In 1988, a small group of organic vegetable growers in Wisconsin formed a cooperative to provide stable and fair prices to its members. With the addition of dairy farmer members and an explosion of consumer interest in organic dairy products, the dairy segment of the co-op grew rapidly. It evolved into Organic Valley, the largest organic, farmer-owned cooperative in North America. [...more]

In 1986, 14 Oregon ranchers formed a cooperative—Country Natural Beef—to escape the roller-coaster cycles of the commodity cattle market and achieve predictable, relatively stable, premium prices. For its rancher members, simply changing their mindset from producing for a commodity market to producing for a final consumer was a major challenge that paid off. [...more]

There is growing consumer interest in dairy products from grass-fed cows. Consumers are increasingly aware of the environmental, health and taste benefits of eating dairy and other animal products from livestock fed using managed grazing. If this interest translates into demand, it may open new value-added markets for farmers who use managed grazing. [...more]

Case studies of four innovative enterprises—Country Natural Beef, CROPP/Organic Valley, Shepherd’s Grain and Red Tomato—offer models of how mid-sized farms and ranches can prosper through producing and selling high-quality, differentiated food products into a variety of markets. [...more]

CIAS houses the Great Lakes Region Farm to School Program Network, one of eight regional lead agencies of the National Farm to School Program. Its mission is to institutionalize and catalyze farm to school programs in order to provide viable models for improving the economic sustainability of family-scale farmers and supporting child nutrition efforts. [...more]

This survey explored the views, opinions and perceptions of Wisconsin dairy producers about custom grazing heifers. Findings included: All types of Wisconsin dairy producers perceive that grazing has positive implications for the health and productivity of dairy heifers. In order to appeal to Wisconsin dairy producers, potential custom grazing heifer operations must be cost competitive. Confinement operations are [...] [...more]

CIAS staff member Steve Stevenson is co-author of a new book on the crisis faced by mid-scale farms and ranches, and strategies for reviving these operations. Food and the Mid-Level Farm makes it clear that the demise of midsize farms and ranches is not a foregone conclusion and that the renewal of an agriculture of [...] [...more]

While Wisconsin is known as America’s Dairyland, the state’s beef industry is also thriving. Beef cows, beef heifers over 500 pounds, steers and other heifers (excluding dairy heifers) account for nearly 23% of the total cattle population in the state. Wisconsin’s beef farmers and livestock specialists understand the overall characteristics of the beef industry in Wisconsin, but [...] [...more]

Wisconsin is well positioned to reap the benefits sown by our organic farmers, processors and other businesses. With continued support for and investment in organics, Wisconsin will remain a leader in organic agriculture. With a focus on organic dairy, this report describes production, processing and economic issues in organic agriculture. It also includes farm profiles, an [...] [...more]

Printer-friendly version (PDF) Many Wisconsin dairy farmers choose to have their young stock custom raised by someone else. This lets them concentrate on what they do best-manage the cows that produce milk-and frees up land and facilities for their milking herds. But dairy farmers are concerned about the price of custom heifer raising, and some transport [...] [...more]