Michael Fields Agricultural Institute Inc

WISCONSIN WOMEN IN CONSERVATION: INCREASING EDUCATION, SUPPORT ANDRESOURCES FOR WOMEN LANDOWNERS

IMPROVING ORGANIC MAIZE PRODUCTION IN THE NORTHERN CORN BELT - 1. JOINT RELEASE OF CORN GERMPLASM WITH TRAITS DESIRED BY ORGANIC CORN PRODUCERS IN THE NORTHERN CORN BELT INCLUDING IMPROVED NUTRITIONAL QUALITY AND POLLEN EXCLUSION SYSTEMS. 2. DEVELOP AGRONOMIC SYSTEMS SUITABLE FOR ORGANIC PRODUCERS IN THE NORTHERN CORN BELT THAT IMPROVE SOIL HEALTH AND WEED CONTROL USING AS COVER CROPS, OPTIMIZED PLANTING DENSITIES AND CORN VARIETY SELECTION. THIS INCLUDES DEVELOPMENT OF RELIABLE NO-TILL ORGANIC CORN SYSTEMS.

BEGINNING FOOD-GRADE GRAIN FARMERS FACE DAUNTING BARRIERS TO ENTRY, INCLUDING EQUIPMENT PROCUREMENT, POST-HARVEST GRAIN MANAGEMENT, AND DIRECT MARKETING KNOW-HOW. THESE PROBLEMS ARE PARTICULARLY ACUTE FOR BEGINNING WOMEN FARMERS, WHO ARE INCREASINGLY INTERESTED IN PRODUCING FOOD-GRADE GRAIN BUT EXPERIENCE A LACK OF SOCIETAL SUPPORT, SUGGESTING THE NEED FOR WOMEN-TO-WOMEN SUPPORT. OUR COLLABORATION AMONG TWO NGO FARMER-SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS (RECEIVING 70% OF FEDERAL FUNDS AWARDED) AND UW-MADISON EXTENSION'S OGRAIN PROGRAM (RECIPIENT OF TWO PRIOR BFRDP GRANTS, NUMBERS 2017-70017-26856 AND 2015-70017-23899), WILL DEVELOP A FARMER MENTORSHIP PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY FOR BEGINNING FOOD-GRADE GRAIN FARMERS BY RECRUITING BEGINNING FARMERS AND EXPERIENCED GRAIN FARMER MENTORS. THE PROGRAM WILL BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AMONG MENTOR-MENTEE FARMER PAIRS THROUGH MONTHLY PROGRAMMING OVER A 15-MONTH PERIOD, IN TWO COHORTS, TO INCLUDE SPECIAL-TOPICS WORKSHOPS, FIELD DAYS, SEMINARS, AND SPECIAL CONFERENCESESSIONS, SOME FOR WOMEN FARMERS ONLY. TO SUPPORT BEGINNING FARMERS IN MARKET DEVELOPMENT AND FINANCIAL RESILIENCY FOR THEIR OPERATIONS, WE WILL FACILITATE DIRECT SALES OF FOOD-GRADE GRAINS BY HOSTING FARMER/END-USER NETWORKING EVENTS (FACILITATING 100 BEGINNING FARMER AND BUYER INTERACTIONS), AND WILL TRAIN AT LEAST 30 END-USERS ON HOW TO PROCURE LOCALLY PRODUCED GRAINS. WE WILL CREATE 30 FARMER PAIRS (30 BEGINNING FARMERS PAIRED WITH 30 EXPERIENCED FARMERS; 60 FARMERS SERVED), RESERVING ONE-THIRD OF MENTORSHIP SLOTS AND PROJECT RESOURCES FOR BEGINNING WOMEN FARMERS AND MENTORS (SUPPORTING 20 WOMEN FARMERS DURING THE PROJECT). OUR MENTORSHIP PROGRAM WILL ADDRESS THE PROGRAM AND SERVICE PRIORITIES: A) BASIC FARMING PRACTICES; C) ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND BUSINESS TRAINING; G) DIVERSIFICATION AND MARKETING STRATEGIES; AND I) MENTORING, APPRENTICESHIPS, AND INTERNSHIPS.

TO ASSIST BIPOC, IMMIGRANT, AND VETERAN FARMERS IN MICHIGAN, WISCONSIN, AND ILLINOIS IN DEVELOPING CRITICAL SKILLS NEEDED TO MAINTAIN LONG TERM CAREERS IN FARMING AND REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS THROUGH ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND MARKETING SKILLS.

WOMEN CHAMPIONING CONSERVATION

STRENGTHENING PUBLIC CORN BREEDING TO ENSURE THAT ORGANIC FARMERS HAVE ACCESS TO ELITE CULTIVARS: BREEDING FOR THE UPPER MIDWEST

CONNECT MILWAUKEE-AREA INDIVIDUALS TO ORGANIZATIONS AND RESOURCES THAT ARE FOCUSED ON SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION EDUCATION, COMMUNITY NETWORKING, AND RESOURCE SHARING.

DEVELOPING HIGH QUALITY CORN FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMERS IN THE NORTHERN CORN BELT

DEVELOPING HIGH QUALITY CORN FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMERS IN THE NORTHERN CORN BELT

DEVELOPING HIGH QUALITY CORN FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMERS IN THE NORTHERN CORN BELT

DEVELOPING HIGH QUALITY CORN FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMERS IN THE NORTHERN CORN BELT

DEVELOPING HIGH QUALITY CORN FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMERS IN THE NORTHERN CORN BELT

DEVELOPING HIGH QUALITY CORN FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMERS IN THE NORTHERN CORN BELT

DEVELOPING HIGH QUALITY CORN FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMERS IN THE NORTHERN CORN BELT

ADDRESSING TRANSITIONAL ECONOMICS TO INCREASE CONSERVATION ADOPTION FORCLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE

DEVELOPING HIGH QUALITY CORN FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMERS IN THE NORTHERN CORN BELT

DEVELOPING HIGH QUALITY CORN FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMERS IN THE NORTHERN CORN BELT

EMPLOY A TECHNICAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST FOR WIWIC, WRITING CONSERVATION PLANS AND PROVIDING TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR WOMEN PRODUCERS IN WISCONSIN.

DIVERSIFYING THE FARMERS MARKET MODEL

2015 EDUCATION AWARD

DEVELOPING HIGH QUALITY CORN FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMERS IN THE NORTHERN CORN BELT

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** A SMALL BUT GROWING SEGMENT OF THE MIDWEST REGION'S IMPORTANT ORGANIC GRAIN PRODUCTION INDUSTRY FOCUSES ON FOOD-GRADE GRAINS-HIGHER VALUE GRAIN CROPS INTENDED FOR DIRECT HUMAN CONSUMPTION, OFTENTIMES DISTRIBUTED THROUGH LOCAL PROCESSORS AND MANUFACTURERS. THE PRODUCTION OF FOOD-GRADE GRAINS FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES HAS PROMOTED WELL-BEING, RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH, AND CONTRIBUTED TO DEMAND FOR ORGANIC GRAINS. THUS FAR, FOOD-GRADE GRAIN PRODUCTION HAS BEEN DOMINATED BY WHEAT AND CORN, BUT OATS AND BUCKWHEAT ARE GROWN BY FARMERS IN ROTATION BECAUSE OF THEIR AGRONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS; HOWEVER, A CURRENT LACK OF MARKETS, RESOURCES, AND PROCESSING INFRASTRUCTURE PREVENTS GROWERS FROM SELLING THESE CROPS AT PROFITABLE PRICES. FOOD-GRADE GRAINS HAVE NOT RECEIVED MUCH ATTENTION FROM PUBLIC RESEARCH OR EXTENSION AGENCIES AS THEY ARE CONSIDERED MINOR CROPS; HOWEVER, OUR GROWER-FOCUSED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS HAVE RECEIVED INCREASING INQUIRIES FROM FARMERS REGARDING RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT TO IMPROVE INFORMATION AVAILABILITY FOR THESE CROPS. PRELIMINARY STAKEHOLDER DISCUSSIONS HAVE REVEALED A NEED FOR MORE ECONOMIC COST/RETURN PRODUCTION DATA, AGRONOMIC MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS, CROP VARIETY AVAILABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT, PROCESSING AND END-USER CAPACITY, AND REGIONAL NETWORK DEVELOPMENT. GIVEN THE DEARTH OF FOUNDATIONAL INFORMATION RELATED TO THESE CROPS, WE HAVE DEVELOPED A PLANNING PROJECT PROPOSAL TO BUILD THE FOUNDATION TO STRATEGICALLY DESIGN A LARGER PROJECT THAT GENERATES RECOMMENDATIONS FROM FUNDAMENTAL ECONOMIC AND AGRONOMIC AND CROP RESEARCH, TO VALUE CHAIN AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT. DURING THIS PLANNING PROJECT, WE WILL PERFORM ANALYSES OF EXISTING ECONOMIC INFORMATION TO DEVELOP PRELIMINARY COST AND RETURN ESTIMATES FOR OAT AND BUCKWHEAT PRODUCTION ON SMALL AND MIDSIZE FARMS IN THE MIDWESTAT THE FARM LEVEL, AS WELL AS ADOPTION BY LOCAL/REGIONAL FOOD BUSINESSES. WE WILL ADDRESS THE LACK OF RESOURCES FOR ORGANIC GROWERS IN DECISION MAKING AROUND OAT AND BUCKWHEAT VARIETY SELECTION FOR FOOD GRADE SPECIFICALLY, ESPECIALLY FOR BUCKWHEAT, WHERE VIRTUALLY NO VARIETY DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN PERFORMED IN THE REGION FOR CULINARY BUCKWHEAT APPLICATIONS. TO CONNECT ACTORS THROUGHOUT THE LOCAL/REGIONAL SUPPLY CHAIN TO BEGIN NETWORK DEVELOPMENT AND CREATE COMMON PURPOSE AROUND IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITES AND CHALLENGES, WE WILL CONVENE AT LEAST SIX FOCUS GROUPS WITH SEED INDUSTRY EXPERTS, PLANT BREEDERS, GROWERS, GRAIN CLEANERS, MILLERS, DISTILLERS, CHEFS, AND OTHER END USERS. FOCUS GROUP PRIORITY SETTING AROUND FIELD RESEARCH AND SUPPLY CHAIN DEVELOPMENT NEEDS WILL BE USED TO DEVELOP RESEARCH AND ECONOMIC OBJECTIVES FOR AN OREI IMPLEMENTATION PROPOSAL. WE WILL ALSO CONVENE A TEAM OF REGIONAL OR TRANSREGIONAL COLLABORATORS FROM DIFFERENT SUPPLY CHAIN SECTORS TO PARTICIPATE IN DEVELOPING ATIER I OR II OREI IMPLEMENTATION PROPOSAL TO BE SUBMITTED IN THE FY2025 FUNDING CYCLE. IN THE NEAR TERM, THIS PROJECT WILL GENERATE A VARIETY TRIAL REPORT, A,COST/RETURNS ECONOMIC FACTSHEET, AND A MULTIMEDIA REPORT ON FOCUS GROUP LEARNINGS, TO BE SHARED VIA THE WEB WITH MIDWEST GRAIN CHAIN STAKEHOLDERS.

RURAL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE GRANTS

DEVELOPING HIGH QUALITY CORN FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMERS IN THE NORTHERN CORN BELT

BUILDING COVER CROPS KNOWLEDGE