Wisconsin Establishes First Sister-State Tie in 36 Years

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regional Council President Jérôme Durain signed an agreement creating a sister-state relationship between Wisconsin and the French region, the state’s first new partnership of this kind in 36 years and its seventh overall. The agreement is intended to expand economic, educational and cultural ties, with cooperation spanning agriculture and dairy, health and life sciences, research and higher education, water technology, clean energy and other fields. The partnership builds on contacts established during a Wisconsin delegation’s 2025 trade mission and earlier collaboration among companies and researchers, including in biotherapies.