms to ensure public resources prioritize small farms and protect rural health, infrastructure, and water.
- Civic Solidarity
- Member Opinions
Before the wave hits: Rural Wisconsin organizes against the One Big Beautiful Bill
On July 4th, while rural western Wisconsin celebrated Independence Day, Congress quietly passed HR1 — a massive federal tax and spending law that locks in tax cuts for the wealthy while setting in motion deep cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and affordable health coverage. The damage is designed to arrive slowly, filtered through county budgets and local institutions that already operate on the brink.
Bill Hogseth, GROWW Co-Executive Director and Organizing Lead reflects on, organizing before the wave hits. Local organizers and residents are uncovering what HR1 will mean for our rural communities, listening to county leaders and neighbors, and building a county-by-county movement to stop a quiet class war (hidden behind a loud & violent culture war) and protect the services that hold our communities together.
- GROWW Wide
- Member Opinions
Editorial: What is possible when we unite?
This year, we know all of us in Wisconsin will be inundated with messages of division, especially leading up to the Spring and Midterm elections in April and November. Corporate interest groups and the ultra-wealthy want to divide us – by the color of our skin, by where we are from, how long we’ve lived here – so they can continue to call the shots. They distract us with a deluge of news so that we keep blaming each other instead of blaming them. They pass bills removing healthcare and food for us in our community while giving tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy and the largest corporations.
GrassRoots Organizing Western Wisconsin: Residents in western Wisconsin warn county officials of HR1’s looming budget crisis
Residents from Dunn, Pierce, Polk, and St. Croix counties warned county boards that HR1, also known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill”, is poised to trigger significant local budget reductions in essential services across western Wisconsin. In county budget hearings this month, residents delivered letters and gave testimony that the funding cuts in HR1 translate directly into hunger, untreated illness, longer waits for crisis care, and heavier burdens on families already stretched thin.
Western Wisconsin residents hit the streets demanding SNAP benefits be restored
“The fundamental here is really simple right. People shouldn’t have to follow court cases and executive orders to know if they can buy breakfast in the morning,” said GROWW Member Abraham Smith. He, along with Dunn County residents came to Eau Claire to share more about how SNAP (FoodShare) cuts impact people and families in WI. Smith said the message is “step forward, Fund SNAP at 100%.”
Read our Latest Posts
- Rural WI vs. Corporate Ag
REALEASE: Ridge Breeze Legal Hearing Set for March 3
February 16, 2026
The petitioners in the legal challenge to Ridge Breeze’s proposed expansion. (From L to R): Dr. Richard Dart, Jenelle Ludwig-Krause, Gerald Steien, Kay Kashian, Attorney Adam Voskuil, Larry Brenner, and Ty Fisher. The outcome of the hearing could determine whether Ridge Breeze is allowed to expand to become the largest…
- Housing Justice
VICTORY: Menomonie Residents Win Proactive Renter Protections
February 9, 2026
New Ordinance Expands Safety and Protections for Renters and Local Accountability for Some Negligent Landlords Last week, after nearly two years of organizing, research, and community conversations, the Menomonie City Council voted on February 2 to pass a proactive renter protection ordinance designed to improve housing safety and accountability across…
- Local Elections
All in Favor – A Year in Reflection
December 23, 2025
2025 Reflections from Organizer, John Calabrese 2025 has been an epic whirlwind. It seems at once to have flown by and lasted for far longer than 12 months. All in Favor began with a busy January, much like we’re preparing for next month. Nomination papers for local office were turned…
- Rural WI vs. Corporate Ag
Gilman Passes Operations Ordinance for Factory Farms
December 18, 2025
The third town Operations Ordinance in Pierce County was unanimously passed on December 10 The Town of Gilman unanimously passed an Operations Ordinance on December 10 to protect their community from the harmful impacts of factory farms. Gilman is the third town in Pierce County and the tenth in Wisconsin…
- Civic Solidarity
The Corporate 1% is Consolidating American Resources And Wealth. To Stop Them We Must Stand Together.
December 12, 2025
When I was a teenager, because of my dad’s work, I lived in a town in France. Sometimes, chanting mixed with the buzzing of the doorbell would wake me up in the middle of the night: USA GO HOME, USA GO HOME. I would lie in bed, my throat tightening…
- Rural WI vs. Corporate Ag
Public Calls for Oversight of Factory Farms at Pierce County Committee Meeting
November 23, 2025
The support comes as multiple towns look into local ordinances of their own. Pierce County, WI – Residents made it clear they want protection from the harmful impacts of factory farms at the November 17 meeting of the county’s Groundwater Advisory Committee. Over 50 residents turned out in person and…