Hard Cider in the North Central Region: Industry Survey Findings

A growing hard apple cider industry in the U.S. has the potential to contribute to local, sustainable food systems. In order to better understand this resurgent industry, CIAS surveyed hard apple cider businesses across 12 states in the North Central Region. more

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. more

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. more

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. more

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. more

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” […] more

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, […] more

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 […] more