Preserve and Enhance Manufacturing Expansion Programs, Instead of Cutting Funding (Editorial Viewpoint)
Rewritten Article:
On Good Friday, I found myself in a meeting with a group of government workers and community volunteers - not an unusual scene in the world of public service. These folks are often overworked and underpaid, but they always manage to keep the mission at the forefront.
The reason for our gathering? news of a dramatic up and down in federal funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program. This wasn't just bureaucratic chaos. Something bigger was afoot.
At a time when revitalizing American manufacturing has become a key component of the President's economic strategy, funding for one of the programs aimed at helping manufacturers compete on a global scale is being slashed – and then reinstated, just as abruptly.
The MEP, created during the Reagan years to help small and mid-sized manufacturers increase productivity in the face of the Japanese manufacturing threat, might not be a household name. But across the nation, it has been a steadfast supporter of the small businesses that form the backbone of our industrial sector.
Let's call a spade a spade. The program isn't without its flaws – in Wisconsin, the administrative structure is a relic of a workaround to federal rules, patched together to keep good people and institutions afloat. I happen to chair the board of the Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing and Productivity (WCMP), an organization responsible for overseeing two MEP affiliates: the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership (WMEP) and the Manufacturing Outreach Center (MOC) at UW-Stout. It can be confusing, I admit.
The result is a cumbersome system with too many cooks in the kitchen and not enough hands on deck to deliver services. The recent chaos in funding has forced us to prioritize streamlining the process.
Across the nation, folks are grappling with cost-cutting and real public needs. In this case, it's a bloated program that remains an essential lifeline for manufacturers. The solution isn't to dismantle it. It's to revamp it.
take the example of the Wisconsin Aluminum Foundry – a company we know firsthand the value of these agencies. We enlisted WCMP's help to expand exports of our All American 1930 consumer products line, making our pressure cookers and sterilizers available in new international markets. We also participated in WCMP's Automation Advisor program to guide our investment in robotics, helping us make wise decisions and enhance operational efficiency.
Other companies where I serve on the board have used WCMP to reduce energy waste, while WCMP has supported broader innovation initiatives, including collaborating with UW-Milwaukee's Connected Systems Institute and TitletownTech to explore the potential of artificial intelligence in manufacturing processes. These are the kind of projects that propel small manufacturers forward.
Last week, one of our customers, a Florida company that manufactures power systems for data centers, began relocating sourcing from Canada to the U.S. due to Trump Administration tariffs on steel and aluminum. Yet, the Canadian supplier was still beating us on cost. Wages and inputs were similar; the difference lay in greater efficiency.
This wake-up call reminds us that tariffs may bring business back home, but it's up to us to match – or surpass – the efficiency of our competitors. This is the perfect moment for WCMP's guidance, as we rely on outside expertise to tackle major problems, especially when new technologies are involved. If we don't act, our inefficiency risks adding to inflation elsewhere.
That's why Wisconsin's continued backing of WCMP and its affiliates matters. The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp continues to support their vital work. This is a powerful endorsement from a state that understands manufacturing. We don't have the resources of the federal government, but we're investing what we can in this effort because we've witnessed the impact. And so have our manufacturers.
The MEP enjoys bipartisan support and the backing of small businesses. It's doing what politicians claim they want: helping American industry grow, compete, and modernize. As we strive to streamline the program, let's not forget to keep funding it. Maybe, just maybe, this could serve as a model for smart, constructive federal spending cuts.
Enrichment Data:- Funding Rollercoaster: In April 2025, the Trump administration slashed funding for MEP in ten states, citing misaligned priorities. However, funding was reinstated in the same month through September 2025. As of now, contracts for the remaining states expire between July 2025 and March 2026, putting the entire network at risk of defunding. The proposed FY2026 budget signals further cuts.[1][4][5]- Program Impact: The MEP offers critical services like supply chain optimization and lean manufacturing training, helping small and mid-sized manufacturers compete globally.[4] Federal funds cover up to 50% of MEP costs, while states, local governments, and industry partners cover the rest and client fees contribute additional support.[1][4]- Wisconsin's Vulnerability: Wisconsin's MEP center could face the same risks as the rest of the network if federal funding is cut. Wisconsin manufacturers in sectors such as food processing, machinery, and aerospace rely on MEP for modernization and workforce development. Protracted funding uncertainty could hinder their competitiveness amid global trade pressures and technological shifts.[4][5]
- Policymakers are faced with the challenge of streamlining the MEP program following a funding rollercoaster, as its continued support is crucial for American small and mid-sized manufacturers.
- Technology and innovation initiatives, such as those involving artificial intelligence in manufacturing processes, are propelling small manufacturers forward with guidance from programs like the Wisconsin Center for Manufacturing and Productivity (WCMP).
- The reshoring of manufacturing to the US, encouraged by tariffs, is a call for increased productivity and operational efficiency among domestic manufacturers, a task that WCMP and similar entities are well-equipped to help with.
- Despite occasional flaws, the MEP program enjoys bipartisan support and the backing of small businesses, making it a potential model for smart, constructive federal spending cuts that prioritize American industry growth, competition, and modernization.
