The agriculture industry is the heart of Wisconsin’s economy. With an estimated $40 billion contributed to Wisconsin's economy each year, Wisconsin is one of the leading states in numerous agricultural products. Governor Doyle announced his “Grow Wisconsin” initiative in 2003, designed to enhance the state’s economy. To help accomplish this, several steps have been taken to emphasize the purchase of locally grown, produced, and manufactured products to support Wisconsin's local producers and businesses.

With this, the planning for the SavorWisconsin.com project started in late 2002. The project has been guided by three entities -- the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), University of Wisconsin-Extension, and the Wisconsin Apple Growers Association (WAGA). In 2003, DATCP received $3.1 million in Federal Specialty Crop Grants. A portion of that was given to the WAGA as a grant for their initiative to develop a web-based resource for locally grown products. With so many of consumers' favorites coming from the state of Wisconsin, the name "SavorWisconsin.com" was chosen for this new online resource to represent the desire for quality.

A partnership was developed to help ensure the depth of Wisconsin's agricultural industry would be well represented using the latest technology. ProNet Consulting, LLC of Appleton, WI, was selected by the WAGA as the web developer. The project was in full speed in mid - 2003 and has been in steady development for the consumer/public launch in January 2004. While the WAGA owns the site, DATCP provides staff time to administer the site and the University of Wisconsin-Extension provides ongoing input and promotion.

The site is designed with the latest in web technology to connect consumers to businesses, using top web search capabilities. It is the goal of the developing partners to enable consumers across the state, nation and world to find their favorite Wisconsin products easily, searching from their home computer. Agriculture encompasses everything from the food we eat to some of the clothes that we wear, as well as the trees and plants in our communities, and some of the fuels we put in our vehicles. We hope you will find SavorWisconsin.com to be a useful resource in finding the products you savor from this great state.