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]

Is your class or dorm reading the campus common book—In Defense of Food—this fall? Are you looking for people who can bring this book to life and add depth to your discussion? CIAS recently launched a website that can link you to faculty, staff, farmers and entrepreneurs working in sustainable agriculture and food systems. The site also includes links to relevant programs and groups on campus, as well as organizations working across the spectrum of conventional and sustainable agriculture. Visit gobigread.cias.wisc.edu to take advantage of these resources! [...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]

Crops that are grown solely to provide soil cover or for the purposes of increasing soil fertility are referred to as cover crops or green manures. Due their ability to protect and enhance soils, cover crops are considered a fundamental aspect of any sustainable cropping system. [...more]

CIAS builds partnerships to incubate innovative ideas in agriculture, research new specialty crops, build markets for local food, train the next generation of farmers, survey organic agriculture, reduce pesticide use on farms, increase profit on family farms, and more. This document describes new projects we are launching, projects we're currently working on, and long-term projects we continue to monitor. [...more]

Wisconsin's colleges and universities offer a variety of classes and programs in sustainable agriculture, from practical skills taught at the technical colleges to a graduate degree in Agroecology at UW-Madison. In addition, student groups at a number of colleges offer non-formal opportunities for learning about and promoting sustainable agriculture. [...more]

Whether you are cooking at home or enjoying a meal out on the town, the 2009 Southern Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas can steer you to local, sustainably grown food. The 2009 edition will be available for free in Madison and across southern Wisconsin beginning April 18. [...more]

Farmers use a variety of systems to raise healthy animals. Today, most meat in the grocery store or at the local restaurant is from animals that were raised in a feedlot and fed significant amounts of grain in addition to hay and pasture. Grass-fed meat is from animals that are put “out on grass,” or fed a forage diet. [...more]