Wisconsin Local Food Network - Recently Updated Pages

Local Food Calendar

JaneHansen — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:37:33 CST

2010

January 6, 2010. Buy Local Buy Wisconsin "Post-Harvest Handling for Vegetable Production Quality and Success" Workshop in Oconomowoc. www.datcp.state.wi.us/registration/workshops.jsp

January 7, 2010. Buy Local Buy Wisconsin "Post-Harvest Handling for Vegetable Production Quality and Success" Workshop in Viroqua. www.datcp.state.wi.us/registration/workshops.jsp

January 15-17, 2010. Wisconsin School for Beginning Market Growers. UW Madison Campus, WI. http://www.cias.wisc.edu/wisconsin-school-for-beginning-market-growers/

January 19, 2010. Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program: National Integrated Food Safety Initiative. Application deadline. http://www.nifa.usda.gov/fo/foodsafetyicgp.cfm

January 20, 2010. Wisconsin Agricultural Economic Outlook Forum, Pyle Center, UW Madison, WI. http://www.cals.wisc.edu/agoutlook/index.html

January 20, 2010. Value Added Agriculture College. Eau Claire, WI. http://www.rivercountryrcd.org/valad.html

January 21-22, 2010. 4th Annual Wisconsin Local Food Summit and 12th Annual Midwest Value Added Agriculture Conference. Eau Claire, WI. http://www.rivercountryrcd.org/valad.html

February 4, 2010. Wisconsin Acidified Canned Foods Training for Small Food Processors. Algoma, WI. To register: http://www.peopleware.net/index.cfm?siteId=358&eventDisp=0%2D40%2D16%2D22. Contact: Barbara Ingham at 608-263-7383 or via email at bhingham@wisc.edu

February 5-7, 2010. The Midwest School for Beginning Apple Growers. UW Madison campus, WI. http://www.cias.wisc.edu/events/

February 9, 2010. Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative grant application deadline. http://www.nifa.usda.gov/fo/organicagricultureresearchandextensioninitiative.cfm

February 10, 2010. Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program grant application deadline. http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5081443&acct=gpfsmip

February 13-14 and 20-21. How to Grow Local Food. Two weekend course taught by experienced, professional, local farmers that covers all basic skills and techniques to growing local food. Stevens Point, WI. Contact: John Sheffy, Farmshed Farmer Capacity Building Initiative 715-346-4244 jsheffy@uwsp.edu

February 25, 2010. Local Food Fair II. Stevens Point, WI. www.farmshed.org. Contact: Jeremy Solin, 715-342-4643 or jeremy@farmshed.org

February 25-27, 2010. Organic Farming Conference. LaCrosse, WI. http://mosesorganic.org/conference.html

March 18, 2010. Wisconsin Acidified Canned Foods Training for Small Food Processors. Whitewater, WI. To register: http://www.peopleware.net/index.cfm?siteId=358&eventDisp=0%2D40%2D16%2D22. Contact: Barbara Ingham at 608-263-7383 or via email at bhingham@wisc.edu

April 15, 2010. Wisconsin Acidified Canned Foods Training for Small Food Processors. Wausau, WI. To register: http://www.peopleware.net/index.cfm?siteId=358&eventDisp=0%2D40%2D16%2D22. Contact: Barbara Ingham at 608-263-7383 or via email at bhingham@wisc.edu

May 20, 2010. Wisconsin Acidified Canned Foods Training for Small Food Processors. Madison, WI. To register: http://www.peopleware.net/index.cfm?siteId=358&eventDisp=0%2D40%2D16%2D22. Contact: Barbara Ingham at 608-263-7383 or via email at bhingham@wisc.edu

June 7, 2010. Agriculture and Antitrust Enforcement Issues in Our 21st Century Economy. US Department of Justice Public Workshop. Dairy Industry - Discussion topics may include concentration, marketplace transparency and vertical integration in the dairy industry. UW Madison, Memorial Union. Madison, WI. http://www.justice.gov/atr/public/workshops/ag2010/

June 14, 2010. Wisconsin Acidified Canned Foods Training for Small Food Processors. Fond du Lac, WI. To register: http://www.peopleware.net/index.cfm?siteId=358&eventDisp=0%2D40%2D16%2D22. Contact: Barbara Ingham at 608-263-7383 or via email at bhingham@wisc.edu

Local Food in the News

JaneHansen — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:27:12 CST

December 4, 2009. AmeriCorps Farm to School: Healthier Kids and Healthier Bottom Lines for Farmers
"MADISON -- Kids and farmers in 10 Wisconsin counties are benefiting from the AmeriCorps Farm to School program this year in an effort to improve children's diets and producers' bottom lines..." http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/press_release/result.jsp?prid=2398

December 2, 2009. Neb. Company Poised to Lose Organic Certification
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- "Promiseland Livestock will lose its organic certification for four years unless it appeals a ruling issued last month because the company kept inadequate records and refused to let USDA inspectors review the records it did have..." http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/12/02/business/AP-NE-Organic-Enforcement.html?_r=1

December 1, 2009. Will Allen, Michael Perry Headline Local Food Summit And Ag Conference Slated Jan. 21-22 in Eau Claire MADISON -- "The annual Wisconsin Local Food Summit and Midwest Value Added Agriculture Conference will be held jointly at the Ramada Convention Center in Eau Claire Jan. 21-22. This year a new feature, the Value Added Agriculture College, has been added on the day before the summit and conference." http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/press_release/result.jsp?prid=2395

November 17, 2009. More households nationwide, in Wisconsin face food insecurity. by Emily Bisek, Wisconsin State Journal.
"Over the weekend, Mike Bertelsen and his wife took their three sons grocery shopping for two families they will never meet.
Bertelsen, of Sun Prairie, dropped off the items Monday at Goodman Community Center in Madison, where volunteers and staff members are hoping to assemble Thanksgiving baskets for 1,000 Dane County families.
"Any time there's a call put out for help, we try to answer it," said Bertelsen, whose family donated all but the turkeys for two holiday meals.
The call for help grew louder Monday with a federal report showing the highest level of household hunger in the country since 1995, when the U.S. Department of Agriculture began measuring it..." http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt_and_politics/article_1dfd851e-d315-11de-b9c7-001cc4c03286.html

November 17, 2009. Prisoners give vegetables of their labor to those in need
For most people the phrase "prison labor" makes one think of license plates. But in Wisconsin some prisoners prisons are paying their debt to society by raising vegetables. As Gil Halsted reports it's a job that can often play an important role in preparing a felon to be caring citizen once released…
To listen to this story: http://clipcast.wpr.org:8080/ramgen/wpr/news/news091117gh.rm

October 28, 2009. Bill Gates bets a billion on ag research. By Greg Henderson, Drovers. "Worth more than $40 billion, Microsoft founder Bill Gates could buy the world a Big Mac. But he’s more interested in helping fund a new green revolution, and he’s telling the world it should be “greener than the first.”
Speaking at the World Food Prize Symposium in Des Moines, Iowa, Gates outlined his vision in his first major address on agriculture, calling governments, researchers, environmentalists and others to “set aside old visions and join forces” to help millions of farmers. He also announced a $120 million package of agriculture-related grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to nine institutions around the world..." http://www.drovers.com/news_editorial.asp?ts=nl2&pgID=675&ed_id=6348
October 15, 2009. Canada needs a national food strategy. by Margaret Webb. TheStar.com "What is most disturbing about Canada's food system is not the degraded quality, the impact on health, the devastation of natural resources from industrial fishing and farming, the impoverishment of food producers, the inequitable access that leaves so many Canadians undernourished, or even the safety scares that have us checking for recalls along with prices.
These travesties can be righted, if we act. But we have lost so much control over our food system that our ability to act is diminishing. Indeed, we can hardly imagine that we can act, that food should be a public good, like health care, to serve people foremost. That the public should decide what food Canada produces, how it's produced, and how we share that harvest..." http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/710334--canada-needs-a-national-food-strategy

October 13, 2009. FDA launches a $17.5m boost to food and feed safety
By Mike Stones, FOOD navigator-usa.com. "The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a $17.5m investment in food and feed safety standards encompassing federal, state, and local partners " http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Legislation/FDA-launches-a-17.5m-boost-to-food-and-feed-safety

October 13, 2009. FDA Awards $17.5 Million In Grants To Further Food And Feed Safety
Medical News Today. "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it has awarded 83 grants in FY2009 totaling $17.5 million to state and local regulatory agencies to boost food and feed safety initiatives among federal, state, and local partners."
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/167171.php

October 12, 2009. CALS dean to serve in USDA post
by Michael Penn. "Molly Jahn, dean of the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS), has been appointed to a senior position in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), university officials announced today (Oct. 12).
Jahn will serve as deputy undersecretary of research, education and economics, a position responsible for leading three units within the USDA that provide research and service on issues related to food and agriculture. Under the leadership of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and USDA Undersecretary Rajiv Shah, she will help guide the agency's efforts to ensure a safe, healthy, abundant and affordable food supply for the nation and the world..." http://www.news.wisc.edu/17213
October 8, 2009. Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Launches National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Announces Vision for Science and Research at USDA: Agricultural Science Poised to Make Major Contributions to Health, Environmental Challenges.
Media Contact: Jennifer Martin, 202/720-8188. Washington - "Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today launched the national Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) with a major speech regarding the role of science and research at USDA..."
http://www.nifa.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2009news/10081_nifa_launch.html

September 29, 2009. October 16, 2009: The First Calgary Food Summit (CFS) to Be Held at Big Rock Brewery

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwire) - "Big Rock Brewery Income Trust (TSX:BR.UN) and The Calgary Food Policy Council will host the groundbreaking Calgary Food Summit (CFS) on October 16, 2009 (this date also marks World Food Day). The CFS is an inclusive opportunity for all those actively involved and working towards improving our local and regional food system..." http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Big-Rock-Brewery-Income-Trust-TSX-BR.UN-1051978.html

September 22, 2009. Student Garden Guide
Palo Alto, Calif. — "Bon Appé*** Management Company is taking action to help student farmers launch careers in sustainable agriculture.
Bon Appé*** has developed a guide for aspiring student farmers to help them build good business relationships with their best potential customers—the college food service providers that are right in their backyards. The guide will be made available to students in garden groups all over the country and on the company’s website. www.circleofresponsibility.com/student-garden-guide..."

September 19, 2009. Pushing For Local Purchases
WMTV - "As the economy struggles and states crunch budget numbers, one group has a plan to keep as much of that state money as possible here in Wisconsin. The program is called, "Grocers Buy Local," and members launched the campaign at Miller and Sons Market in Verona Saturday. The initiative promotes food products from across the state using special tags to let you know where to find Wisconsin-made food and drinks..." http://www.nbc15.com/home/headlines/59886007.html

September 19, 2009. Follow the Food Chain.
By Neil Heinen, Madison Magazine. "Is Madison a great food town? Interestingly enough you’d probably get a spirited debate on the answer depending on whom you asked and where you stood on the question.
But here’s what I’ll tell you—there’s no easy answer. If there were we’d have splashed it on our cover. It’s what we in the business call a “sell line,” a short, snappy invitation to pick up the magazine and read more. But describing our city’s culinary culture proved beyond all the collaborative wordsmithing this editorial staff could muster..." http://www.madisonmagazine.com/Madison-Magazine/October-2009/Follow-the-Food-Chain/

September 17, 2009. AGRICULTURE SECRETARY VILSACK ANNOUNCES FUNDING FOR RESEARCH ON FOOD SECURITY IN NORTHEAST
WASHINGTON - "Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced $230,000 in funding for studies to assess the capacity of the northeastern United States to produce enough food locally to meet market demands, rather than relying on food transported long distances to feed the burgeoning East Coast population. These studies will be conducted as part of the "Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" initiative launched this week by USDA to connect people more closely with the farmers who supply their food, and to increase the production, marketing and consumption of fresh, nutritious food that is grown locally in a sustainable manner..." http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2009/09/0449.xml

September 17, 2009. Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Announces 86 Grants Under the Farmers Market Promotion Program

Additional $4.5 million in Funding for 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' Initiative

WASHINGTON - "As part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced the awardees of the 2009 Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) at the opening of the FRESHFARM Market by the White House on Vermont Avenue with First Lady Michelle Obama. Deputy Secretary Merrigan, who chairs USDA's 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative, was also in attendance at the event. Reaching into communities across America, 86 grants totaling more than $4.5 million were awarded to encourage and support the viability of farmers markets and direct marketing projects nationwide. A national directory of farmers markets is available at www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets..." http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/ams.fetchTemplateData.do?template=TemplateU&navID=&page=Newsroom&resultType=Details&dDocName=STELPRDC5079594&dID=119804&wf=false&description=Agriculture+Secretary+Vilsack+Announces+86+Grants+Under+the+Farmers+Market++Promotion+Program&topNav=Newsroom&leftNav=null&rightNav1=ReadCurrentNewsReleases&rightNav2=

September 15, 2009. USDA Launches 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' Initiative to Connect Consumers with Local Producers to Create New Economic Opportunities for Communities
Washington - "Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today announced a new initiative - 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' - to begin a national conversation to help develop local and regional food systems and spur economic opportunity. To launch the initiative, Secretary Vilsack recorded a video to invite Americans to join the discussion and share their ideas for ways to support local agriculture. The video, one of many means by which USDA will engage in this conversation, can be viewed at USDA's YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/usda . Producers and consumers can comment on the 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' YouTube playlist, as well as submit videos or provide comments on this initiative by e-mailing KnowYourFarmer@usda.gov..." http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?contentidonly=true&contentid=2009/09/0440.xml

September 15, 2009. Agriculture Deputy Secretary Merrigan Announces Initiative To Connect Children to Where Their Food Comes From and Provide More Local foods in School Lunches New Farm-to-School Tactical Teams Will Assist School Administrators Transition to Purchasing More Locally Grown Foods as Part of USDA's 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Initiative' WASHINGTON - "Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan today announced a new initiative to better connect children to their food and create opportunities for local farmers to provide their harvest to schools in their communities as part of USDA's 'Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food' initiative. USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) will team together and form 'Farm to School Tactical Teams' to assist school administrators as they transition to purchasing more locally grown foods. The agencies will also issue updated common-sense purchasing guidance to schools so they can buy fresh, locally grown produce for students eating through USDA's school nutrition programs. Food and Nutrition Service Administrator Julie Paradis made the announcement on Merrigan's behalf at the Homegrown School Lunch Week Kickoff in Hanover, Md..." http://www.fns.usda.gov/cga/PressReleases/2009/PR-0441.htm

September 14, 2009. September 19 Event Launches New "Grocers Buy Local" Campaign
VERONA – "Good news for the increasing number of consumers looking to buy local foods: a group of Wisconsin organizations are working to match local grocery stores with more than 50 local farmers and food companies and launch a new Grocers Buy Local campaign..."
http://www.somethingspecialwi.com/news.html

September 11, 2009. Can 'Slow Investing' Remake America's Food Industry?

By Judith D. Schwartz, TIME Magazine

"Could the trouble with money be that it's...too fast? Sure, you may think, it leaves your pocket too fast. But Woody Tasch, a longtime investment professional and founder of the Slow Money Alliance, is talking not about anyone's spending habits but money as a system: as money increasingly functions as electronic blips shuttling from screen to screen in speculative transfers, it becomes divorced from its effects in the real world and less reflective of actual wealth. The result, he says, has been bad for our economy, the planet and the individual investor. The antidote, according to Tasch, is expressed in the subtitle of his book, Inquiries Into the Nature of Slow Money: Investing as if Farms, Food, and Fertility Matter..." http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1921889,00.html (includes a photo of the West Allis, WI farmers market)

September 1, 2009. USDA Announces $18 Million Available for Value-Added Producer Grants Important to Family Farm Viability
Washington, D.C - The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the availability of $18 million for the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. Publication of a revised VAPG Notice of Funds Available (NOFA) appears in today’s Federal Register.
VAPG competitive grants allow farmers to plan for new agricultural businesses or develop or expand existing businesses that add value to their farm product through specialized production, processing, or marketing. In addition to food and fiber processing, market differentiated products, commodity segregation, local food products, mid-tier value chains, and some on-farm energy production projects are eligible. Applications for this round of VAPG grants are due November 30, 2009... http://sustainableagriculture.net/press/press-releases/

September 2009. What grows in the Ninth, stays in the Ninth: Community supported agriculture flourishes in the (Ninth Federal Reserve) district.
By Kathy Cobb - Contributing Writer, Joe Mahon - Staff Writer. Fedgazette.
"The past few decades have seen an explosion of imported, perishable food—apples from China, kiwi from New Zealand, grapes from Chile and many other foods from faraway lands. But recently, the pendulum has been swinging the other way. You might say that food is trying to become more like politics—with all the important stuff being local..." http://www.minneapolisfed.org/publications_papers/pub_display.cfm?id=4273

August 21, 2009. The Real Cost of Cheap Food (Cover story)
By Bryan Walsh. TIME Magazine.
"Somewhere in Iowa, a pig is being raised in a confined pen, packed in so tightly with other swine that their curly tails have been chopped off so they won't bite one another. To prevent him from getting sick in such close quarters, he is dosed with antibiotics. The waste produced by the pig and his thousands of pen mates on the factory farm where they live goes into manure lagoons that blanket neighboring communities with air pollution and a stomach-churning stench. He's fed on American corn that was grown with the help of government subsidies and millions of tons of chemical fertilizer. When the pig is slaughtered, at about 5 months of age, he'll become sausage or bacon that will sell cheap, feeding an American addiction to meat that has contributed to an obesity epidemic currently afflicting more than two-thirds of the population. And when the rains come, the excess fertilizer that coaxed so much corn from the ground will be washed into the Mississippi River and down into the Gulf of Mexico, where it will help kill fish for miles and miles around. That's the state of your bacon — circa 2009..." http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1917458,00.html

August 21, 2009. Remote Farming: Tailor-made, No-fuss Vegetable Gardens "Have you forgotten where the vegetables on your table come from?" It's a question agricultural firm Azienda Agricola Giacomo Ferraris asks potential customers. Offering Italians the opportunity to reconnect with the origins of their food, the company's innovative online offering—Le Verdure Del Mio Orto ('The Vegetables from my Garden')—lets anyone build an organic garden right from their web browser... http://springwise.com/food_beverage/delmioorto/. See also: http://springwise.com/eco_sustainability/more_homegrown_vegetables_with/

August 13, 2009. New law puts locally produced foods on menu. Buyers get leeway to acquire costlier foods from Oregon

BY PETER KORN JONATHAN HOUSE / PAMPLIN MEDIA GROUP
Zoe Kane grabs an apple during lunchtime at Atkinson Elementary School, during Portland Public Schools’ monthly all-local food day.
Consider the ramifications of the lowest-acceptable-bid policy used for government purchasing. Kat West, sustainability manager for Multnomah County, did, and she thinks it’s way behind the times.
Sure, West says, requiring public agencies that are purchasing goods and services to accept low bids has encouraged transparency and economic use of state and local government dollars. But in today’s world, West says, there are other criteria to consider beyond cost. The one she cares about is sustainability.

http://www.portlandtribune.com/sustainable/story.php?story_id=125002931902124500

July 10, 2009. SF Mayor Newsom Announces First Regional Food Policy in US On Wednesday, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced his Executive Directive on Healthy Sustainable Food for San Francisco. The Directive is a truly holistic document, knitting the many elements required to create a functional foodshed that serves rich and poor. Other cities have already embraced some of the items in Newsom’s directive, but what is most groundbreaking is that he calls out the need to prioritize healthy food access and the interdependence of rural and urban communities in a period of economic crisis. He sees the link between sustainability and the nation’s next economic stage. http://www.rocfund.org/campaign/campaign/sf-mayor-newsom-announces-first-regional-food-policy-in-us

July 9, 2009. Direct Farm Marketing Summit: Developing Sustainable Foodsheds to Enhance Food Access and Nutrition. One hundred and thirty leaders from across the nation gathered for just over two days in order to accelerate the nation's development of sustainable foodsheds that offer fresh, healthy, regional and sustainable food to all people regardless of income level or location.

The goals of the Summit were to:

Enhance knowledge, thinking, and action as leaders scale up their efforts to new levels in order to serve larger and larger segments of the country.

Provide public and private funders with data to help them better help those working on the ground to make change.

http://www.rocfund.org/campaign/campaign/direct-farm-marketing-summit-developing-sustainable-foodsheds-to-enhance-food-access-and-nutrition

July 6, 2009. Sweden introduces climate labelling for food[fr][de]
Sweden is developing standards to help consumers make conscious choices about the impact of their decisions on global warming. Products with at least 25% greenhouse gas savings will be marked in each food category, starting with plant production, dairy and fish products... http://www.euractiv.com/en/cap/sweden-introduces-climate-labelling-food/article-183787

June 16, 2009.Medical Schools, Health Care Facilities Can Be Healthy Diet Role ModelsAMA. CHICAGO – "Health care organizations, such as medical schools and hospitals, can serve as role models and educators on the importance of adopting a healthier and more sustainable food system. This is according to new policy passed today at the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Annual Meeting." http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/news/news/healthy-role-models.shtml

June 16, 2009. Begin Your Farmer Chef Card Collection at this Saturday’s Dane County
Farmers Market. Madison, WI. "REAP Food Group thinks local farmers and the chefs who cook with their food deserve sports star status. REAP’s Buy Fresh Buy Local Southern Wisconsin (BFBL) program is releasing a beautiful 20-edition set of baseball-style cards in local restaurants throughout the summer. Each card highlights the unique ways BFBL partner chefs partner with local farmers in bringing fresh sustainably grown food to diners.
Collecting these cards is an adventure for diners as they seek out cards in each participating restaurant. Chef Clayton Scherer of the Monroe St Bistro (2611 Monroe Street in Madison) will be giving market-goers a jump
start on their collection as he hands out his card at the Fountain Prairie Farm stand this Saturday June 16th from 10 am to 2pm at the Dane County Farmers Market around the capital square. John and Dorothy Priske of
Fountain Prairie Farm bring Clayton their unique Scottish Highland Cattle for his restaurant kitchen, so their collecting card features as John, Dorothy and Clayton petting one of these handsome, furry animals.
The front of each collecting-quality card features a “full color action shot” of the farmer and their chef partner. On the back of the card, a description of the farmer chef relationship and a restaurant “stats” section
complete the look.
“Diners find more than just food at my restaurant; they find a story that lets them interact with the source of their food. Learn about us and why we serve local food with our collecting card. Come get one this Saturday at the market or everyday at the restaurant!” says Chef Clayton.
The purpose of the Farmer Chef Collecting Card project is to show diners how important and unique each chef’s partnership with local farmers is through a beautiful collection of cards. “Each of our partner restaurants works with local farmers for personal reasons and we want to share those unique stories with diners,” says BFBL project coordinator Rachel Armstrong.
As part of REAP’s mission to grow a more just, healthy and sustainable food system the BFBL program connects farmers, chefs and consumers by offering consulting and marketing services to food buyers. Restaurants, cafes and food service operations who commit to increasing their purchase of local foods are eligible for partnership. Twenty BFBL partners will be distributing their collecting card in their businesses and at special events
into the month of October. Go to www.reapfoodgroup.org/BFBL/cards.htm learn how you can collect all 20."

Summer 2009. Yes! Magazine. Theme: The New Economy.
31 ways to Jump Start the Economy, by Sarah van Gelder.
How to make it with less, share more, and put people and the planet first Build a secure, sustainable economy beginning at home and in your community… http://yesmagazine.org/article.asp?id=3501

May 12, 2009 - When 'Local' Makes it Big. New York Times, by Kim Severson. "When Jessica Prentice, a food writer in the San Francisco Bay area, invented the term “locavore,” she didn’t have Lay’s potato chips in mind." http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/dining/13local.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&ref=style

May 8, 2009. Secretary Nilsestuen Applauds Organic Transition Cost Share Program
Contact: Laura Paine, 608-224-5120 MADISON -- If you ever considered converting to organic farming, now is the time to do it, says Wisconsin’s agriculture secretary.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service has opened a three-week application period to share in $50 million available nationwide to help farmers develop organic transition plans. Producers new to organic farming and those adding acreage to an existing organic farm may be eligible... http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/press_release/result.jsp?prid=2311

May 2009. Fedgazette. Not your father’s farm. by Joe Mahon - Staff Writer
District farms are getting smaller and bigger at the same time

The long-term trend in American agriculture has been consolidation—larger farms worked by fewer farmers. In 1930, a quarter of the U.S. population lived on farms; today only about 2 percent do. Technological advances that encourage economies of scale, as well as other factors such as the growth of job opportunities in other industries, have caused this sea change...
http://www.minneapolisfed.org/publications_papers/pub_display.cfm?id=4174

May/June 2009 - Worldwatch: Is Local Food Better? by Sarah DeWeerdt Yes, probably-but not in the way many people think. http://www.worldwatch.org/node/6064?emc=el&m=227941&l=4&v=b2d6725c41

Spring 2009. Yes! Theme: Food for Everyone! http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?id=3272&utm_source=15apr09&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=i5_hdr

April 28, 2009. WOODBURY COUNTY, IOWA ANNOUNCES ITS GREEN CHALLENGE ENTITLED – “SAVE ROB 09 CAMPAIGN” TO BRING AWARENESS OF THE SHORTAGE OF FARMERS, FOOD SECURITY, AND TO HIGHLIGHT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL IN FARMING. http://www.woodburyorganics.com/Woodbury_Organics/Main_files/WC_PRESS_RELEASE_SaveRobCampaign09.pdf

April 23, 2009. Magazine gives Madison top food ranking, Susan Troller, The Capital Times
The glories of the local food scene have earned Madison bragging rights as the top culinary destination among Midwestern cities with a population under one million.
Midwest Living Magazine announced the rankings Wednesday, with Madison in the top slot, followed by Traverse City, Mich.; Ann Arbor, Mich.; Bloomington, Ind.; and Des Moines, Iowa. A story about appealing food destinations in the Midwest is the magazine's cover story for May/June...

April 22, 2009. New blog digs into 'eat local' movement. Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal, by Nancy Stohs.

Local. Sustainable. Organic. Farm-to-table. CSA.

Whether or not you've drastically changed your approach to food gathering, you can't help but be aware of at least some of these terms, and the movement of which they are a part... http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/lifestyle/digin.html

April 21, 2009. City dwellers in Madison can keep backyard egg layers, but local residents do it on the sly and lobby lawmakers By Karen Herzog of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
"Chickens soon could be roosting in a backyard near you.
Fresh eggs are the latest rage hatched by urban local food enthusiasts who say nothing beats an egg with a deep golden yolk, still warm from the henhouse..."

April 21, 2009. Farmers markets flourish as shoppers try to buy local. Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal, by Karen Herzog.

It won't be long before the first local asparagus, arugula and rhubarb beckon to us.
Imagine lazy Saturday mornings, sipping coffee, catching up on neighborhood gossip and perusing the season's early produce at your favorite farmers market, warmed by the sun. As the season progresses, you may even rub elbows with chefs scoping out the best green onions or heirloom tomatoes for their restaurant's evening menu.
Spring in Wisconsin demands patience, but the payoff is within reach. The Milwaukee metropolitan area, including neighboring counties, boasts some 40 neighborhood or community farmers markets, opening in May or June... http://www.jsonline.com/features/food/43351812.html

April 13, 2009. Gardening is growing, and not just the plants. Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal. by Megan Hupp.
Jason and Cari Landowski are getting their hands dirty, part of an effort to save on groceries and eat healthier.
The couple never planted a garden before. But with a big yard at their Campbellsport home, they decided to give it a shot this year... http://www.jsonline.com/business/42936442.html

April 2009. Smart Marketing by Bradley J. Rickard. Country Folks Grower. Recent evidence reports that 65 percent of Americans are either overweight or obese, and this percentage rate is nearly double what it was in 1995. In an effort to combat the obesity epidemic, there is an increased focus on the health benefits associated with consuming fruits and vegetables. If consumption patterns moved toward a diet with a greater share of fruits and vegetables, the health costs associated with obesity would decrease; it would also lead to benefits for producers of specialty crops.

March 30, 2009 Online Marketing Tool for Local Food Offers Grocers, Farmers Free One‐Year Membership Sign up by April 31, 2009 to receive one year free. http://www.thrivehere.org/media/documents/Thrive%20press%20releases/Press%20release%20Thrive%20Free%20year%20membership%20for%20local%20food%20sellers%20buyers%203.31.09.pdf

March 13, 2009. Chow Students go Green. WI State Journal. by Sandra Kallio. Like any successful middle-school teacher, L'Etoile Chef Tory Miller takes pride in his students' progress, although he judges it not by red marks on a page but by green things on a plate... http://77square.com/food/features/story_442869

March 10, 2009. Vilsack Proposes Changes to Farming NPR Morning Edition. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is proposing radical changes to farming. Vilsack tells Steve Inskeep that farmers should see the Obama administration's new energy initiatives as opportunities to make new money, at a time when traditional farming policies run in the face of a soaring deficit. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=101642026#email

March 4, 2009. Parents wonder whether Madison's school lunches are healthy for kids. The Capital Times. Mary Ellen Gabriel. The "hot lunch" line snakes out the door of the multipurpose room at Franklin Elementary School. Kids dressed in snow boots and parkas file past a table where a staff member is handing out plastic-wrapped containers of hot dogs and fries, canned peaches and a cookie. Forget trays or plates. The kids clutch the packages in both hands and, after a student helper plunks a carton of milk on top, hug the whole load to their chests, trying not to drop mittens and hats. They scurry into the gym and squeeze into a spot at one of the crowded lunch tables, where the "cold lunch" kids are chowing down with a 10-minute head start. Twelve minutes left before the bell rings. Better eat fast... http://www.madison.com/tct/mad/topstories/441366

March 3, 2009. Wisconsin Cheese Originals celebrates artisanal cheesemaking biz and culture
Clare Milliken ISTHMUS | The Daily Page. Wisconsin is known worldwide for cheese, and a new group aims to spread the word about the state’s great cheeses and the people who make them. Launched on Monday, Wisconsin Cheese Originals is a member-based organization celebrating the 600 varieties of cheese crafted across Wisconsin... http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=25260

February 26, 2009. Like Nixon to China, Vilsack reshaping USDA landscape http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/20090226/newsletter February 19, 2009 Fair to address importance of locally produced foods By Nicole Strittmater, Journal staff

The 2009 Local Food Fair, provided by the nonprofit Central Rivers Farmshed with support from the Stevens Point Special Events Funds, will be March 3 at Stevens Point Area Senior High and aims to increase awareness of and interest in the importance of local foods.
The event will feature a potato bar dinner, an original play, "The Emperor's New Food," which highlights local food's connection to health, security and climate change, and a chance to meet local farmers.
"Local food has become an interesting topic in the last several years, and now, with more questions about whether or not our food system is safe, people are once again looking toward local alternatives ... where we actually trust and know the people who are providing our food," said Eric Olson, Farmshed member. "We're trying to reconnect people with where their food comes from."
For two years, the event has been a forum, but Farmshed wanted to make it more accessible and appealing to everyone. The fair atmosphere with entertainment and more interaction hopefully will attract at least 200 people, he said.
"We're trying to reach out to a much larger population, so we're setting it up as more of a fun, entertaining, as well as informative and tasty event," he said.
The fair begins with a buffet-style potato bar. Area restaurants who buy local food will donate toppings. Christian's Bistro will provide fresh herbs and vegetables, as well as local ingredients, such as bacon and cheese.
"We're trying to support the local farmers," owner Christian Czerwonka said. "Anything that will help spread the word about what's in our backyard."
The play begins at 6:30 p.m., and afterward, people can meet local farmers and find ways to get involved in supporting local foods.
The event is free.

http://www.stevenspointjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009902190649

February 18, 2009. Governor's Budget Allows Buy Local Program to Flourish; New Website Links Producers to Grocers
Contact: Lois Federman (DATCP) 608-224-5124
Brandon Scholz (Wisconsin Grocers Association) 608-244-7150

MADISON -- Despite challenging economic times, Gov. Doyle's budget proposal will continue the Buy Local Buy Wisconsin program launched last year, and that's good news to the state's grocers, says the Wisconsin Grocers Association... http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/press_release/result.jsp?prid=2278

February 12, 2009. Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin Reports Early Results: Sales Up, Some Barriers Down Contact: Teresa Cuperus 608-224-5101

MADISON -- Wisconsin has reaped over $2 for every dollar invested through Buy Local Buy Wisconsin in the grant program's first round of funding, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection estimates. And that's just in the first six m

Local Food Publications and Resources

JaneHansen — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:13:20 CST

2008 Farm Bill: “Local” Foods Initiatives in the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008; Northeast-Midwest Institute. http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/research/policy_files/NEMW_farmbill.pdf

Are We Drinking Our Land Use Habits? Preserving Water Quality Through Positive Food Choices; By Lynn Markham, Land Use Specialist, Center for Land Use Education. http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/landcenter/tracker/Summer2009/TrackerSummer2009.pdf

Assessing fuel efficiency and CO2 emissions of two local food distribution options in Iowa; Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/pubs/staff/files/fuel0608.pdf

Bridging the GAPS: Strategies to Improve Produce Safety, Preserve Farm Diversity and Strengthen Local food Systems; by Elanor Starmer, Food & Water Watch and Marie Kulick, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. http://www.iatp.org/iatp/publications.cfm?accountID=258&refID=106746

Building Sustainable Places: Federal Programs for Sustainable Agriculture, Forestry, Conservation and Community Development; The project has been coordinated and edited by Margaret Krome, Teresa Maurer, and Katie Wied, with major contributions from John English, Gini Knight, Kim Kroll, Susan LeVan, Patricia McAleer, Robyn Metzger, Greg Taylor, and Steve Yaddof, and staff with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. http://www.attra.ncat.org/guide/

Community Food Enterprise: Local Suucess in a Global Marketplace. Wallace Center at Winrock International and Business Alliance for Local Living Economies. http://www.communityfoodenterprise.org/introduction
The Costs of Cheap Food; Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy. http://www.healthobservatory.org/library.cfm?RefID=36142

Counties and Local Food Systems: Ensuring Healthy Foods, Nurturing Healthy Children. National Association of Counties Center for Sustainable Communities. http://www.naco.org/Content/ContentGroups/Programs_and_Projects/Community_Development/Center_for_Sustainable_Communities/LocalFoodSystems.pdf

Crawford Vernon Area Incubator Kitchen Survey Results; prepared by Laura Brown, Community & Economic Development Educator, Crawford County UW Extension. http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/crawford/cnred/documents/KitchenSurveyResultsPublicMemo8-11-09.pdf

Cultivating the Web: High Tech Tools for the Sustainable Food Movement. created by Eat Well Guide. http://www.eatwellguide.org/downloads/pubs/080811_CultivatingTheWeb.pdf

Dishing up local food on Wisconsin campuses; UW Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems.
http://www.cias.wisc.edu/farm-to-fork/dishing-up-local-food-on-wisconsin-campuses/

Distribution Models for Local Food. http://www.cias.wisc.edu/uncategorized/distribution-models-for-local-food/ With support from the Ira and Ineva Reilly Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment, Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems is researching distribution models for local food. Across the United States, entrepreneurs, cooperatives and nonprofits are filling an important missing link in local food systems: aggregating food from local farms and distributing it to stores, restaurants, eaters and other retailers and end users. We have created a map of some of these distribution models. Go to the full-sized map for a list of the models and detailed descriptions.

Farmer Cooperation in Northwestern Wisconsin: A Feasibility Study for the Northwestern Regional Food Network. Cooperative Development Services. http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/barron/cnred/documents/NorthwestGrowersFeasibilityStudyFinal.pdf

Farmer-Food Buyer Dialogue Project; University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives. http://www.uwcc.wisc.edu/info/ffbuyer/text.html

Farm to Hospital: Supporting Local Agriculture and Improving Health Care; Center for Food & Justice and Community Food Security Coalition. http://www.foodsecurity.org/F2H_Brochure.pdf

Farm-to-School Program Provides Learning Experience; UW Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems.
http://www.cias.wisc.edu/farm-to-fork/farm-to-school-program-provides-learning-experience/

Federal Policy Advocacy Handbook, by Barrett Ebright in collaboration with Sarah Borron; Community Food Security Coalition. http://www.foodsecurity.org/FedPolicy2007_fnl.pdf

Feeding Ourselves Sustainably: Community of Practice in North America; The Berkana Institute, Community Services Unlimited, The Food Project and Santropol Roulant. http://www.berkana.org/pdf/Feeding_Ourselves_Sustainably_Regional_CoP.pdf

Food and Culture Tourism Study Reports: An Evaluation of Food and Culture Tourism Crawford Restaurants & Retailers Report* (Combined Crawford/Vernon Report) An Evaluation of Food and Culture Tourism Crawford Producers * (Combined Crawford/Vernon Report) An Evaluation of Food and Culture Tourism Festivals Report http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/crawford/cnred/index.html#farm

Food Miles: Background and Marketing, by Holly Hill; ATTRA Publication; http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/foodmiles.pdf

Food Safety on the Farm: Policy Brief and Recommendations, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition; http://sustainableagriculture.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/NSAC-Food-Safety-Policy-Brief-October-2009.pdf

Getting Food on the Table: An Action Guide to Local Food Policy, by Dawn Biehler, Andy Fisher, Kai Siedenburg, Mark Winne, Jill Zachary; Community Food Security Coalition and California Sustainable Agriculture Working Group. http://www.foodsecurity.org/GettingFoodOnTheTable.pdf

Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University: Working Papers. http://www.ase.tufts.edu/gdae/publications/working_papers/index.html#top by GDAE's staff and affiliated researchers.

Grassroots Guide to the 2008 Farm Bill. National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition. http://sustainableagriculture.net/publications/grassrootsguide/

A Guide to Accepting Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) Payments at Farmers' Markets in Wisconsin. http://wi-farmers-market-guide.wikidot.com/ Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) is the system by which state governments issue Food Stamp benefits to eligible recipients on a plastic debit card with a magnetic stripe.

A Guide to Community Food Projects, by Maya Tauber and Andy Fisher; Community Food Security Coalition. http://www.foodsecurity.org/cfsc_case_studies.pdf

Healthy Food For All: Building Equitable and Sustainable Food Systems in Detroit and Oakland. PolicyLink and Michigan State University, Sarah Treuhaft,Michael J. Hamm,Charlotte Litjens. http://www.susanmernit.com/blog/HEALTHY%20FOOD%20FOR%20ALL-8-19-09-FINAL.pdf

John Ikerd's Recent Papers: http://web.missouri.edu/~ikerdj/papers/

Improving Access to Healthy Foods: A Guide for Policy Makers. A publication from Leadership for Healthy Communities. http://www.leadershipforhealthycommunities.org/images/stories/healthyeatingweb.pdf

Keep Food Safety in Mind When Shopping Farmers' Markets: "a few simple precautions". 2009 by Barbara Ingham, UW Extension. http://www.uwex.edu/CES/admin/2009_food_safety.html

Local Food Networks in Southwestern Wisconsin An Evaluation of Food and Culture Tourism Fresh Food Production for Local Food Networks. Summary report compiled October, 2009 by Laura Brown, Crawford County UW Extension. http://crawford.uwex.edu/cnred/index.html#Localfood

Mapping the Minnesota Food Industry; Prepared for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Center for Prevention, by Kenneth A. Meter, MPA, Crossroads Resource Center, October 7, 2009. http://www.crcworks.org/mnfood.pdf.

Marketing Local Food, edited by Beth Nelson; Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture; http://www.misa.umn.edu/Marketing_Local_Food2.

Marketing US Organic Foods: Recent Trends from Farmers to Consumers. By Carolyn Dimitri, and Lydia Oberholtzer. USDA Economic Information Bulletin No. (EIB-58) 33 pp, September 2009. http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/EIB58/#2009-9-30

Opening a Farmers Market on Federal Property: A Guide for Market Operators and Building Managers. A joint publication by GSA and USDA. http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5079490&acct=wdmgeninfo

Policy Guide on Community and Regional Food Planning, American Planning Association; http://www.planning.org/policy/guides/adopted/food.htm

The Organic Green Revolution: Tim LaSalle, PhD, CEO Rodale Institute, Paul Hepperly, PhD, Director of Research, Rodale Institute
Amadou Diop, PhD, Director of International Programs, Rodale Institute, www.rodaleinstitute.org/files/GreenRevUP.pdf

Student Gardens and Food Service. by Bon Apetit Management Company. http://www.circleofresponsibility.com/uploads/documents/student_garden_guide_final_-_food_service.pdf

Supply Chain Basics: The Dynamics of Change in the U.S. Food Marketing Environment; http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5070995

Sustainable Food Purchasing Guide: Yale Sustainable Food Project. http://www.yale.edu/sustainablefood/purchasing_guide_002.pdf.pdf

Top Ten Barriers to Local Food Access for Low-Income Individuals ; Local Foods Connection. http://www.sustainabletable.org/features/articles/topten/

UWEX Direct Marketing publications. http://learningstore.uwex.edu/Direct-Marketing-C12.aspx

U.S. Food Market Estimator. http://www.ctre.iastate.edu/marketsize/ Funded, reviewed and published by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University. Developed and hosted by the Center for Transportation Research and Education at ISU.
The U.S. Food Market Estimator is designed to help users determine the potential demand, by county in the United States, for more than 200 different food items. This is an expansive tool, using data collected each year by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service (ERS).
The tool provides information for 204 food products, including various dairy and meat products, fruit, vegetables and grains. Users select how they want results to be shown: by number of servings, pounds produced, truckloads transported, even cubic feet of warehouse space needed to store a particular product. Products can be shown individually, or as groups of products at key stages of the food supply chain. Results can be adjusted to reflect a particular market share, or the unit of measure changed from pounds to other units in order to suit a variety of needs such as number of servings, truckloads per day or cubic feet of warehousing needed each week.

Where do your fresh fruits and vegetables come from? Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture. http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/resources/fruitveg/fruitveg.php This resource shows common origins of more than 95 different produce commodities that are shipped into or across the United States each year.

Why Buy Local Foods?, FS613 Moses Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES); http://www.mosesorganic.org/factsheets/whybuylocalfoods.pdf

Wisconsin Eat Local Challenge 2007 Report:
http://www.eatlocalwisconsin.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/elcreport.pdf

Wisconsin Eat Local Challenge 2008 Report.
http://www.eatlocalwisconsin.com/wp-content/uploads/ELCreport08.pdf

Wisconsin Local Food Marketing Guide: A Producer's Guide to Marketing Locally Grown Food. Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin program. http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/mktg/business/business_resources/pdf/MarketingGuide/CompleteBook.pdf

Wisconsin Local Foods Project: Chippewa Valley Center for Economic Research and Development in partnership with UW-Extension. http://www.uwec.edu/Econ/Research/local_foods_project.htm

Subscribe to the Wisconsin Local Food Network list serve: https://lists.uwex.edu/mailman/listinfo/wilocalfoodnetwork

See also: attachments below

Wisconsin Local Food Network Home

JaneHansen — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 10:42:51 CST

Mission:
Creating statewide connections for learning from the experiences of Wisconsin local food initiatives.

We foster learning for local and regional action through networking and dialogue.

Please mark your calendars for the

4th Annual Wisconsin Local Food Summit

again held jointly with the

12th Annual Midwest Value Added Agriculture Conference!

“Road to Opportunities”

January 21-22, 2010

Ramada Convention Center, Eau Claire, Wisconsin

And introducing…

January 20, 2010

The all new Value Added Agriculture ‘College’ Half and Full Day Workshops

The Conference/Summit includes 36 breakout sessions in 6 themed tracks, 3 exciting keynote addresses, a tradeshow, a World Café round table forum, plenty of time for networking and delicious local food served throughout!

Who Should Attend?

Ø Agricultural producers, suppliers and distributors

Ø Agricultural educators, service providers and agencies

Ø Farmers market managers and vendors

Ø Local Food buyers and advocates

Ø Sustainable agriculture enthusiasts

Care to get more involved?

Ø Sponsor a speaker, participant or breakout session

Ø Donate a Door Prize, Silent Auction Item or locally produced food item

Ø Promote the event to your clients

Hosts:

River Country Resource Conservation, Wisconsin Local Food Network, Hiawatha Valley Resource Conservation and Development Council, Inc.

Find the latest information on the College, Conference and Summit at: http://www.rivercountryrcd.org/valad.html
Registration Brochure

Carpool opportunities

Final Summit Schedule

Many thanks to our 2009 Sponsors:

Benefactor:

DATCP - Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection

EAM Team - UW Cooperative Extension Emerging Agricultural Markets Team
UW River Falls - St. Croix Institute for Sustainable Community Development and College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences

Supporter:

WI Natural Food Association
Price County UW-Extension (in-kind staff assistance)

Our 2008 Sponsors:

Benefactor:

DATCP - Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
EAM Team - UW Cooperative Extension Emerging Agricultural Markets Team

Advocate:

Willy Street Co-op
Plum Creek Timber Company

Supporter:

UWSP-GEM - UW Stevens Point - Global Environmental Management

Please join us in sharing information and learning from each other. Help us stay up to date about what you are doing in your communities.

Take a look at the Discussion Forum. Is there a conversation you would like to join in on?

Did you miss a Wisconsin Local Food Summit? Info from 2007, 2008 and 2009 proceedings.

Join the conversation often and make this wiki a lively and worthwhile place. Please post responsibly.

Current Hot Topic!

Fruit and vegetable growers, consider filling out the WI Food Safety Needs Assessment survey by following this link: SURVEY

Buy Local Buy Wisconsin "Post-Harvest Handling for Vegetable Production Quality Success" Workshops - Wednesday, January 6 in Oconomowoc; Thursday, January 7 in Viroqua - go to www.datcp.state.wi.us, look under "online services" on the right side of the page, and click on the "Buy Local Buy Wisconsin Workshop Registration" link for more information and to register!

UW Madison reading and discussing In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
http://www.gobigread.wisc.edu

April 21, 2009, the Wisconsin Local Food Network made a webinar presentation for the Building Communities Series hosted by the Center for Community and Economic Development. Local Food Networks: Food Localization as a Sustainability Strategy http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/
communities/documents/
Series7_6slides.pdf. The presentation was made by WLFN Steering Committee members: Gerry Campbell, Jasia Steinmetz and Anne Pfeiffer. Take a look at a photo of Anne at the console during the webinar (attached below).

Check out the new Wisconsin Regional Food System Pages. This would be a great place to continue your conversations about your regional activities.

New to wikis? Watch this short video: Wikis in Plain English

carpool

ejgeisler — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:43:06 CST

WI Local Food Summit Ride Sharing

Please use this tool to find other people in your area with whom to carpool to the Midwest Value-Added Conference and WI Local Food Summit in Eau Claire, WI on January 20-22nd, 2010. You'll be able to save fuel and maybe meet someone new!

Instructions:
To add your name, click on the "Easy Edit" button at the top left of this page. After you finish adding your information, click on the "Save" button in the pop-up window.

I am coming from	I can drive/I need a ride	I want to arrive in Eau Claire at	I want to leave Eau Claire at	My arrival/departure time is flexible (yes/no)	Contact information (Name, email, phone)	Notes:
Madison	I can drive or ride	Wed am	Friday pm	no	anne.pfeiffer@ces.uwex.edu
Price County	I can drive or ride	Wed early am	Friday pm	no	jane.hansen@ces.uwex.edu

4th Annual Wisconsin Local Food Summit, January 2010

JaneHansen — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:19:22 CST

Three exciting keynote addresses~

"Growing Food and Community in the City"

Will Allen, Co-founder and Director of Growing Power

"Never Stand Behind a Sneezing Cow"

Michael Perry, humorist, speaker and author of Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs and Parenting

"Feast or Famine, A Fork in the Road"

Melinda Hemmelgarn, nutritionist, "Food Sleuth" columnist, and local food advocate

“Road to Opportunities”

January 21-22, 2010

Ramada Convention Center, Eau Claire, Wisconsin

And introducing…

January 20, 2010

The all new Value Added Agriculture ‘College’

Half and Full Day Workshops

The Conference/Summit includes 36 breakout sessions in 6 themed tracks, 3 keynote addresses, a tradeshow, Driftless Region "Open space" discussion, a World Café round table forum, and plenty of time for networking! All food for the meals and snack times will be sourced locally. Don't miss the hospitality room on Thursday evening that will offer cold, local beer in front of a fireplace in the Chestnut Room!

Who Should Attend?

Agricultural producers, suppliers and distributors

Agricultural educators, service providers and agencies

Farmers market managers and vendors

Local Food buyers and advocates

Sustainable agriculture enthusiasts

Care to get more involved?

Sponsor a speaker, participant or break out session

Donate a Door Prize, Silent Auction Item or locally produced food item

Promote the event to your clients

Hosts:

River Country RC&D

PO Box 207

Altoona, WI 54720-0207

715-834-9672

Wisconsin Local Food Network

104 S. Eyder Avenue

Phillips, WI 54555

715-339-2555

Hiawatha Valley RC&D

1485 Industrial Dr. NW, Rm. 104

Rochester, MN 55901

507-281-1959 ext. 4

Find the latest information on the College, Conference and Summit at: http://www.rivercountryrcd.org/valad.html

WISCONSIN LOCAL FOOD SUMMIT SCHEDULE

Session Track: Building a Regional Food Community

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Session 5 – 11am Food Safety Issues for Small Scale Food Processing, Sam Beattie, Food Safety Specialist, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University

Good agricultural practices ensure that we get the safest crop to the packing shed BUT then we may proceed to contaminate our product through mishandling at this critical node between field and consumer. This presentation will focus on Good Manufacturing Practices for packing sheds and small scale processing. The consumer expects safe produce – don’t do things that will contaminate it after growing it.

Session 11 – 1:45pm Local Food Buyers Panel, Guy Logan, Co-owner and Chef, Houligans Steak and Seafood Pub; Scott Zellmer, Store Manager, Hahn’s Market; Susan Birkey, Chef and Senior Meals/Cafeteria Coordinator, Flambeau Hospital; Jesse Gillett, Vice President, Indianhead Foodservice Distributor

The local food buyers on this panel represent a hospital, restaurant, grocery store and food service distributor. This session is intended to help producers who currently or are considering marketing to commercial businesses to understand what is important to buyers with regards to schedule, volume, pricing, presentation, etc.

Session 17 – 3:15pm Can Meat be Sustainable? Bartlett Durand, Black Earth Meats/Local Choice Marketing; Diane Mayerfeld, Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) Statewide Coordinator, UW Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS)

The food choices we make have a big environmental impact. One factor that is often singled out is the consumption of animal products. The UN report "Livestock's Long Shadow" concluded that worldwide animal agriculture is a major contributor to global climate change (and also has other negative environmental impacts). On the other hand, most sustainable farming systems incorporate animal agriculture; as Albert Howard (a founding parent of ecological agriculture) remarked, "Mother earth never attempts to farm without live stock." This workshop will examine livestock's impact on the environment and how people can green their food choices.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Session 23 – 7am Reconnecting the Middle: Building the Organizational and Physical Infrastructure for a Local and Regional Food System, Anne Pfeiffer, Agricultural Innovation Specialist, Agricultural Innovation Center

In this time of economic turbulence and increasing environmental stress, local food and farming systems play an increasingly critical role in the vitality of both rural and urban communities. Building a viable local/regional food distribution system provides small and midsize farms with an opportunity for a sustainable livelihood and has the potential to reinvigorate rural communities, preserve working farmland and supply consumers with healthy food. The success of a thriving food system is thwarted, however, by lack of infrastructure, both physical as well as relationship-based. In this session we’ll discuss challenges to building a successful local food system, share the lessons learned from a 2 year local food distribution project conducted at the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems in partnership with UW-Extension, and discuss promising innovations.

Session 29 – 11am Farm-to-School: Selling Local Food to Local Schools, Sara Tedeschi, Great Lakes Farm to School Network Coordinator, UW Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems; Jill Pointek, Food Service Director, School District of Hartford; Bertrand Weber, Director, Taher Food Service Company; Chris Duke, Farmer, Great Oak Farm; Molly Siegler, Farm-to-School Procurement Specialist, Americorps

Join us for a panel presentation outlining the opportunities, challenges and available resources for farmers interested in diversifying their local markets by selling to schools. Hear directly from a farmer and food service director about what it takes to make a farm to school connection work, including the most current information on how small to medium sized farms can meet emerging food safety guidelines required by most institutional buyers. Learn about the broad set of resources available for farm to school, and how to help facilitate this important segment of the local foods movement.

Session 35 – 1:30pm Software for Local Food Producers, Co-ops and Distribution Systems, Heather Hilleren, Founder, Local Dirt; Bob Haugen, Open-Source Computer Programmer, Group Accounting

Sourcing local food, managing inventory, marketing, sharing product information, tracking co-op sales and coordinating distribution can be challenging for even dedicated local food enthusiasts. Software can help to make these tasks easier. Bob Haugen, Group Accounting and Heather Hilleren, Local Dirt will use the work of their organizations as examples to illustrate the broad range of options that computer and internet software can provide to farmers and cooperatives today.

Session Track: Local Food Project Updates

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Session 6 – 11am Good to Grow in the Four-State Driftless Region, Michelle Miller, Associate Director, UW Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS)

More than 20 million people live between Chicago and the Twin Cities. At the heart of this local foods market lies the 4-state Driftless region, an environmentally sensitive region dependent on agriculture for its economy and carved up by state lines. Our work in the bio-region is to bring together resources and help the region speak as one on issues of food sovereignty, culinary identity, and regional marketing of high-value foods that boost the regional economy without sacrificing environmental quality.

Session 12 – 1:45pm Hearing from Student Initiatives, Laura Streyle and Oren Jakobsen, Lawrence University; Sara Polodna, UW Stevens Point; Utchima Sriprachya-anunt, UW Madison

Many colleges and universities in Wisconsin have groups of students actively working to promote local food and sustainable agriculture. They are changing policy and raising awareness. During this session we will learn about some of the exciting projects currently underway.

Session 18 – 3:15pm Innovative Farmers’ Market Models: Time Saving Farmers Market Approaches for Market Growers, Amy Bruner, President, Green Link Consulting; John Hall, Farming Systems Outreach & Education Director, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute; Erika Janik, Freelance Writer

Fueled by a growing desire for locally grown foods, farmers markets have seen a remarkable 84% growth over the last decade. While often an excellent opportunity for small-scale growers, farmers markets also require significant time, marketing, and planning efforts that often place a strain on farmers and farmers’ market managers. The Innovative Farmers’ Market Report highlights innovative market models that hold many of the benefits of traditional farmers markets while gaining some of the efficiencies of time and marketing offered by other sales methods. A brief overview of these models will be presented.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Session 24 – 7am Value Chain Partnerships and Working Groups, Rich Pirog, Associate Director, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture; Teresa Wiemerslage, Regional Program & Communications Coordinator, Iowa State University Extension

The Northeast Iowa Food & Farm Coalition (NIFF) was the first pilot community selected by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture’s Regional Food System Working Group (2006). NIFF has 30 very active members and over 60 producer members. Their goals are to promote opportunities for existing and new producers to engage in the local food system and regionally advance planning and policy change to support processing, distribution and storage opportunities in the local food system.

Session 30 – 11am Introduction to Community Food Assessments, Lindsey Day Farnsworth, Local Food System Outreach Specialist, UW Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS); Laura Salyer, Thrive Project Consultant / Co-Organizer: Indy Food, Farm and Family Coalition

This session is an introduction to Community Food Assessments (CFAs), a method used to map assets and identify gaps in the food environment. CFAs can be conducted by community members, nonprofits, public sector professionals and others. They have been administered at the neighborhood scale to evaluate food security by examining food resource accessibility, availability, quality and affordability as and at the regional level to examine local food system infrastructure more broadly. This session will provide an overview of the form, function, and application of Community Food Assessments. It will then draw on several different case studies to highlight the variety of ways they can be implemented.

Session 36 – 1:30pm Policy 101: Help, Hints and How-to of Local Foods Policy, Bridget Holcomb, Associate Policy Director, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute Policy demystified: from calling your legislators to creating local foods policies in your community, this session will cover what good policies can and are doing for local foods as well as effective ways to be involved in the political process. Local examples, statewide initiatives, and federal programs will be covered.

Wisconsin Local Food Summits

JaneHansen — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:12:42 CST

The first Wisconsin Local Food Summit was held in Stevens Point in early January, 2007. Producers, consumers and advocates of local food joined together to network and discuss their visions for the local food movement in Wisconsin. Brian Halweil was the keynote speaker. Secretary of Agriculture Rod Nilsestuen and State Senator Julie Lassa unveiled the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin legislative proposal.

The second Wisconsin Local Food Summit was held in Eau Claire in late January, 2008. This summit was held in conjunction with the Midwest Value Added Agriculture Conference. John Ikerd was the keynote speaker. Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin has become a reality. Sessions were held to look at distribution systems, hunger and food security, food councils, etc.

The third Annual Wisconsin Local Food Summit took place January 8th and 9th, 2009 at the Hotel Mead in Wisconsin Rapids. Kate Clancy, one of the nation's leading authorities on food systems, with expertise in sustainable agriculture, food policy, food systems planning, organic food, and related topics made the keynote address on January 8th.

The fourth Annual Wisconsin Local Food Summit is coming up on January 21st and 22nd 2010 at the Ramada Convention Center in Eau Claire, WI. The summit is again being held jointly with the Midwest Value Added Agriculture Conference. http://www.rivercountryrcd.org/valad.html

Helpful Local Food Links

JaneHansen — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:07:53 CST

· The Agricultural Innovation Center - http://aic.uwex.edu/contacts/index.cfm “The Agricultural Innovation Center is best described as a "virtual organization." It represents a concerted effort by University of Wisconsin-Extension and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to provide coordinated support to agricultural innovators and entrepreneurs in Wisconsin. Other partners include the Wisconsin Technical College System, the Wisconsin Entrepreneurs Network, and Badger AgVest. The AIC also receives financial support from the Emerging Ag Markets Team of UW-Extension.”

- Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC) - http://afsic.nal.usda.gov/ "The Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC) specializes in identifying resources about sustainable food systems and practices in support of USDA's effort to ensure a sustainable future for agriculture and farmers worldwide."

- American Community Garden Association - http://communitygarden.org/ "The Mission of the American Community Gardening Association is to build community by increasing and enhancing community gardening and greening across the United States and Canada."

- American Farmland Trust - http://farmland.org/ "American Farmland Trust is committed to protecting the nation's best farm and ranch land and improving the economic viability of agriculture."

- Bountiful Cupboard - http://www.bountifulcupboard.com/ "To assist people in preparing and eating healthy and nutritious food by making the search for the best ingredients less time consuming and difficult".

-Business Alliance for Local Living Economies - http://www.livingeconomies.org/ "Our mission is to catalyze, strengthen and connect local business networks dedicated to building strong Local Living Economies."

· The Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems - http://casfs.ucsc.edu/ “The mission of the Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems (the Center) is to research, develop, and advance sustainable food and agricultural systems that are environmentally sound, economically viable, socially responsible, nonexploitative, and that serve as a foundation for future generations. “

· Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems - http://www.cias.wisc.edu/ “The Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS) is a research center at the University of Wisconsin's College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. We were created in 1989 to build UW sustainable agriculture research programs that respond to farmer and citizen needs...and involve them in setting research agendas. This means that human relationships are at the core of everything we do.”

· Community Food Security Coalition - http://www.foodsecurity.org/index.html “The Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC) is a North American organization of social and economic justice, environmental, nutrition, sustainable agriculture, community development, labor, anti-poverty, anti-hunger, and other groups.”

· Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture - http://www.buylocalfood.com/ “CISA links farmers and communities to strengthen agriculture and enhance the economy, rural character, environmental quality, and social well-being of western Massachusetts..”

· Cornell Farm to School Program - http://farmtoschool.cce.cornell.edu/ “Through resource development, educational programs, and evaluation, the Cornell Farm to School Program supports efforts increase the amount of locally produced food served in New York's schools, colleges, universities, and other institutions.“

- Eat Well Guide - www.EatWellGuide.org "Eat Well Guide® is a free online directory of thousands of family farms, restaurants, and other outlets for fresh, locally grown food. Originally a database of sustainably-raised meat and dairy producers, its listings have expanded to include farmers' markets, CSA programs, partner organizations, water-conscious ratings and vegetarian eateries."

- Environmental Commons - http://environmentalcommons.org/LocalFood/index.html "Environmental Commons brings democracy and science to environmental decision-making at the local, state and national levels. We encourage involvement in the democratic process to defend our environmental heritage - water, air, biodiversity, and genetic variability - known as 'the commons.' Conserving our commons is undeniably linked to the quality of our own lives - our health and the health of ecosystems.

-Farm Fresh Atlases of Wisconsin - http://www.farmfreshatlas.org

A gateway to the farm fresh atlases across Wisconsin. "Each regional Atlas is produced independently by grassroots coalitions including nonprofit organizations, farmers, farmers' markets, UW-Extension, Resource Conservation and Development District offices (RC&Ds) and University of Wisconsin campuses."

- Farmer Chef Connection - http://www.wibuylocal.org/ "The purpose of this educational website is to provide easy access to marketing information for small scale farmers who want to develop the skills needed to sell to local restaurants and for chefs who want to use local, sustainable food".

- Farmers Market Coalition - http://www.farmersmarketcoalition.org/ "The Farmers Market Coalition serves a rapidly growing industry with information and representation at state and federal levels. We help to build networks, link peers and connect farmers markets old and new with tools and resources for success."

- Farm to School - http://www.farmtoschool.org/ "Farm to School brings healthy food from local farms to school children nationwide. The program teaches students about the path from farm to fork, and instills healthy eating habits that can last a lifetime. At the same time, use of local produce in school meals and educational activities provides a new direct market for farmers in the area and mitigates environmental impacts of transporting food long distances."

· Films for Thought - http://www.filmsforthought.org/films.php “Films for Thought was formed by a small group of citizens taking an active interest in the future of their world…Our main shared interest is food, so there will be many films related to the health and impact of food production and the new American Farmer.”

- Food First / Institute for Food - http://www.foodfirst.org/ "The Institute for Food and Development Policy/Food First shapes how people think by analyzing the root causes of global hunger, poverty, and ecological degradation and developing solutions in partnership with movements working for social change."

· Food Routes Network - http://www.foodroutes.org/ “The FoodRoutes Web site is a project of FoodRoutes Network (FRN). FRN is a national nonprofit organization that provides communications tools, technical support, networking and information resources to organizations nationwide that are working to rebuild local, community-based food systems. FRN is dedicated to reintroducing Americans to their food – the seeds it grows from, the farmers who produce it, and the routes that carry it from the fields to their tables.“

- Good Agricultural Practices Network for Education and Training - http://www.gaps.cornell.edu/ "The Good Agricultural Practices Network for Education and Training (GAPsNET), creates a universal portal bringing GAPs related information together in one, user friendly web site for growers, packers, farm workers, extension educators, scientists, state and federal government personnel, and other interested stakeholders."

- Grocers Buy Local - http://grocersbuylocal.com/index.html "GrocersBuyLocal is the official website and database of Wisconsin grocers interested in purchasing locally grown fruits, vegetables, meats, cheese and more from local farmers, growers, producers and manufacturers. GrocersBuyLocal has been developed to help local sellers match up with local grocery or corporate buyers to facilitate the sale of products in their area or across the state of Wisconsin."

- Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy - http://www.agobservatory.org/ "
Ag Observatory is a project of the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, a Minneapolis-based nongovernmental organization. Since 1999, Ag Observatory has been covering U.S. policy, food safety issues, the bioeconomy, and agribusiness market concentration. Ag Observatory posts the work of IATP and other organizations working toward fairer trade systems and alternative approaches to agriculture."

· The Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture - http://www.kerrcenter.com/ “The Kerr Center is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit educational foundation established in 1965 and headquartered near Poteau in southeastern Oklahoma. Its mission is to encourage the development of sustainable food and farming systems.”

- Kickapedia is a directory of resources in the Kickapoo Valley area in Southwestern Wisconsin. The link relates to the Food section of the directory and tries to keep current all the local farm outlets, CSAs, coops, etc.

- Kitchen Gardeners International - http://www.kitchengardeners.org/ "Kitchen Gardeners International is a 501c3 nonprofit founded in Maine, USA with friends from around the world. Our mission is to empower individuals, families, and communities to achieve greater levels of food self-reliance through the promotion of kitchen gardening, home-cooking, and sustainable local food systems. In doing so, KGI seeks to connect, serve, and expand the global community of people who grow some of their own food."

· The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture - http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/ “The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture explores and cultivates alternatives that secure healthier people and landscapes in Iowa and the nation.” Scientific Findings about Organic Agriculture: www.organicag.org Food Facts: Results from Marketing and Food Systems Research: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/research/marketing_files/food/food.htm "Key findings from research, demonstrations, studies and survey that have been supported since 2000 by the Leopold Center's Marketing and Food Systems Initiative and the Regional Food Systems Working Group of the Value Chain Partnerships project coordinated by the Leopold Center." Frequently Asked Questions on Food Regulations for Small Market Food Producers: http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/resources/foodregs.html "Interest and demand for local food in Iowa and across the nation have increased dramatically in the past few years. Iowa small market producers are finding markets for their food products at farmers markets, community supported agriculture enterprises, farm stands, and institutions such as restaurants, hospitals, schools, and conference centers. As farmers have entered these markets across the state, questions about food regulations have increased. This document answers the most common questions most often asked by producers. Responses were crafted by state agency and university specialists with expertise in food safety and food regulations."

- LocalFoodPlus - www.localfoodplus.ca/ "Canada's certification for local sustainable food".

· Local Harvest - http://www.localharvest.org/ “Find farmers' markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably grown food in your area, where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies.”

- Michigan Farm Market and Agri-Tourism Directory - http://www.michiganfarmfun.com/

· Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service - http://mosesorganic.org/ "Our mission is to help agriculture make the transition to a sustainable organic system of farming that is ecologically sound, economically viable, and socially just, through information, education, research, and integrating the broader community into this effort."

· Minnesota Grown - http://www.minnesotagrown.com “This program is a partnership between the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the growers and processors who provide quality Minnesota Grown products. It includes nearly 1,000 farmers who grow or raise a wide variety of products. “

- National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition - http://sustainableagriculture.net/ "
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition is an alliance of family farm, food, conservation, rural and urban organizations that take common positions on critical farm, food, environmental and rural policy issues. NSAC advocates for federal policy reform supporting the long-term social, economic, and environmental sustainability of agriculture, natural resources, rural and urban food systems and communities."

· National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service - http://attra.ncat.org/ “ATTRA - National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service is managed by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) and is funded under a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Business-Cooperative Service. It provides information and other technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, Extension agents, educators, and others involved in sustainable agriculture in the United States.”

· Native Pollinators in Agriculature - http://www.agpollinators.org/ “Principal findings and recommendations of the Native Pollinator in Agriculture Work Group- an agricultural led initiative designed to explore pollination services from native pollinators."

· The New Farm - http://www.newfarm.org/ “The Rodale Institute®, a global leader in regenerative agriculture, is devoted to innovative agriculture research, outreach and training through The New Farm® programs. At NewFarm.org, the mission is to inform, encourage, equip and inspire farmers with the support they need to take the important transition steps toward regenerative agriculture.”

- Northwest Earth Institute - http://www.nwei.org/ "The Northwest Earth Institute is recognized as a national leader in developing innovative programs that empower individuals and organizations to protect the Earth. These programs emphasize individual responsibility, the importance of a supportive community, and the dual need to walk lightly on and to take action for the earth. By reaching out to people in their workplace, home, faith center, neighborhood, and community, NWEI provides easy access to tools for individual and cultural change."

· Organic Agriculture Information Access - http://www.hti.umich.edu/n/nal/ “The Organic Agriculture Information Access is an electronic collection of historic United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) publications related to organic agriculture. In this collection, there are almost 200 documents published before 1942 (before synthetic chemicals became widely used) that contain state-of-the-art information and data that is still very pertinent for today's agriculture. Access to this data is intended to provide growers with new ideas on crop production without chemicals, as well as help researchers conserve scarce resources by avoiding unintended duplication. This collection is provided by the Alternative Farming Systems Information Center (AFSIC), a part of the National Agricultural Library (NAL), with funding from the USDA National Organic Program and Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program. This effort is part of the AFSIC "Organic Roots" project. “

- People's Grocery: Healthy Food for Everyone - http://peoplesgrocery.org/ "People's Grocery is a community-based organization in West Oakland that develops creative solutions to the health problems in our community that stem from a lack of access to and knowledge about healthy, fresh foods. Our mission is to build a local food system that improves the health and economy of the West Oakland community."

- President's Food Safety Working Group - http://www.foodsafetyworkinggroup.gov/Home.htm "The safety of our nation's food supply is a concern for families throughout the country, as well as American agriculture, business, industry and the public sector. On March 19, 2009, President Barack Obama announced the creation of the Food Safety Working Group, chaired by the Secretaries of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture."

- Renewing America’s Food Traditions - http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/programs/details/raft/ "Managed by Slow Food USA, RAFT is an alliance of food, farming, environmental and culinary advocates who have joined together to identify, restore and celebrate America’s biologically and culturally diverse food traditions through conservation, education, promotion and regional networking."

· Renewing the Countryside - http://www.renewingthecountryside.org “Renewing the Countryside is a 501(c)3 non-profit that strengthens rural areas by championing and supporting farmers, artists, entrepreneurs, educators, activists, and others who are revitalizing the countryside through innovative endeavors. We build awareness and support for these initiatives by collecting and sharing stories of rural renewal, providing practical assistance and networking opportunities for those working to improve rural America, and fostering connections between urban and rural people.”

- Resource Centres on Urban Agriculture and Food Security - http://www.ruaf.org/ "The mission of the RUAF Foundation is “to contribute to urban poverty reduction, employment generation and food security and to stimulate participatory city governance and improved urban environmental management, by creating enabling conditions for empowerment of male and female urban and peri-urban farmers, capacity development of local authorities and other stakeholders and by facilitating the integration of urban agriculture in gender-sensitive policies and action programmes of local governments, civic society organisations and private enterprises with active involvement of the urban farmers, livestock keepers and other relevant stakeholders”

- Rural Advancement Foundation International - USA - http://rafiusa.org/ "The Rural Advancement Foundation International - USA cultivates markets, policies and communities that support thriving, socially just and environmentally sound family farms."

· SavorWisconsin.com - http://www.savorwisconsin.com/ “An online directory and resource for consumers across the world to find food and agricultural products and services from the state of Wisconsin.”

- Superior Grown - http://www.superiorgrown.org/index.htm "Superior Grown is a trademarked name, logo and directory used to create a unique identity for regional farmers and for business that support local agriculture. Superior Grown represents a 16-county region defined by various environmental, climatic and philosophical factors surrounding the Lake Superior Basin. Social, environmental and economic sustainability is at the heart of Superior Grown."

· Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education - http://www.sare.org/
“Since 1988, the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program has helped advance farming systems that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities through a nationwide research and education grants program. The program, part of USDA's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, funds projects and conducts outreach designed to improve agricultural systems.”

· Sustainable Table - http://www.sustainabletable.org/ "Celebrates the sustainable food movement, educates consumers on food related issues and works to build community through food."

- Sustainable Times - www.sustainabletimes.net "Act as a link between producers and consumers in the sustainable arena. Inform people about natural alternatives. Provide people with resources to help them make informed decisions. Provide a much needed media outlet that consistently covers the many aspects of sustainable economy and is a forum to the many organizations and businesses involved in the sustainability effort in southern Wisconsin."

· Thrive Agricultural Action Plan - http://www.thrivehere.org/home/bizclimatetarget/targetagriculture/agplan/aginitiatives.aspx "Grow agriculture to balance food and energy needs, protect farmland and water, preserve product diversity and promote profitability and quality of life."

http://www.thrivehere.org/foodflow "Graphic inspired by Brandy Agerbeck’s illustration of Thomas Friedman’s book, The World is Flat. It is intended to show the complexity of the “local food” system and stimulate conversation. Developed by December 2008. Organic farmland data from USDA"

- USDA: The Census of Agriculture - 2007 Report - http://www.agcensus.usda.gov/Publications/2007/Full_Report/Volume_1,_Chapter_1_State_Level/index.asp

- USDA: Know Your Farmer. Know Your Food. - http://riley.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=8&tax_level=1&tax_subject=619 "Revitalize your connection to agriculture. Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food!
Every family needs a farmer. Do you know yours?"

- Yale Sustainable Food Project - http://www.yale.edu/sustainablefood/ "Every day, food offers us the opportunity to engage with the world around us. By gathering people around shared food, shared work, and shared inquiry, the Yale Sustainable Food Project fosters a culture that draws meaning and pleasure from the connections among people, land, and food.
The Sustainable Food Project directs a sustainable dining program at Yale, manages an organic farm on campus, and runs diverse programs that support exploration and academic inquiry related to food and agriculture."

- Wisconsin Food Security Consortium - www.EndHungerWI.org "The Wisconsin Food Security Consortium, representing diverse sectors in the fight against hunger, is dedicated to the elimination of food insecurity in Wisconsin. The Consortium serves as a forum to develop and promote effective solutions through networking, education, collaboration, new partnerships and public policy that measurably reduce hunger."

- Wisconsin Local Food Network - Subscribe to the Wisconsin Local Food Network list serve: https://lists.uwex.edu/mailman/listinfo/wilocalfoodnetwork

- Women, Food and Agriculture Network - http://www.wfan.org/Women,_Food_and_Agriculture_Network_Home.html

"WFAN is a community of women involved in sustainable agriculture. We are farmers, landowners, researchers, students, advocates and mothers concerned about our families’ health. We come from all over the US and several other countries, and do the majority of our work in the Midwest. Our mission is to link and empower women to build food systems and communities that are healthy, just, sustainable, and that promote environmental integrity."

- Worldwatch Institute - http://www.worldwatch.org/

"Worldwatch Institute's Sustainable Agriculture Program highlights the benefits to farmers, consumers, and ecosystems that can flow from food systems that are flexible enough to deal with shifting weather patterns, productive enough to meet the needs of expanding populations, and accessible enough to support rural communities."

Nourishing the Planet A Worldwatch Institute Blog

2009 Local Food Calendar Archive

JaneHansen — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 17:48:52 CST

January 4-6, 2009. Wisconsin Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Conference. Chula Vista Resort, Wisconsin Dells, WI. www.wisconsinfreshproduce.org/WFFVC/

January 8-9, 2009 3rd Annual Wisconsin Local Food Summit, Wisconsin Rapids, WI.

January 16, 2009. 2009 Agricultural Outlook Forum. UW Madison Campus, Madison, WI or via webinar. http://www.cals.wisc.edu/agoutlook09/

January 16-18, 2009. The Wisconsin School for Beginning Market Growers: Emphasizing Organic Production Methods and Direct Marketing. UW-Madison, Madison, WI. www.cias.wisc.edu/wisconsin-school-for-beginning-market-growers/

January 22-23, 2009 Midwest Value Added Agriculture Conference. Rochester, MN. www.rivercountryrcd.org

January 29, 2009. Heart of the Farm - Green Fields. Chippewa Falls, WI. www.uwex.edu/ces/heartofthefarm/conferences/index.cfm

January 30-31, 2009. Returning to the Farm Part A. Byron Center. Brownsville, WI. http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/fonddulac/ag/documents/ReturningtotheFarmflyersept2008.pdf

January 31, 2009. Developing Our Local Food Economy: Nourishing Northern Wisconsin. Spooner, WI.
http://barron.uwc.edu/ce/documents/Nourishing_Brochure.pdf

February 4 - 7, 2009. Buy Local Workshops (Eau Claire, Phillips, Oconomowoc, Platteville)
Download Registration Brochure Here

February 19-21, 2009. 16th annual Wisconsin Grazing Conference. Holiday Inn. Stevens Point., WI
www.grassworks.org

February 20-21, 2009. Returning to the Farm Part B. Byron Center. Brownsville, WI. http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/fonddulac/ag/documents/ReturningtotheFarmflyersept2008.pdf

February 21, 2009. Local Food For Global Thought Food Fair. Maywood Ecology Center, Sheboygan, WI.
For more information, call 920-459-3906 or e-mail afischer@ci.sheboygan.wi.us.

February 24, 2009. Community/Processing Incubator Kitchen Meeting. UWEX Baraboo, Baraboo, WI. Anne Pfeiffer, UWEX Ag Innovation Center 608/890-1905 anne.pfeiffer@ces.uwex.edu.

February 25, 2009. Working Lands Workshop. Town of Oconomowoc and Juneau, WI. http://www.wisconsinfarmland.org/workshops.php

February 25-26, 2009. National Organic Action Plan Summit 2009. LaCrosse, WI. http://www.nationalorganiccoalition.org/invite.html

February 26, 2009. Working Lands Workshop. Burlington and Town of Saukville, WI http://www.wisconsinfarmland.org/workshops.php

February 26-28, 2009 Organic Farming Conference. LaCrosse, WI. http://www.mosesorganic.org/conference.html

March 3, 2009. Local Food Fair. Stevens Point, WI www.farmshed.org

March 5, 2009. Heart of the Farm; Women in Agriculture Conference. Eau Claire, WI http://www.uwex.edu/ces/heartofthefarm/conferences/index.cfm

March 6, 2009. Heart of the Farm; Women in Agriculture Conference. Oshkosh, WI http://www.uwex.edu/ces/heartofthefarm/conferences/index.cfm

March 9, 2009. CSREES Request for Applications deadline. Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative.

March 10, 2009. Working Lands Workshop. Northern Great Lakes Visitors Center, Ashland, WI. http://basineducation.uwex.edu/lakesuperior/workinglands.htm

March 10, 17, 24, 31, 2009. Growing For Local Markets Workshop. UW-Barron County, Rice Lake, WI. www.barron.uwc.edu/ce

March 10-12, 2009. Agriculture and Food Vulnerability Assessment Training Program. Calument County Courthouse, Chilton, WI. http://calum400.co.calumet.wi.us/ECALV10O/EWC005?FORM=DAILY&BUTTON=MTGDTL&CURMONTH=3&CURYEAR=2009&CURDAY=10&CURSCHNUM=7940&MENUOPT=MEETING&SECLVL=&MODE=MONTHLY&TIME=10423302032009

March 11, 2009. Working Lands Workshop. New Richmond, WI. http://www.wisconsinfarmland.org/workshops.php

March 11, 2009. Sustainable Agriculture and Local Food Systems. The fifth Forum on Agriculture, Climate, & Energy Technology Sustainability – (FACETS) -- workshops and seminars for innovation and action sponsored by Program on Agricultural Technology Studies (PATS), Land Information and Computer Graphics Facility, and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. This forum will bring together experts in various fields to provide an opportunity for the generation and evaluation of ideas related to agricultural production, bioenergy, and land use, and how they interact with climate change mitigation and adaptation. Madison, WI or live streaming video. Please contact Maggie Grabow grabow@wisc.edu with questions.

March 12, 2009. Working Lands Workshop. Wausau, WI http://www.wisconsinfarmland.org/workshops.php

March 13, 2009. Organic Farming Workshop. Galesville, WI.

March 13-14, 2009. Wisconsin Aquaculture Conference. Hayward, WI. http://www.wisconsinaquaculture.com/Events_Details.cfm?ReportID=41

March 15, 2009. Wi. Ag Development and Diversification (ADD) Grant proposal deadline EXTENDED to May 1, 2009. http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/mktg/business/marketing/val-add/add/index.jsp

March 15, 2009. CSREES Request for Applications deadline. Specialty Crop Research Initiative.

March 20, 2009. Renewing America's Food Traditions: Bringing Diversity back to the Farm and Table. Conserving Apples in the Landscape - with Dr. Gary Paul Nabhan, Dr. Curt Meine, and Ben Watson. Co-Sponsored by Slow Food-Madison, the University of Wisconsin-Arboretum, and Slow Food-UW. At UW-Madison Arboretum, Madison, WI. http://www.slowfoodwisconsin.org/events/03202009.html

March 20, 21 and 22nd 2009 (10am-4pm each day) Traditional Food Weekend, Sheboygan, WI
Join us for one, two or all three of these offerings!
March 20, 2009 Fermented Beverages: Beer, Wine, Soda Making and more!
March 21, 2009 You are What you Eat! Soup Broths and Fermentation for Health.
March 22, 2009 Home Cheese Making: Mozzarella, Feta and more!!
For more information see: http://www.moonwiseherbs.com/traditional_foods_weekend.htm

March 30, 2009. Leopold Center's Marketing and Food Systems and Value Chain Partnerships Workshop. Ames, Iowa. http://www.leopold.iastate.edu/workshop.htm
carpool search (see thread at the bottom of the page).

April 13, 2009. North Central Wisconsin 'Farm to Fork' - A “Get Acquainted” event for Buyers and Sellers of Local Food. Price County UWEX, Phillips, WI. http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/price/

April 15, 2009. Applications due for hosting Key Ingredients: America by Food; a Smithsonian Exhibition coming to Wisconsin In 2010. http://wisconsinhumanities.org/KeyIng.html

April 21, 2009. Building Communities Webinar Education Series: Food Localization as a Sustainability Strategy. www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/communities (see website for additional sustainability offerings in the series).

April 22-May 13, 2009. Fundamentals of Permaculture Webinar Series. Wednesday and Sunday evenings. http://www.midwestpermaculture.com/HowOurWebinarsWork.php

April 23-24, 2009. The first National Small Food Manufacturer Conference in Lincoln, Nebraska. Learn how to Heat up your food business!
Presented by the Food Processing Center at the University of Nebraska. This conference has been designed specifically for small food manufacturers throughout the country. http://www.fpc.unl.edu/nsfmc/

April 25, 2009. Take a bite out of Isthmus Green Day. Madison, WI. http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=25623&sid=60a658207af1593357fc5199b96eb464

May 1, 2009. Wi. Ag Development and Diversification (ADD) Grant REVISED proposal deadline. http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/mktg/business/marketing/val-add/add/index.jsp

May 11, 2009. CSREES Family Farm Forum - Entreprenuership. Webinar. http://www.csrees.usda.gov/nea/ag_systems/in_focus/smallfarms_if_farmily_farm_forum.html

May 13, 2009. Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program application deadline. USDA Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service. http://www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/beginningfarmerandrancher.cfm

May 15, 2009. Organic Farming Research Foundation - Outreach and Education grant proposal deadline. http://ofrf.org/grants/apply_education&outreach.html

May 26, 2009. Solicitation Closing Date. Enhancing Ecosystem Services From Agricultural Lands: Management, Quantification, And Developing Decision Support Tools. http://es.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2009/2009_star_ecosystem_services.html

May 30, 2009. Burgers and Brew: The Taste is Local 2009! Madison, WI. http://www.reapfoodgroup.org/BFBL/burgers.htm

June 1, 2009. Intro to Pastutred Poultry Workshop - Ladysmith, WI. www.barron.uwc.edu/ce

June 4-6, 2009. 3rd North American Indigenous Food Symposium (NAIFS 2009), Muskoday First Nation and Travelodge Hotel, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. http://www.ccde.usask.ca/go/indigenous

June 16, 2009. Buildling Communities Webinar Education Series: Community Organizing for Sustainability. www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/communities (see website for additional sustainability offerings in the series).

June 20-21, 2009. Hoop House Construction Workshop - led by staff from Growing Power. Barron, WI. Stay tuned for more info - www.barron.uwc.edu/ce

June 22, 2009. Application deadline is being changed: The 2009 Value-Added Producer Grant is being revised. Check site periodically for updates: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm
More information about the grant program, including templates and a list of grant writers interested in assisting with applications is available at: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/agmarkets/aic/vapgp.cfm

June 25, 2009. Wisconsin Food Security Consortium on the road at the Lakeland Food Pantry in Minocqua. 9am-12pm. http://www.endhungerwi.org/

June 30, 2009. Application deadline: Specialty Crop Block Grant. The FY09 Grant Manual along with a "Q & A" section will be posted next week on the DATCP website and can be accessed at: www.datcp.state.wi.us; keyword FY09 SCBG, and click on the FAQ page.

July 1, 2009. Application deadline: Producers First through DATCP Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin. Teresa Cuperus, 608-224-5101 , teresa.cuperus@wi.gov

July 14-16, 2009. Local Night Out, Southern Wi. http://www.reapfoodgroup.org/BFBL/localnightout.htm

July 15, 2009. Stirring The Pot Community Picnic Series, Green County, WI. Contact: Cara Carper, Community Resource Development Educator. Green County UW Extension, 608-328-9441 , cara.carper@ces.uwex.edu

July 16, 2009. USDA Rural Tour. 12:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. (doors open at 11:00 a.m.) La Crosse Interstate Fairgrounds, N 4985 County Road M, West Salem, WI. http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/ruraltour?navid=RURALTOUR

July 21-23, 2009. Wisconsin Farm Technology Days. Waterloo, WI http://www.wifarmtechnologydays.com/

August 10, 2009. Food Safety project applications deadline. The RFA will be posted on the DATCP website and can be accessed at: www.datcp.state.wi.us; keyword Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin, and click on the Food Safety Project RFA.

August 19, 2009. Stirring The Pot Community Picnic Series. Green County, WI. Contact: Cara Carper, Community Resource Development Educator. Green County UW Extension, 608-328-9441 , cara.carper@ces.uwex.edu

August 20, 2009. National Good Food Network "Cluster Call" webinar - Innovations in Value Chain Infrastructure: Michael Rozyne, Co-Director of Red Tomato. http://www.wallacecenter.org/our-work/national-good-food-network-launches-site-database/?searchterm=cluster%20calls

August 20, 2009. "Fresh" film screening at Whole Foods. Madison, WI. 608.233.9566.

August 23, 2009. Madison Locals, a Buy Fresh Buy Local event. Madison, WI. http://www.reapfoodgroup.org/BFBL/

August 27, 2009. Deadline to submit resumes and letters of interest for DATCP Project Manager – Producer’s First Program, 10-15 hours/week. Email to Teresa Cuperus, teresa.cuperus@wi.gov

September 2, 1009. Learn more about the Conservation Stewardship Program. Cumberland, WI. Contact Katie Wied at 608-395-7306 or katiew@MichaelFieldsAgInst.org for more info.

September 4, 2009. Application deadline: REAP Food Group is now taking applications for four 1/2-time AmeriCorps positions to work with Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch. Wisconsin Homegr

August 15-September 15, 2009. Eat Local, America! ww.eatlocalamerica.coop , http://www.basicshealth.com , http://www.mmfc.coop , http://www.outpostnaturalfoods.coop , http://www.pfc.coop , http://viroquafood.coop/food-thought

September 1-14, 2009. 2009 Eat Local Milwaukee. Milwaukee, WI. www.eatlocalmilwaukee.org

September 9, 1009. Learn more about the Conservation Stewardship Program. Whitewater, WI. Contact Katie Wied at 608-395-7306 or katiew@MichaelFieldsAgInst.org for more info.

September 9, 1009. Learn more about the Conservation Stewardship Program. Viroqua, WI. http://www.mosesorganic.org/attachments/fundsforfarmers/csp.html
own Lunch website.
September 15-17, 2009. National Small Farm Conference. Springfield, IL http://www.conferences.uiuc.edu/conferences/conferenceviewer2/view.cfm?conf=20033&page=20189&theme=&palette=

September 17, 2009. National Good Food Network Cluster Call: Funding Opportunities from USDA. NGFN.org

September 19, 2009. Soupstock III. Turtle Lake, WI. http://www.soupstockfestival.com

September 20, 2009. Savor & Sample Fest: South Central WI’s Home Grown Food Festival. At Sassy Cow Creamery, W4192 Bristol Rd., Columbus, WI, 1-4 pm. http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/columbia/

September 21, 2009. Buy Local, Buy WI (BLBW) Grant Program Pre-Proposals due to DATCP: September 21, 2009, 4:00 PM. http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/mktg/business/marketing/val-add/directmktg/pdf/2009GrantManual.pdf

September 22, 2009. Foodshare EBT Technology presentation. Price County UW-Extension. Phillips, WI. 715/339-2555. jane.hansen@ces.uwex.edu.

September 22, 2009. Wisconsin National and Community Service Board (Corporation for National and Community Service) regional meetings to gain input and insight into the State Service Plan. Milwaukee, WI. Register: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=KvFV1eRmkAwi5CXMszVFNA_3d_3d. Directions: http://www.coa-yfc.org/

September 24, 2009. Wisconsin National and Community Service Board (Corporation for National and Community Service) regional meetings to gain input and insight into the State Service Plan. Rhinelander, WI. Register: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=KvFV1eRmkAwi5CXMszVFNA_3d_3d. Directions: http://www.nicoletcollege.edu/highschool/visitus/maps/index.html

September 27-October 4, 2009. 2009 Wisconsin Eat Local Challenge. www.eatlocalwisconsin.com.

September 28, 2009. Workshop: Food as Medicine, Farm as Pharmacy, Jerry Brunetti. Northeast WI Technical College, Green Bay, WI. 920-418-2718.

September 30, 2009.Deadline to submit a draft of Value Added Producer Grant application to State Office for a preliminary review to assess whether the proposed project meets eligibility criteria. USDA Rural Development State Office: 1-800-670-6553. http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm

October 10-13, 2009. From Commodity to Community - 13th Annual Community Food Security Coalition Conference. Des Moines, IA. http://communityfoodconference.org/

October 15, 2009. National Good Food Network Cluster Call: NGFN and Food Safety. NGFN.org

October 18-20, 2009. NOVA SCOTIA FOOD SUMMIT 2009: Securing Food for Our Healthy Future, Putting the People and Pieces Together, Promoting a Sustainable, Safe, Secure Food System. http://friendsofagriculture.net/foodsummit_2009_12.html

October 27, 2009. Wisconsin Working Lands Initiative workshop. Wisconsin Dells, WI. http://www.wisctowns.com/

October 28, 2009. Wisconsin Working Lands Initiative workshop. Eau Claire, WI. http://www.wisctowns.com/

October 29, 2009. Wisconsin Working Lands Initiative workshop. Marathon, WI. http://www.wisctowns.com/

November 3, 2009. Wisconsin Working Lands Initiative workshop. Fond du Lac, WI. http://www.wisctowns.com/

November 4, 2009. Wisconsin Working Lands Initiative workshop. De Pere, WI. http://www.wisctowns.com/

November 5, 2009. Wisconsin Working Lands Initiative workshop. Janesville, WI. http://www.wisctowns.com/

November 6-8, 2009. Tales from Planet Earth Film Festival: A selection of festival films with food themes. www.talesfromplanetearth.com Films: What's on Your Plate?, The Hunger Season, Lighting the Seventh Fire. Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

November 12, 13. Buy Local Buy Wisconsin producer workshops. "Making Decisions About Local Foods Sale Opportunities Using the Holistic Management Framework." 12 - Madison, 13 - Wisconsin Rapids in conjunction with Connecting Threads (below). http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/registration/workshops.jsp

November 12, 2009. Michael Ableman - Feeding the Future: Stories and Images from the new Frontiers of Food and Agriculture. Presbyterian Congregation Church, 214 Vaughn Avenue, Ashland, WI. 7PM.

November 13-15, 2009. Connecting Threads. Weaving the Fabric of Agriculture. A conference for women farmers. Hotel Mead, Wisconsin Rapids, WI.

November 14, 2009. Feeding the Future: Sustainable Agriculture in the Chequamegon Bay. A summit at the Sigurd Olson Environmental Institute, Ashland, WI. Reservations by Nov. 6th: 715/682-1489 or lradke@northland.edu http://www.northland.edu/alumni-events.htm

November 19, 2009. NIFA Family Farm Forum Socio-economic Issues in Small-scale Animal Production webinar. http://www.nifa.usda.gov/nea/ag_systems/in_focus/smallfarms_if_farmily_farm_forum.html

November 19, 2009. Deadline to submit a Community Food Projects grant application. http://www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/communityfoodprojects.cfm

November 30, 2009. Deadline to submit a Value Added Producer Grant application.
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/vadg.htm

Directory of Local Food Initiatives and Projects in Wisconsin

JaneHansen — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:09:30 CST

Look for your project in the list below. If you find it, click on the link and please add some information to keep us up to date on your accomplishments, struggles and vision. If you don't see your project on the following pages, please add it.

Click on the link below to navigate to the pages that contain further information:

Collaborative Promotions
Buy Fresh Buy Local Southern WI
Madison Area CSA Coalition (MACSAC)
Savor Wisconsin
Something Special from Wisconsin
Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association
Wisconsin Eat Local Challenge

Community Gardens
Beaser Park Community Garden
Community Garden Partnership
Got Dirt? Garden Initiative

Community Kitchens
Coulee Region Business Center
Farm Market Kitchen
Shared Commercial Kitchen

Community Supported Agriculture
Madison Area CSA Coalition (MACSAC)
Milwaukee area CSAs
Twin Cities CSA Guild
National CSA Directory

Distribution Projects
Baldwin Endowment Regional Distribution Project

Farmers Markets
Farmers Markets in Wisconsin
Brookfield Farmers Market
Dane County Farmers Market - Madison
East Side Open Market - Milwaukee
Fondy Farmers Market - Milwaukee
Hilldale Farmers Market - Madison
Mineral Point Market

Farm Fresh Atlas
Central Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas
Farm Fresh Atlas of Eastern Wisconsin
Farm Fresh Atlas Southeast Wisconsin
Southern Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas
Farm Fresh Atlas of Western Wisconsin
National Local Food Directories

Farm to School
Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch

Home Delivery
Artisan Foods Delivered
Just Local Food

Local Marketing Co-ops
Home Grown Wisconsin Cooperative
Producers & Buyers Co-op
Wisconsin Home Harvest

Local and Regional - Local Food Initiatives
Central Rivers Farmshed
Chequamegon FEAST
Crawford County Local Food Alliance
Dane County Food Council
Driftless Region
Fondy Food Center
GEM Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry Program (GEMSAF)
Growing Power
Local Fare
Kickapedia
NEW Food
Northwest Wisconsin Regional Food Network
Oneida Community Integrated Food Systems
PriceDirect
REAP Food Group
Sauk County Food Security Coalition
SHARE
Slow Food Wisconsin Southeast
Southeast Wisconsin Food & Farm Network
Walnut Way Conservation Corp.

Produce Auctions
Badgerland Produce Auction
Central Wisconsin Produce Auction
Fennimore Produce Auction
Growers Produce Auction

Public Markets
Milwaukee Public Market

Student / Campus Local Food Initiatives
Foodlums - UW Eau Claire
______ - UW Stevens Point

Primary source for information on Wisconsin Local Food Initiatives: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/agmarkets/aic/fooddirectory.cfm

Local and Regional - Local Food Initiatives

JaneHansen — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 05:08:28 CST

Central Rivers Farmshed Central Rivers Farmshed is an organization representing all aspects of the food system whose members are committed to making Central Wisconsin a renowned, local food community. Farmshed works to expand the connection between local residents and their food. We strive to provide opportunities for participation, education, cooperation, and action to support a local food economy in Central Wisconsin. www.farmshed.org Wiki - http://buylocal.pbwiki.com Chequamegon FEAST FEAST is a grassroots coalition of agencies and individuals working together to support a healthy food system in the Chequamegon Bay region of northern Wisconsin. Projects include The Mobile Farmer's Market connecting producers and consumers in rural communities. FEAST works to stimulate dialog about our food system through educational outreach and networking opportunities. Contact: Amy Syverson chequamegonfeast@gmail.com Crawford County Local Food Alliance http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/crawford_local_food_alliance/ Dane County Food Council The Dane County Food Council explores issues and develops recommendations to create an economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable local food system for the Dane County region. Current projects include: 1. List of Food and Agriculture Initiatives: Released a web-based guide to food and agriculture initiatives in Dane County, including more than 70 organizations working to strengthen the local food system, increase access to locally grown and nutritious foods, stimulate the agricultural economy, and promote food-related enterprises. 2. Farmers’ Market Alliance of South Central WI: Launch a network of farmers’ markets to increase direct market opportunities for producers and provide a forum for developing solutions to collective issues. 3. Madison Market Basket: Support the expansion of a Market Basket program in Dane County, based on the model developed by Growing Power, a Milwaukee area non-profit. This Community Supported Agriculture-style food distribution program is designed to connect low-income consumers with small-scale, regionally produced fruits and vegetables. 4. Institutional Food Purchasing: Increase the amount of local-regional food purchased by Dane County and other area institutions. Work with County officials to identify opportunities and pathways for producers to sell products within the Dane County institutional system. Contact: Dawn Burgardt, Program Coordinator (608) 266-4540, burgardt@co.dane.wi.us
Driftless Region Fondy Food Center For the past five years the Fondy Food Center has run the Fondy Farmers' Market. Covering 38,000 square feet and open six days per week, it is the largest market in the Milwaukee area. A capital campaign is under way to fund plans for constructing an Indoor Public Market, to make quality produce available year-round, and a Kitchen Business Incubator, which will serve as a job creation engine for Milwaukee. Young Kim, Executive Director Fondy Food Center, Inc. 2242 North 17th Street Milwaukee, WI 53205 Phone: (414) 444-6067 Fax: (414) 444-6081 Market location: 2200 West Fond du Lac Avenue, Milwaukee
GEM Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry Program (GEMSAF) GEMSAF is part of the Global Environmental Management Education Center (GEM) of the College of Natural Resources at UW-Stevens Point. GEM's purpose is to pioneer and apply practical learning methods and technology for solving natural resource problems by linking faculty, students and citizens worldwide. The GEMSAF Program focuses on alternative income generation from sustainable farming systems, targeting the micro-economic scale of operation, including collaborative household initiatives, small-producer co-ops, women's entrepreneurial groups, etc. with organic agriculture, agroforestry, and local food systems projects. Depending on the need of specific groups, GEMSAF provides action research assistance with best practices for production, organizational strategies, and business planning. Current GEMSAF partners abroad include organic pesticide and 'green' charcoal producers in Kenya, and organic produce co-ops in Mexico. In Wisconsin, we are initiating local food systems studies with producers, processors, and consumers in Stevens Point and Ashland to overcome barriers to local food consumption. Contact: John Sheffy Outreach Program Manager Global Environmental Management Education Center University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point 800 Reserve Street - Stevens Point, WI 54481 (715) 346-4244
Growing Power Growing Power is an urban agricultural organization headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It runs the last functional farm within the Milwaukee city limits. It also organizes activities in Chicago. Growing Power aims for sustainable food production, as well as the growth of communities through the creation of local gardens. Contact: Will Allen, Director will@growingpower.org Local Fare Southwest Wisconsin Contact: April Fuhr localfare@uwplatt.edu http://www.uwplatt.edu/cont_ed/localfare/
Kickapedia A directory of resources in the Kickapoo Valley area in Southwestern Wisconsin. The link relates to the Food section of the directory and tries to keep current all the local farm outlets, CSAs, coops, etc. NEW Food (Northeast Wisconsin Food Network) NEW Food is a group of local producers, agency and university staff, community activists and other volunteers who are working to promote local food and sustainable agriculture within the northeast region of the state. We are just beginning our organizing efforts, but hosted the NEW Farm-Chef Connection on March 19, 2008, at UW-Fox Valley. This event was attended by a dozen producers and about the same number of Appleton area chefs and distributors, and was highlighted with an "all local" lunch. Contact: Joy Perry University of Wisconsin - Fox Valley 1478 Midway Road Menasha, WI 54952 920-915-4593 (cell) 920-832-2653 (office) 920-836-9959 (home) joy.perry@uwc.edu Northwest Wisconsin Regional Food Network The Northwest Wisconsin Regional Food Network is a grassroots group of local farmers, volunteers and agency staff working together to create a regional food system that connects consumers back to the land and provides locally produced, fresh and nutritious foods to all segments of our community while preserving the region's environment and sustaining the local economy for years to come. The group has been meeting since spring 2005 and was instrumental in initiating the Farm Fresh Atlas of Western Wisconsin, available on-line at www.wifarmfresh.org. Contact: Tracey Mofle @ tracey.mofle@uwc.edu or tmofle@yahoo.com; (715) 790-9177 For more information on our group's history, please visit http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/barron/cnred/foodnetwork.html To join our Yahoo Group go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nwrfn/ Oneida Community Integrated Food Systems Some of our efforts in local foods include: starting a Farmers Market in Oneida. We just ended our 5th year with the Farmers Market and each year it seems to grow a little more. In an effort to boast sales and attendance we have done several things: Always make sure the 4-H brat booth is open during the Market. This past year we generated over $3,500 for the Oneida Food Pantry. We don't charge any vendor fees and we provide free canopies for the vendors. We have Oneida Farmer Market money ($3,000) printed up and distributed to the low-income people as well as the Oneida Health Center. This allows those folks access to healthy foods and we reimburse the Market vendors at the end of every Farmers Market. We have also established the Oneida Falling Leaves 4-H club and the 4-H youth plant and maintain a 1 acre garden on a 12 acre plot of land that was given to the 4-H club. We are using the rest of the land in various other crops to be sold as a fundraiser for the 4-H club. Last year we got all the soda and junk food machines pulled out of the Oneida schools. This year we were able to get some local produced Oneida products into the Oneida High School and the Turtle school. It is only a small amount, but it is a start. We hope to expand this to include the Head Start program, Elderly Care and the Anna John Nursing Home. Bill Ver Voort OCIFS Coordinator N7332 Water Circle Place P.O. Box 365 Oneida, WI 54155 Telephone: (920) 869-4530 Cell phone: (920) 819-1933 Fax: (920) 869-1610 Email: Wvervoor@oneidanation.org

PriceDirect A local foods initiative promoting direct marketing of locally grown foods in Price County, WI. Funded through a USDA Agriculture and Entrepreneur Education Grant with assistance from UWEX Emerging Agricultural Markets Team. Main Objectives: Marketing: Expand marketing opportunities for the growers participating in the PriceDirect initiative and continue to attract additional growers. Increase the amount of local food purchased. Outreach and Education: Educate consumers about the nutritional benefits of eating foods grown locally, harvested when ripe and eaten when fresh. Increase the consumer comfort level with locally grown foods. Increase the amount of local food eaten. Equip other local and regional food system networks with the resources needed to replicate Price County’s local foods initiative. Partnership and Collaboration: Create new partnerships and collaborations with other groups, including: UW Stevens Point (UWSP) School of Health Promotion and Human Development; UW Stevens Point Global Environmental Management Education Center; Price County Health Department; Price County UWEX Family Living Program; DATCP Buy Local/Buy Wisconsin Project; Pri-Ru-Ta Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Area, The Wellspring Center. Jane Hansen Marketing Specialist Price County UW Extension 104 S. Eyder Avenue Normal Building Phillips, WI 54555 715/339-2555 jane.hansen@ces.uwex.edu
REAP Food Group Research, Education, Action and Policy on Food Group is a non-profit organization located in Madison, Wisconsin. The REAP Food Group is building a regional food system that is healthful, just, and both environmentally and economically sustainable. REAP connects producers, consumers, policy-makers, educators, businesses and organizations to nourish the links between land and table. REAP's projects include: The annual Food for Thought Festival in downtown Madison. Food for Thought Festival began in 1999 and draws over 5000 people for a day of education and celebration The Southern Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas. The original “Farm Fresh Atlas” project. Produced annually since 2002. Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch. A farm to school project in Madison and Dane County schools with outreach and resources available state-wide. Buy Fresh Buy Local. A campaign to encourage restaurants and institutional food services to serve more local foods and a branding mechanism to help encourage consumers to support eateries that do “buy fresh, buy local.” Miriam Grunes Executive Director REAP Food Group PO Box 5632 Madison, WI 53705-0632 (608) 294-1114
Sauk County Food Security Coalition The Sauk County Food Security Coalition was formed early in 2005 with a mission to link the efforts and resources of diverse organizations to create a local, sustainable food system to ensure healthy, adequate and appropriate food for all people.Such a system supports the economies of local communities, promotes a cleaner environment and preserves the beauty of the agricultural countryside. Currently the Coalition includes commercial growers (through Wisconsin Home Harvest), community gardeners, social service agencies, schools, 4-H, a tribal nation, food pantries and restaurants in its network.Eventually, the Coalition founders hope to also include hospitals, farmers markets and grocery stores in its network. Currently the Coalition has two efforts on which it is focusing:Renewal Gardens, which links a local sustainable food system with area teenagers seeking an opportunity to develop employability skills through education and practical experience working in community gardens and Wisconsin Home Harvest, a network of commercial Sauk County farmers, growers and purveyors of value-added farm products which is currently marketing to area restaurants and through regional cooperative efforts. Contact: Jay Salinas wormfarm@jvlnet.com 608-524-8672 SHARE Contact: Paulette Flynn www.sharewi.org Sheboygan Area Local Food Alliance The Sheboygan Area Local Food Alliance (SALFA)aims to support many issues related to both a healthy local food system and community. The group aims to address and share information regarding the Sheboygan Area Community's access to food, food security, education about local food, and our local food system. We welcome anyone who may want to attend our meetings. Meetings are held on the 1st Monday of each month (8:30am) Location: Field to Fork at 515 South 8th Street in Sheboygan. Slow Food Wisconsin Southeast www.slowfoodwise.org Southeast Wisconsin Food & Farm Network Southeast Wisconsin Farm and Food Network (SWFFN) is a collaboration of groups including UW Extension, Slow Food Wisocnsin Southeast, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute and Town and Country RC and D. SWFFN has taken on a variety of local food projects including the Farm Fresh Atlas of Southeast Wisconsin and the Farmer/Chef Connection, which is working to connect farmers and chefs in a 5 county area in Southeast Wisconsin. SWFFN was awarded a Risk Management grant in 2006 to work specifically on the Farmer/Chef Connection project. Contact: Deb Deacon, Coordinator Telephone: 262-786-3837, ddeacon@wi.rr.com
Walnut Way Conservation Corp Walnut Way Conservation Corp is a nonprofit central-city Milwaukee organization dedicated to sustaining a quality and economically diverse neighborhood through civic engagement, environmental stewardship and economic enterprise. Walnut Way utilizes vacant city lots for the production of vegetables and fruits. The gardens and fruit orchard surrounding the Neighborhood Center are demonstration sites where neighbors and other community members, such as school groups, learn about locally produced food. Plans are in place to expand learning experiences to include a demonstration kitchen where neighbors and community members will learn how to prepare and store food from the gardens and orchard. The goals are to create a point of destination in this once forgotten neighborhood, to educate the public about local foods, and empower residents to grow their own food and maintain healthy lives. Walnut Way Conservation Corp. 2240 North 17th Street Milwaukee, WI 53205 Phone: 414-264-2326 Email: walnutwayconserv@sbcglobal.net

3rd Annual Wisconsin Local Food Summit, January 2009

JaneHansen — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:00:12 CDT

SUMMIT RECAP The 3rd Annual Wisconsin Local Food Summit was held January 8th and 9th at the Hotel Mead in Wisconsin Rapids. 145 were able to attend and help to make this event a success. These participants included farmers, students, government agency representatives, educators, tribal representatives, food bank managers, chefs, grocers, local food advocates and more. Much was learned, many contacts were made and many plans for continuing local food system development were established.

The summit started off with a series of breakout sessions intended to bring attendees up to date on current research and grant projects as well as on policy issues such as ways in which the 2008 Farm Bill affects local food system development, programs to assist women and minority farmers and efforts to get more local food into our schools.

New at the summit this year was a session which highlighted the producers and local food projects of the Heart of Wisconsin region, our host region for this summit. That panel included Michael Hittner of Family Natural Foods, Brian Ruesch of Ruesch Century Farm Organic Cranberries, Sara and Larry Raikowski from Raikowski Farm and Eric Olson representing Central Rivers Farmshed who worked together to give an overview of the local food initiatives underway in the region. The session was moderated by Jasia Steinmetz, also an active member of the Central Rivers Farmshed. Central Rivers Farmshed is a nonprofit community group in central Wisconsin which promotes and educates about local foods.

Following a lunch featuring local food prepared by Chef Randall Smith of Hotel Mead, the winners of an undergraduate student writing contest sponsored by Red Cedar Review, Northwest Wisconsin Regional Food Network and Wisconsin Local Food Network were introduced. Justin Ramm read his poem titled Remembrance of a Muddy Field in Maribel — Autumn 2006 and David Minett read his short story titled The Grand Slam.

Kate Clancy, local food consultant and a Senior Fellow in the School of Agriculture Endowed Chair in Agricultural Systems at the University of Minnesota provided the keynote address for the Wisconsin Local Food Summit. Clancy focused on the development and strengthening of local and regional food systems and provided many lessons from the 30+ year history of the local food movement. Clancy was also available on Friday morning to continue her discussion with this group and answer more questions.

The social hour Thursday evening was another wonderful addition to the summit schedule. Delightful music was provided by The Reverend Eddie Danger and Dangergrass. Delicious product samples were provided by Saxon Homestead Creamery, Beltie Beef and R.A.W. Catering.

Friday morning’s schedule provided the opportunity for participants in the summit to roll up their sleeves and work with collaborators to further the ongoing work in their region. Attendees divided into groups for the Northern, Western, Northeastern, Central, Southern and Southeastern regions of the state. Ongoing work participants are proud of was reported on and recorded. Ideas for continuing work were discussed and specific task lists and timelines were developed. Participants departed before noon with many ideas to further their work and many new contacts.

Helping to make the Wisconsin Local Food Summit possible were our generous sponsors. At the Benefactor level: University of Wisconsin Extension - Emerging Agricultural Markets Team; Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection; and St. Croix Institute for Sustainable Community Development in partnership with the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences’ Sustainable Agriculture Grant (both at UW River Falls). At the Supporter level: Wisconsin Natural Food Associates and Price County UW-Extension (in-kind staff assistance).

To learn more about the proceedings of the summit or about the local food work going on around Wisconsin visit http://wisconsinlocalfood.wetpaint.com/

Local food is important to our communities because purchase of it helps to support small and medium size farms which are diverse and therefore considered more sustainable than very large, monoculture operations. Purchasing local food keeps dollars circulating in the local economy. It also can contribute to reduced energy usage due to shortened shipping distances. By spending less time in transit, food can also be harvested when it is riper which adds to its flavor and may add to its nutritional content as well. When we are able to produce the food needed for our citizens close to home, we are better protected from shortages elsewhere or breakdowns in the national food delivery and security systems.

Agenda:

Thursday, January 8th
Registration 7:30 – 9:00
Cont. Breakfast 7:30 – 10:00
Welcome 9:00 – 9:30
Breakout A 9:45-11:00

A1 BLBW – Program Overview and Institutional Markets
A2 2008 Farm Bill and Local Food
A3 IT Solutions for Local Food
A4 WI Farm Center – Beginning and Minority Farm Program
A5 Highlighting the Heart of Wisconsin Region

Exhibits/Break 11:00-11:30
Breakout B 11:30-12:45
B1 BLBW – Farm Cooperative Dev. and Consumer Promotion

B2 Nuts and Bolts of Mobile Markets
B3 Design, Implement and Evaluate your Local Food Program
B4 Innovative Food Processing Regulations from Other States
B5 How Food Choices Affect the Environment

Lunch 12:45-1:45
Writing Prize 1:45-2:00
Keynote 2:00-3:00
Break 3:00-3:15
Breakout C 3:15-4:30

C1 BLBW – Farm to Restaurant
C2 Developing a Supply Chain for Local and Regional Foods
C3 Examples of Collab. and Creative Fundraising for Local Foods
C4 Local Food and Food Security
C5 AmeriCorp Farm to School

Social Hour 4:30-6:30

Local Food sampling, Exhibit viewing, Student poster presentation Music by The Reverend Eddie Danger and Dangergrass, http://www.reverendeddiedanger.com/ Cosmic Folk with a Tribal Twist of Jazz

Friday, January 9th
Breakfast 7:00-8:15
General Session 8:30-11:30 Local Experience for Wisconsin Local Food Systems
Exhibits 7:30-11:30

Keynote Speaker: Kate Clancy. Topic: Local Food Systems

Kate Clancy is one of the nation's leading authorities on food systems, with expertise in sustainable agriculture, food policy, food systems planning, organic food, and related topics. She is now a food systems consultant working with many organizations around the country. She has served as a Senior Scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists and before that Director of the Wallace Center for Agricultural and Environmental Policy. Clancy has a Ph.D. in Nutrition Sciences from the University of California at Berkeley and taught at Cornell and Syracuse universities. She was nutritionist and policy adviser at the Federal Trade Commission and a resident fellow at the National Center for Food and Agriculture Policy. She has served on numerous boards and committees, and is presently on the board of the Accokeek Foundation. She is also a Senior Fellow in the School of Agriculture Endowed Chair in Agricultural Systems at the University of Minnesota. She was a member of the Board on Agriculture panel that produced the groundbreaking report "Alternative Agriculture" and has published and spoken widely on sustainable agriculture and food systems. Her present interests include the development of regional food systems, the research needed to advance sustainable agriculture policy, the complementary issues of farmland preservation and farm viability, policies and policy research that support the grazing sector, and the misperceptions regarding nutritional qualities of organic food.

Carpooling: We encourage you to carpool from your community to Wisconsin Rapids and back. Follow this link to a wiki where you can list your rideshare options: http://summitcarpooling.pbwiki.com/FrontPage

Friday Session Local Experience for Wisconsin Local Food Systems--When it comes to creating local food systems we are the experts we have been waiting for. You are the leaders in building local food systems across WI and this summit is a once a year opportunity to build our regional and statewide capacity for our work. This is our chance to build on our practical experience in making Wisconsin local food systems stronger. We need you engaged in our structured process:

8:30 - 8:40 Intro and overview - Gerry Campbell, Dane County Food Council

8:40 - 9:20 Kate Clancy Questions and Comments

Guidelines for conversation

Listen as if each person was truly wise, and sharing some truth that you may have heard before but do not yet fully grasp.
Listen with an openness to be influenced by the speaker.
Listen to support the speaker in fully expressing themselves.
Listen for deeper questions, patterns, insights and emerging perspectives.
Listen for what is not being spoken along with what is being shared.
Keep a record on news print pads.

9:20 – 9:50 Where are we in Local Food in the regions of Wisconsin?

Initiatives, Opportunities and Challenges Identify as quickly and concisely as possible. The idea is to get information on the table, then prioritize.

9:50 - 10:05 A quick review of all the opportunities and challenges.

Remix tables so there is a broad multi-region representation in each group.

10:05 – 10:45 Possibilities for collaboration on opportunities or challenges.

Identify and prioritize the between region and across state possibilities. The key is to ask what we can do together in the next 12 months.

10:45 – 11:00 Whole group review of possibilities for action.

11:00 – 11:30 Groups organize around actions and identify who will do what by when.

Put the information on easel tablets so people can see the actions and they can be recorded.

Facilitators will assist with this process. Our Keynote speaker, Kate Clancy, will also stay with us throughout the summit and will offer her reflections as a participant in this session.

January 2007 Wisconsin Local Food Summit

JaneHansen — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:48:26 CDT

Wisconsin Local Food Summit – Proceedings

January 4, 2007 Summit Holiday Inn Hotel and Convention Center

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

9:00 Registration

9:30 Welcome
Introductions, briefing on breakout sessions Jane Hansen, University of Wisconsin Extension PriceDirect Marketing Specialist - Moderator

10:30 Morning Breakout
‘World Café:’ Gerry Campbell, Professor, University of Wisconsin Extension Center for Community Economic Development - Moderator
Round 1 – Small group discussions around a question.
Round 2 – Small group discussions with a new group.
Harvesting – What have you learned and what ideas will you use?

12:00 Lunch featuring local foods
Rose Skora, University of Wisconsin Extension Emerging Agricultural Markets Team Leader - Moderator
Rod Nilsestuen, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
Julie Lassa, Wisconsin State Senator for the 24th Senate District

1:00 Keynote
Brian Halweil, Senior Researcher with Worldwatch Institute and author of “Eat Here: Reclaiming Homegrown Pleasures in a Global Supermarket.
Jasia Steinmetz, Associate Professor, UW Stevens Point School of Health Promotion and Human Development - Moderator

2:00 Afternoon Breakout
‘Open Space’ Carol Roth, University of Wisconsin Extension Emerging Agricultural Markets Team Leader – Moderator
Invitation to discuss topics important to you - follow your passion.

4:00 Closing
Come together to hear and see what others have discussed. Carol Roth and Gerry Campbell – Moderators

January 5, 2007 Visioning Meeting

8:00 Breakfast featuring local foods.

8:30 Meeting
“Where do we go from here?” Brian Halweil initiated reflections on the discussions at the summit and we all discussed ways to keep the momentum rolling.

Local Marketing Co-ops

JaneHansen — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:23:02 CDT

Home Grown Wisconsin Cooperative
Home Grown Wisconsin is a cooperative of certified organic, family farms located throughout Southern Wisconsin. The coop was founded in 1996 with the mission of delivering local, seasonal, high-quality produce to restaurants in Chicago, Madison, and Milwaukee. The cooperative has grown steadily since 1996, developing strong relationships with local chefs, farmers, and food activists. We are now providing a successful and flourishing CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program for residents of Chicago and its surrounding suburbs.
Location:
313 W. Beltline Highway, Suite 37
Madison, WI 53715
Contact Information
Contact:
Deb Hansen
(608) 347-3054
manager@homegrownwisconsin.com

Producers & Buyers Co-op
The Producers & Buyers Co-op links local, sustainable farms with institutional buyers in a twelve-county area of West Central Wisconsin (Eau Claire, Chippewa, Barron, Dunn, Pepin, Trempealeau, Buffalo, Clark, Jackson, Polk, Pierce, and St. Croix counties). Members include producers, institutional buyers, food processors, and those from the private transportation system.
Please contact us at P.O. Box 207, Altoona, WI 54720-0207, or call 715-834-9672.

Wisconsin Home Harvest
Based in Sauk County, Wisconsin Home Harvest is a farmers network that coordinates marketing and distribution of agricultural products from transitional and organic farms. Currently, nine farmers supply produce, mushrooms, meat, cheese, eggs and apples to area restaurants, stores, farmers markets and distributors.
Contact: Jay Salinas
wormfarm@jvlnet.com
608-524-8672

Northeastern

JaneHansen — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:56:24 CDT

Link to NEW Foodshed home page: www.newfoodshed.org

This is a draft of the notes from the Northeastern region conversations during the working session on Friday, January 9, 2009 at the Wisconsin Local Food Summit.

Accomplishments we’re proud of!

· Fledgling, markets (i.e. Mennonite, Amish)
· Growth and viability of Farmers Markets
· Local Environment Center had big local food even
· Winter Farmers Market · 6th Year of Farm Fresh Atlas
· 5-6 Certified Public Kitchens + 15 more statewide
· Opportunities for developing local food within established food chain
· More small and mid-size local food providers
· Regional group trying to form
· Niagara Escarpment “trail”
· Chamber of Commerce – partnering, culinary, chef events, making impacts creating, leading events
· Tech college and UW system 400K and leadership grant
· N.E.W. North and Sustainability
· Mayoral sustainability task forces – Sheboygan, Green Bay, Neenah, Oshkosh, Sturgeon Bay
· County Planning Department recognition of farmland loss and water quality
· Extension leadership of community gardening/pantries/ethnic
· More government/establishment efforts

o Extension
o Tech College
o UW System
o Chambers
o Planning Department
o Mayors · Growth/support of local food by consumers/public
o Atlas
o Food chains to sell · Producers/processors getting value – added opportunities – support

2009 To Do List

· Fund a “go-to” person (funding, grant writer) for regional local foods collaboration
· Develop a job description

o Val
o Mary Pat
o Joy

· How will we communicate

o E-mail

· Projects

o Outreach to Menominee and Oneida (tractor) (relearning)
o Create a NGO?
o Create access for: Low income, underserved and WIC/SHARE § John § Mary Pat § Dave

· Coordinate – Purpose

o Zinda
o Val

Farmers Markets

JaneHansen — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 09:41:54 CDT

Farmers Markets in Wisconsin A statewide directory of farmers markets, hosted by SavorWisconsin.com. Below are a sampling of Wisconsin farmers markets that maintain websites.
Brookfield Farmers' Market
Dane County Farmers Market - Madison
East Side Green Market - Milwaukee
Fondy Farmers' Market - Milwaukee
Hilldale Farmers Market - Madison Mineral Point Market Antigo Farmers Market

Produce Auctions

Josh_G — Mon, 11 May 2009 16:47:24 CDT

Badgerland Produce Auction Auction Location: N2954 State Hwy 22, Montello (2 miles south of Montello) Contact: Mary Jean Reading Auction Manager PO Box 128 Montello, WI 53949 phone: 608-697-8989
Central Wisconsin Produce Auction N14676 County Highway O Withee WI 54498 (715) 229-4838 Fennimore Produce Auction Highway T, Fennimore, WI, Grant County # of Farmers growing for auction: 75 producers from Grant and surrounding counties Auction Manager: Tim Slack Phone: 608-988-6464 Order-buyer: Brian Nelson Phone: 608-386-6058 Nearest large market: Platteville, Prairie du Chien Delivery: Yes; refrigerated; delivery is also available to other areas Grading standards: USDA grading
Growers Produce Auction S347 Dell Road (Located just off CTH D, 5 miles SE of Cashton, WI) Cashton, WI 54619 (608) 654-7880

Wisconsin Auctions
Wisconsin's source for live, public auction information throughout the state.
Click Here for Auction Listings - Wisconsin Auctions

2008 Local Food in the News Archive

JaneHansen — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 11:46:18 CDT

December 28, 2008. Third Annual Local Food Summit. Agri-View. The Third Annual Local Food Summit will be held Jan. 8-9 at the Hotel Mead in Wisconsin Rapids.http://www.agriview.com/articles/2009/01/05/capitol_news/ag_briefs/agbriefs03.txt

November 7, 2008. New Resource for Local Food Producers. MADISON – The Wisconsin Local Food Marketing Guide, a new publication for local producers, is now available online and in hard copy. http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/

November 6, 2008. Two Wisconsin food companies launch retail gourmet dinners made with local ingredients.
MADISON, WI – Two Wisconsin food companies are collaborating to launch a new retail product category of ready-to-heat gourmet meals made from locally-grown and produced Wisconsin ingredients... http://www.dbicusa.org/planningoptions/news+from+the+dbic/press+releases/default.asp

October 15, 2008. GIS Mapping Project: Local foods in Minnesota Get a Boost. Minnesota Ag Connection. The University of Minnesota's Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the Land Stewardship Project, and the Minnesota Project are pleased to announce a first-of-its-kind project "Mapping Minnesota's Local Foods Infrastructure." http://www.minnesotaagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=957&yr=2008

October 9, 2008 - Farmer in Chief. Michael Pollan. New York Times. Dear Mr. President-Elect, It may surprise you to learn that among the issues that will occupy much of your time in the coming years is one you barely mentioned during the campaign: food. Food policy is not something American presidents have had to give much thought to, at least since the Nixon administration — the last time high food prices presented a serious political peril. Since then, federal policies to promote maximum production of the commodity crops (corn, soybeans, wheat and rice) from which most of our supermarket foods are derived have succeeded impressively in keeping prices low and food more or less off the national political agenda. But with a suddenness that has taken us all by surprise, the era of cheap and abundant food appears to be drawing to a close. What this means is that you, like so many other leaders through history, will find yourself confronting the fact — so easy to overlook these past few years — that the health of a nation’s food system is a critical issue of national security. Food is about to demand your attention... http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/12/magazine/12policy-t.html?_r=2&ei=5070&emc=eta1&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

September 30, 2008 - Wisconsin Receives Funding For Organic Cost Share Program. Contact Laura Paine, DATCP. For the first time since 2005, cost-share funds for organic certification will soon be available in Wisconsin. The 2008 Federal Farm Bill provides five years of funding for this popular program that helps organic farmers and processors pay for their organic certification. A recent announcement by the USDA signals the establishment of agreements between federal and state Departments of Agriculture to administer the program, but application procedures have yet to be put in place... http://datcp.state.wi.us/press_release/result.jsp?prid=2219

September 16, 2008 - US Fish Farms Tap Former Coal Mines for Water. Ben Block. Worldwatch Institute. http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5886?emc=el&m=146333&l=4&v=36e79ba6b3 In the Appalachian mountains of the United States, growing numbers of fish farmers are raising trout, catfish, and even salmon throughout the valleys of the state of West Virginia.

September 2008 - To market, to market to buy a fat tomato: As consumer demand grows, so do Ninth (Federal Reserve) District farmers markets. Kathy Cobb - Contributing Writier. fedgazette. http://minneapolisfed.org/publications_papers/pub_display.cfm?id=4024#top Wisconsin is easily the district leader in total markets at more than 160.

September/October 2008 - Fresh, Local Food on Wheels: Farmers can reach new customers with mobile delivery routes. By Marcia Hahn, Farmers' Markets Today. http://www.farmersmarketstoday.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=57&Itemid=1

August 26, 2008 - Sign Up for Wisconsin’s Eat Local Challenge: Challenge Yourself, Buy Local Madison http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/press_release/result.jsp?prid=2208

July 30, 2008 - A taste for something different: Some on north side oppose proposed Church’s Chicken
By Karen Herzog kherzog@journalsentinel.com Milwaukee Journal Sentinal. http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=778274

July 23, 2008 - 'Buy Local' grants immediately spur debate The Country Today
"Gov. Jim Doyle has been traveling across Wisconsin with his dog and pony show again in recent weeks, distributing ceremonial checks for the state's Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin grants." http://www.thecountrytoday.com/story-opinions.asp?id=BH90G0U9EDF

July 17, 2008
Governor Doyle Announces $225,000 to “Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin”
Presents $41,000 Grant for Chippewa Valley Efforts to Buy, Sell Local Food
"EAU CLAIRE – Governor Jim Doyle today announced $225,000 for seven projects to increase local food sales and grow the state’s economy. The funding is from the state’s first-ever “Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin” grant program aimed to keep food spending in local communities... http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/mktg/business/marketing/val-add/directmktg/pdf/DATCPPressRelease7-17-08.pdf

July 17, 2008. Letter to the Editor. Local Food is Good Medicine for Everyone The Chippewa Valley Museum has an excellent exhibit titled “Farm Life” that tells of profound changes over the past century for farm families and rural communities. One caption near an interior photo of an abandoned barn notes, “Wisconsin lost almost 40% of its dairy farms during the 1990s.” A decade later, with the rising
cost of fuel and food, local farms could be the very thing to help recession-proof our local economy...http://www.sacredhearteauclaire.org/Choose/MediaCenter/Documents/CEOLettertotheEditor.pdf

June 27, 2008 - Food composting continues historic campus tradition River Falls Journal
"While several thousand people dine at the contract and retail food services in the University Center each day, the idea of pursuing sustainability in food supplies and waste management on campus might seem like a supersized initiative".
http://www.riverfallsjournal.com/articles/index.cfm?id=87720&freebie_check&CFID=52914516&CFTOKEN=59890625&jsessionid=88301b8eafce7b207211

June 19, 2008 - Farmers, Food Makers, Restaurants and Grocers – A Dating Game Made Easier By Jennifer Smith

"Greenleafmarket.com is an internet based tool designed to match farmers and producers with local grocers, resturants and institutions that want those products".

http://www.riverfallsjournal.com/articles/index.cfm?id=87720&freebie_check&CFID=52914516&CFTOKEN=59890625&jsessionid=88301b8eafce7b207211June

An Evaluation of Food and Tourism Culture in Door County - By Michael L. Dougherty, Gary P. Green and Dean S. Volenberg
Local food networks are growing in popularity, and therefore it is important to understand precisely how they work. Because Door County is on the cutting edge of the local food network trend, researchers at the University of Wisconsin‐Madison and the University Extension conducted surveys of food producers and food retailers in Door County who specialize in marketing local foods as part of the tourist economy. Our food producer survey was sent to 62 farms, fisheries and other food production/processing businesses in Door County. Of those 62 surveys there were 40 responses (64% response rate). What follows is a summary of key findings from the producer survey. The results of the retailer survey are available as a separate report.
http://www.drs.wisc.edu/green/_documents/_community/Door%20County%20Culinary%20Tourism--%20Producers.pdf

June 12, 2008 - Healing History: North America’s Indigenous Peoples Look to the Past to Find a Healthier Future By Lauren Wilcox
Diet-related illnesses, such as diabetes, affect Native Americans at a higher rate than the rest of the population. But Heifer’s Indigenous Peoples Initiative is tackling the problem one mouthful at a time.
http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.4171181/

June 12, 2008 - From Farm to Table - By Helene York
Take a minute to consider the long, strange trip your food takes—via planes, trains, tractors and trailers—and how much energy it embodies.
http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.4172133/

June 12, 2008 - The Carbon Hoofprint: A closer look at the indictment of the livestock industry - By Austin Gelder and Lauren Wilcox
Is livestock-based agriculture detrimental to the environment as a U.N. report seems to claim, or is the issue more complex? World Ark takes a closer look at an indictment of the livestock industry.
http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.4172985/

June 11, 2008 Buy Local to Support Farmers Affected by the Floods
"Recent floods have hit more than corn and soybeans. Growers who market to local food consumers also report flooded fields and potential losses. But their overriding message to consumers is "Keep buying locally. Local farmers need your support more than ever."
http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/press_release/result.jsp?prid=2183

June 8, 2008 - Farmers markets' financial clout rises By Scott Williams
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“When she noticed that cherries were a hot seller at the Kenosha farmers market one Saturday morning, Kathleen Bubinas wondered which vendor was suddenly doing big business. Bubinas was surprised to learn that it was an enterprising farmer from Michigan who had hauled his inventory across Lake Michigan on a ferry. It made Bubinas, an anthropology professor, realize that farmers markets no longer are simple trading posts where local farmers casually peddle their wares.”
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=759857

June 5, 2008 - UNC to study link between sustainable farming and health
Would people and their communities be healthier if they still got food from local farms?http://uncnews.unc.edu/news/health-and-medicine/unc-to-study-link-between-sustainable-farming-and-health.html

June 5, 2008 - Food is Gold, So Billions Invested in Farming By Diana Henriques.

Huge investment funds have already poured hundreds of billions of dollars into booming financial markets for commodities like wheat, corn and soybeans. But a few big private investors are starting to make bolder and longer-term bets that the world’s need for food will greatly increase — by buying farmland, fertilizer, grain elevators and shipping equipment"

The Food Chain

May 15, 2008 - Map Helps Madison Residents Eat Local. By Jesse Boyett-Anderson.
(MADISON) A group of UW-Madison students wants locals to eat local as a way to support community growers, promote healthy diets, and cut travel costs. They've created the "100-Mile Diet Map" as a final project for their Geographical Information Systems class. The current version of this online reference pinpoints farms, farmers' markets, co-ops, and restaurants within 100 miles of Madison. Althea Archer is one of the students who created the map. She says taking the "100-mile challenge" benefits more than just the local economy. She notes that the typical American diet travels 1,500 miles to reach the plate, and even if it's organic, it's still necessary to transport organic spinach from California in a refrigerated truck to Wisconsin and that has a huge impact on the environment. Archer says her group will expand the statewide database, to help people in other towns and cities eat local.

May 14, 2008 - Geography students put local foods on the map. By Jill Sakai.
"Four UW-Madison geography students have created an interactive, online map of food sources within 100 miles of Madison. Their 100-Mile Diet Map aims to educate consumers and provide a central resource for those interested in eating close to home."
http://www.news.wisc.edu/15251

May/June 2008 - Solar Today: Getting Connected: Why sharing electrons, local produce and Radiohead makes for better communities. By Bill McKibben http://solartoday.org/2008/may_june08/getting_connected.htm.

April 29, 2008, Local Fare: Outstanding Turnout for First Southwest Wisconsin Local Food Summit
BELMONT – More than 85 local leaders, urban and rural residents, farmers, organizations and community representatives gathered on Earth Day to share information and build efforts to expand the region’s local food markets.
The first ever Southwest Wisconsin Local Food Summit, held April 22 in Belmont, Wis., provided an outstanding opportunity for local residents to provide a voice in building networks for the growing demand for locally-produced food.
The event was sponsored by Local Fare and made possible through UW-Extension’s Continuing EDvantage Grant and was a project of the UW-Platteville Office of Continuing Education.
“We were extremely pleased with the record turnout and diversity of participants,” said Rink DaVee, Local Fare Coordinator.
Keynote speakers and activities included:

Ron Doetch, Executive Director of Michael Fields Institute in East Troy, Wis.: "Scaling Up Sustainable Midwest Food and Farming Systems."
Dick Cates, Cates Family Farm, Spring Green, Wis.: "Local Food: Cultivating a Circle of Hope."
Local Foods Distribution Panel featuring a local grocery store owner, local chef, a representative from a grass-roots institutional buying program, a local farmer involved in community supported agriculture and research presented on selling local food to large grocery stores.
World Café interactive afternoon session facilitated by Carol Roth, followed by an opportunity to network with others and complete neighborhood action plans.
For more information, visit http://www.uwplatt.edu/cont_ed/LocalFare/.

April 29, 2008 - Consumers Still Living Green and Buying Organic Despite Economty -
By Lisa Lazarczyk
Mambo Sprouts Survey Reveals Savvy Consumers Using Coupons, Shopping
Locally and Cooking More to Offset High Fuel and Food Costs http://www.mambosprouts.com/press/pdfs/Consumers%20Still%20Buying%20Org%20Release.pdf

April 27, 2008 The Toronto Star: Eat Locally, Survive Globally: National food policy should give priority to local agriculture over globalized agribusiness. By Thomas Axworthy. http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/04/27/8551/

April 20, 2008 - The Way we Live Now, Why Bother? By Michael Pollan
The article prompted several far-reaching conversations around here. It got us thinking about personal and collective action, in the garden and beyond. We are continuing the conversation in the short article below. And ... from our nutrition and cooking columnists, we include a few thoughts on the glories of barley. How's that for something for everyone?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/20/magazine/20wwln-lede-t.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

April 18, 2008, Worldwatch Institute: International Commission Calls for 'Paradigm Shift' in Agriculture, by Ben Block, http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5712

Spring 2008 Pointer Alumnus: http://www.uwsp.edu/news/alumnus/, page 6, Cafe' promotes healthy eating through local foods.
April 2008 REAP Reporter: http://www.reapfoodgroup.org/Newsletters/newslettercurrent.htm

April 16, 2008 - The BEE: " Phillips girl wins 'Ag in the Classroom' essay contest. Mary Beth Nutt's entry takes first place in Price County, District 8 and Wisconsin competitions." by Cathy Peterson: http://www.phillipswi.com/articles/2008/04/16/schools/doc4806568f57fa5122534851.txt

"Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation (WFBF) recently announced that Mary Beth Nutt, a homeschooled fifth-grade daughter of Doug and Patty Nutt of Phillips, has been named the statewide winner of the “Agriculture in the Classroom” essay contest. The contest is sponsored by the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Wisconsin Fresh Market Vegetable Growers Association, and the WFBF’s Women’s Committee...

Mary Beth’s essay, which won the Price County, District 8 and state competitions, reads as follows:

From the Farm to My Home

Wisconsin is a great place to live. If all we had to eat was what was produced in our state, we’d have a feast!

Dairy farms produce milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, ice cream and many other products.

Hog, beef, fish and poultry farms supply meat for our meals. Farmers raise their stock carefully, watching them grow, protecting them from disease and feeding them so they are healthy and strong. All this is done to supply us with wholesome, nutritional food.

Vegetable and fruit farmers also watch for diseases and protect their plants from frost. They cultivate, water, fertilize, and then harvest their crops when they’re at their best. The produce is washed, sorted, packed and then shipped from farms to be processed. We can buy it frozen, canned, fresh or dried.

Maple syrup and honey are two sweet treats produced in Wisconsin.You can use them in many ways. Maple syrup is made in early Spring when the cold nights and warm days starts the sap flowing in maple trees. Holes and spouts are put into the trees, then sap is collected in buckets, bags, or tubing and boiled down to make syrup. The syrup is then bottled, labeled and sold in grocery stores and gift shops.

Honey is made by bees gathering nectar and pollen from flowers. It takes as many as 300 bees their whole lives to make just one pound of honey! The beekeepers keep a close watch on their bees as the honey is made, then they gather the combs, spin the honey out and bottle it to sell.

Our state produces an abundance of good food for us to enjoy..."

Northern

JaneHansen — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 11:28:46 CST

This is a draft of the notes from the Northern region conversations during the working session on Friday, January 9, 2009 at the Wisconsin Local Food Summit.

Accomplishments we’re proud of!

· PriceDirect Local Food Atlas
· Alliance for Sustainability
· Farm – to School
· USDA Farmer promotion grant..mobile market, farmers’ market
· Brand new community based farmers’ market
· Community awareness in Price County
· Two farmers’ markets in Price County
· Taylor County Beef Cooperative
· Nourishing Northern Wisconsin Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin Grant

2009 To Do List

· Inter-county communication
· EBT education/fundraising?

o Kristy, Rich, Joy
o Sharing presentation, workshop
o Think about WIC, senior voucher

· Regional local food atlas
· Promote use of mobile market for Price County
· Communication

o Join Wiki for Wisconsin Local Food – regions page
o Tele-conferences
o Coordinate Price County distribution with Butternut mobile market

· Meat processing plants
· Mary Pat – Type expertise, Food processing…..regionally based community kitchens

Community Gardens

JaneHansen — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 17:22:55 CST

Beaser Park Community Garden

Spring of 2009 the first Community Garden in the city of Ashland will be ready to plant.
The garden has 23 rental plots and is run by a committee comprised of gardeners.
If you have any questions or want to join the garden, don't hesitate to contact me.

Kristy Heidenreich
UW-Extension Americorps VISTA Ashland County - UW Extension
Courthouse Room 107
Ashland, WI 54806-1652
715-682-7017
eiraby@charter.net
no website yet!

Community Garden Partnership

The Community Garden Partnership has 6 garden rental programs and 4 teaching garden
programs. Starting as a pilot project in 1999 the Community Garden Partnership continues
its mission of "Growing food, people and communities". The basic premise of developing
an agrarian skill base for our communities to secure their local food economy is the vision
that keeps our rental sites affordable to all. We have gardens in 3 counties and encourage
you to visit our webpage at www.goodwillncw.org.

Susan Richardson
Director
920-832-5119
susan.richardson@ces.uwex.edu

Got Dirt? Garden Initiative

The purpose of this initiative is to increase access to and consumption of fruits and vegetables through school, childcare and after school vegetable gardens. The initiative has the following components:

Training: Hands-on skill building experience for teachers, childcare providers and after school coordinators to prepare them to start gardens as well as how to find other expertise in their community.

Resources: The Got Dirt? Toolkit, information on various gardening techniques (cold frames, microfarms, container gardens, and classroom activities), and ideas for nutrition education.

Funding for this initiative is provided by the UW School of Medicine and Public Health from the Wisconsin Partnership Program. For more information about the initiative go to http://dhs.wisconsin.gov/health/physicalactivity/gotdirt.htm. or contact
Amy Meinen
(608) 267-9194
Amy.Meinen@wisconsin.gov
or
Bill Wright
(920)391-4658
wright_wp@co.brown.wi.us