EVENTS
Date: June 29, 2017, 3:30pm
Location: University Club, 803 State St.
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Date: July 21, 2017, 9am-2:30pm
Location: Bickford Organics, Ridgeway, WI
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Date: August 25, 2017, 6-8pm
Location: Michael Fields, East Troy, WI
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SUCCESS STORIES
As older farmers retire, fewer young farmers are stepping in to take their place. The number of beginning farmers dropped 20 percent in the last five-year census period, and the average US farmer now tops 58 years of age.
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CIAS supports innovative graduate student research addressing the challenges faced by small- and medium-sized farms and food businesses. Awarded annually, our competitive mini-grants aid students as they initiate their research in sustainable agriculture and food systems.
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DIRECTOR'S BLOG
Kat Becker and Tony Schultz, who own and operate Stoney Acres Farm in Marathon County, are featured in a
UW-Madison campaign to show how partnerships with citizens and businesses are furthering the
Wisconsin Idea in each of the state's 72 counties.
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Organic Agriculture in Wisconsin: 2017 Status Report
Wisconsin is a national leader in organic agriculture. Wisconsin had 1,334 organic farms in 2015, nearly doubling over the last 10 years. This puts our state in a good position to participate in the growing market for organic food, both in the U.S. and across the globe.
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Growing Midwestern Tree Nut Businesses: Five Case Studies
The Midwest is home to some successful nut businesses, and expanding tree nut production in this region can potentially increase the sustainability of agriculture and food systems.
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Organic Agriculture in Wisconsin: 2014 UW-Madison Research Report
This report summarizes 23 studies conducted by researchers in the UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) in partnership with farmers across the state. Those studies look at production practices for the state’s main agricultural products as well as farm management and marketing.
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The Driftless Region Food and Farm Project
The Driftless Region Food and Farm Project is a coalition of farmers, consumers, institutions, agencies and organizations. Together, they aspire to meet the growing demand for local food by scaling up the production, aggregation, processing, distribution and marketing of food in the Driftless Region of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois.
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Uncommon Fruits with Sustainability Potential
Since 2003, Carandale Farm has been evaluating 42 unusual fruits for environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The goal is to find nutrient-rich fruits that can be grown easily, without a lot of labor or chemicals. The fruits must provide economic viability for the farm. Carandale owners Dale and Cindy Secher are developing a “short list” […]
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Fruit with Potential for Wisconsin Farms
Carandale farm in Oregon, Wisconsin tested 99 cultivars of 34 unique fruit crop species during the 2003-2004 growing seasons. These fruit varieties are being evaluated for horticultural suitability and marketing potential. Several fruit crops are emerging as having high potential for economic and environmental sustainability. The top five promising plants include European Black Currants, Aronia, […]
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Switchgrass production for biomass (Research Brief #51)
Switchgrass offers a wide range of environmental benefits as an alternative energy crop. Switchgrass can reduce soil erosion and provide warm season pasture for most ruminants. Harvesting this crop in August can improve habitat for grassland birds. Burning switchgrass together with coal can generate electricity with lower emissions than coal alone. Currently, no biomass crop […]
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Echineacea as a tobacco crop alternative (Research Brief #48)
Many Wisconsin tobacco farmers are looking for alternative crops following the ongoing reductions in tobacco allotments and tobacco markets. Allotment reductions mean lower production levels and lower incomes for tobacco farmers. One crop proposed as an alternative to tobacco is echinacea (pronounced ek-in-a-sha), or purple coneflower, grown mainly for its medicinal root. Echinacea has enjoyed […]
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