CIAS research focuses on the sustainability of diverse crop and livestock systems. Our work includes pasture-based livestock production, fresh fruit and vegetable production and marketing, specialty crops, integrated farming systems and other topics.

Overview of Organic Cranberry Production

Organic cranberries are produced across the continent, with over 100 acres grown in Wisconsin. The major problems facing organic cranberry growers include weeds, insect pests, fruit rot and other fruit quality issues; but most significant is a 50% or more reduction in yield compared to conventional production. There is room for the organic cranberry market […] more

Specialty Cheese in Wisconsin: Opportunities and Challenges

The specialty cheese industry is one arena in the Upper Midwest where some dairy farmers can earn more than commodity prices for their milk. But like any business venture, making, marketing and distributing specialty cheese is not easy. Commodity cheese production in Wisconsin attracts most of the attention and resources. This report examines and describes […] more

Dairy Sheep Enterprise Budget

Low commodity prices have inspired farmers to look at alternative enterprises, like sheep dairies, to increase their farm incomes. With careful financial planning and management, sheep dairies can make money for farmers. CIAS has developed a spreadsheet to help farmers make financial and management decisions about new or existing dairy sheep enterprises. It is applicable […] more

The Social Implications of Management Intensive Rotational Grazing: An Annotated Bibliography

Management Intensive Rotational Grazing represents an increasingly attractive option for dairy farmers looking to cut costs and boost profits. The number of Wisconsin dairy farms practicing grazing has tripled in less than a decade. Academic literature on grazing has flourished along with the practice, but there is little available that summarizes grazing studies. There is […] more

Pastures of plenty: Financial performance of Wisconsin grazing dairy farms

Farms using managed grazing typically produce less milk per cow than confinement farms. However, a series of economic studies in Wisconsin and elsewhere show that, for many dairy farmers, the savings they realize using managed grazing more than offsets the loss in milk revenues due to lower production. These studies show that grazing farms are […] more

Stories From the Field: Environmental Research at the University of Wisconsin

CIAS and Wisconsin Public Television have produced a series of educational videos on sustainable agriculture and IPM for potatoes, apples, and fresh market vegetables. These videos can be viewed online at the Research Channel: Healthy Grown Potatoes Fresh Market Fruit and Vegetables, Part 1 Fresh Market Fruit and Vegetables, Part 2 more

Valuing labor and improving efficiency on an integrated farm (Research Brief #72)

Farmers Tony and Dela Ends want their farm to sustain the land and their family. They began selling subscriptions to their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm in 1994. They also wanted to successfully integrate livestock production into their farm through a value-added, direct marketing enterprise. Their goal was to do this in ways that respect the scale of a small family farm, satisfy their commitments to stewardship, and eliminate the need for off-farm income.

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Beneficial insect habitat in an apple orchard: Effects on pests (Research Brief #71)

Printer-friendly version (PDF) Apple orchards attract many kinds of insects that damage vegetation and fruit. But these orchard pests have insect enemies of their own. Growers can provide habitat for these natural enemies, also known as beneficial insects, as part of an integrated pest management (IPM) strategy that reduces the need for pesticides. more