Buy Local Buy Wisconsin Holistic Management Workshops To Start In November
Contact: Kenny Monroe (608) 224-5112 kenneth.monroe@wi.gov

The Buy Local Buy Wisconsin Workshop Roadshow will start in November with workshops titled “Making Decisions About Local Food Sales Opportunities Using the Holistic Management Framework” in four locations.

The workshops will be in Platteville Wednesday, Nov. 11; Madison Thursday, Nov. 12; Wisconsin Rapids Friday, Nov. 13; and Eau Claire Wednesday, Jan. 20.

The workshops will center on a new framework for decision-making called “holistic management.” Holistic management is a systems-thinking approach to farm management that strives to build biodiversity, improve production, build financial strength, and improve the farmer’s quality of life.

Dane County Farmers Market manager and veteran holistic management educator Larry Johnson will lead the workshops, with assistance from long-time University of Wisconsin-Extension agent and holistic management expert Andy Hager.

The cost to attend either the Nov. 11 or Nov. 12 workshop is $50 for the first farm partner and $20 for additional farm partners. The workshops will also take place as a part of two larger conferences: “Connecting Threads: A Conference for Women Farmers” on Friday, Nov. 13 in Wisconsin Rapids; and the “12th Annual Value Added Agriculture Conference” on Wednesday, January 20, 2010 in Eau Claire.

For more information and to register for the workshops or the conferences, go to www.datcp.state.wi.us and look under “online services.” Information and registration materials are also available by contacting Kenny Monroe, kenneth.monroe@wi.gov, phone 608-224-5112.

Additional Buy Local Buy Wisconsin workshops will be offered in early 2010, including Quickbooks 101 for Farmers, Post-Harvest Handling for Vegetable Production Quality and Success, and Food Safety on the Market Farm.

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EXTENDED DEADLINE

Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin Grant pre-proposals due October 7, 2009 by 4:00 pm

The Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin (BLBW) grant program invites pre-proposals for projects that are likely to stimulate Wisconsin's agricultural economy by increasing the purchase of Wisconsin grown or produced food by local food buyers. Pre-proposals will be accepted from individuals, groups, businesses and organizations involved in Wisconsin agriculture, agritourism, food retailing, processing, distribution or warehousing.

The 2009 Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin Grant Manual and pre-proposal template are available online at www.datcp.state.wi.us; keyword "Buy Local" or click on the link below for the BLBW page:

http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/mktg/business/marketing/val-add/directmktg/blbw.jsp

Questions regarding the BLBW program can be directed to Teresa Cuperus at 608-224-5101; teresa.cuperus@wisconsin.gov

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500+ food activists from around the continent are meeting in San Jose to swap stories and develop new opportunities for local food work. A couple of things I picked up today include:
New Leaf Associates is conducting a marketing survey to assess the usefulness of a Journal of FOod systems and agricultural development. Go to www.surveymonkey.com/journalsurvey to let them know what you think.
The 13th annual community food security coalition conference will be held in Des Moines October 10-13, entitled "From Commodity to Community: Food Politics and Projects in teh Heartland
If you want to do an instant poll at a big conference, check out polleverywhere.com Earlier today we used this site to text message in survey responses in real time. I understand that they manage the data so that it can be summarized for later use in reports, websites, etc. Very effective and only requires a cell phone. Plus all those who don't know how to text can learn how!
Met with Suzie Wyshak from foodzie.com. They are marketing artisan foods through a web site so if you know of anyone with a first rate product, encourage them to contact Suzie.
Bob Scowcroft at the Organic Farming Research Foundation tells me that they are planning to do a webinar series this summer or fall. Two possible topics are organic fruit production and system thinking.
Christopher Bedford with the Center for Economic Security is planning to make a film on "Growing Health", how investing in rational food systems development will result in healthy people and communities and save us money on treating chronic health problems.

Gotta get back to the meeting. Will post more later.

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There are a lot of people who would like to add value to their products and extend their marketing season by processing their fruits and vegetables into products that can be stored for longer times. The state of Kentucky has a program that allows people to process and certain types of foods in their own kitchens, following good food safety practices, and then sell the processed foods without needing to do the processing in a separate, licensed facility. Do you think this would be a good program for Wisconsin? I'd like to see a discussion on this, and if there are others who like the idea, we can start trying to mobilize support for this type of program. Here's more information on the Kentucky programs:

http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/micro/HBM%20Brochure%20January%202006.pdf
More info. Scroll down to Home-based processing:
http://chfs.ky.gov/dph/info/phps/food.htm

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