2024 Impact
Supporting the Midwest’s regenerative and organic farmers for over 35 years.
Image credit: Adam Brown, Great Lakes Incubator Farm, Traverse City, Mich.
From The execuTive DirecTor
This past year marked the 35th year of convening organic farmers from across the Midwest. Amidst cake and remarks from the Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, we celebrated the longstanding importance of coming together as a community led by farmers. We offered intentional spaces for farmer-to-farmer learning and the Farmer Summits provided over 50 small breakout sessions on the most relevant topics related to climate, livestock, organic certification, wellness, and amazing farm hacks for small farms. Marbleseed trained farmer facilitators, and they ably hosted the process for each topic area.
Beyond the 35th annual organic farming conference, we made the most of the large governmental investments in helping farmers transition to organic, supporting conservation practices, and funding farmer contracts to grow food for their communities. We offered mentorship, hosted field days, wrote articles, contributed to webinars, and updated resources.
As we talked to and met more next generation farmers, we learned about the challenges of land access and tenure that is beyond the financials and rising cost of land. We heard heartbreaking stories of young families who finally found their dream farm, and moved out of the city, only to be met with hostility and in a few cases acts of racist violence. Two families were considering selling their farms and giving up on their aspirations to feed their communities and steward the land. Marbleseed responded with a new Allyship Program and group on the Ag Solidarity Network (ASN). This effort prepares folks to be upstanders in the face of discrimination and to join a ready group of allies that farmers in need can find in their community though the ASN. This year we offered that training as a pilot and based on the response, are looking forward to developing it further.
Although we still did not get a Farm Bill this year, the work continues to inform policy makers about critical programs that support small and medium-sized farms through sharing the costs of conservation practices, organic certification, and disaster assistance. After the second season of the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program and contracts with over 150 farmers, Marbleseed is committed to finding ways to keep and expand local markets for those farmers. The next Farm Bill could authorize that program into the future.
This past year also saw the run up to a major election. As the investments in small scale organic farms that feed us enabled Marbleseed to launch new programs, we felt the need to tell stories of farmers, and the opportunities new funding provided. We were hopeful that these new and longer grant cycles would afford us the opportunity to continue the work, no matter the outcome of the election.
We are grateful that this year enabled us to grow our community both within Wisconsin and across the upper Midwest. The expanded funding and staff also allowed us to provide monetary and educational resources to more farmers who are protecting thriving ecosystems and biodiversity through organic management and indigenous practices. The affinity groups that gathered at the annual conference continued to inform our work throughout the year.
And thanks to all of you farmers, eaters, and food system thinkers who joined us at events and supported Marbleseed this past year.
Lori Stern, Executive Director
2024 GranT ProGramminG
This section of our annual report provides an overview of our 2024 grant programming, highlighting the initiatives funded and their impact.
National Resources Conservation Service Organic Resource Partnership
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is prioritizing support for organic farms and their conservation needs as part of the Organic Transition Initiative (OTI). In 2024, NRCS partnered with Oregon Tilth to establish six organic specialists who will provide organic training for NRCS staff, develop regional networks, perform outreach to organic farmers and certifiers, and coordinate with the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). These specialists are located within each NRCS region (West, Central, and East) and hold joint positions between NRCS and organic partners including Oregon Tilth, Marbleseed, CCOF Foundation, Organic Agronomy Training Service, and the Organic Trade Association.
Addressing Farmer Mental Health through Education and Allyship
Much like the ecosystems that we are a part of, vibrant, viable, and sustainable communities are those that acknowledge and center the power of diversity. This is one reason why Marbleseed held our first allyship training in last fall—we were inspired to empower residents of rural areas to build welcoming communities and give them the tools to stand up for their neighbors of color after reports of racism, discrimination, and a lack of safety. Through our Allyship Training and the development of the Allyship Network on the Ag Solidarity Network (ASN), we aim to build stronger, more inclusive rural communities. This work is funded by and in partnership with: University of Illinois Farm and ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN), and University of Illinois Extension.
Pasture, Process, Plenty: Studying a Local Meat Supply Chain
The Pasture, Process, Plenty: Studying a Local Meat Supply Chain was initiated to address the meat processing challenges, both current and anticipated, impacting farmers, processors, and consumers in northwestern Wisconsin. The project began during the pandemic at a time when processing capacity was stretched to the limit everywhere and was presenting very real difficulties for small and medium-sized producers in the region. Two-year wait times for processing dates were a reality, forcing farmers to make tough decisions to limit the economic and management impacts on their operations. Funding for Pasture, Process Plenty was made possible by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service through grant AMS-LFPP.
Photo Credit: Vanessa Klemish, Siverling Centennial Farm, Bloomer Wis.
Farmer Advancement Program: Enhanced Mentorship and Business Technical Assistance
The goal of the Farmer Advancement Program: Enhanced Mentorship and Business Technical Assistance (FAP) is to address an ongoing gap in beginner farmer programming by focusing educational efforts on the farmers who are in their fifth to tenth years of farming. Beginning farmers who have made it through the start-up stage often start to experience burnout, and their agribusinesses struggle to take the next steps in growth. The FAP helps to alleviate these trends by providing farmers with the tools they need to overcome these barriers. Specifically, FAP offers a two-day workshop to boost farmers’ business skills called the New Farmer University, which features a presentation on Fearless Farm Financing, hands-on trainings at incubator farms, and pairs mentors and mentees for shared agribusiness learning. In 2025, we are excited to build off the foundation of our Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) with projects like Fearless Farm Finances.
Farmer Self-Organizing
Continuing to view the annual Marbleseed Conference as an important source of organizing groups, with events and meetings at the conference that form new groups and strengthen existing groups. Engaging with trained facilitators in pedagogical methods that rely on popular education for both community organizing and identifying and providing content topics that are most relevant within the context of the annual Organic Farming Conference and other farmer education throughout the year. Technology meets facilitation. Utilization of this training and pedagogical philosophy extends beyond the convergence day and into ongoing work with farmer groups in communities across the North Central Region, leading to more farmer-led education and farmer community organizing on behalf of human scale organic farms.
Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities
The USDA invested more than $3 billion in 135 innovative projects as part of their Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities (PCSC) program. This investment seeks to build agricultural resilience and expand market opportunities by investing in projects that utilize, enhance, or measure climate-smart practices that mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. There are diverse projects in each US state and territory that support farmers and ranches in their journey to implement climate-smart practices.
New
in 2024! Honoring our Elders: Growing Food for Well-being
The Honoring Our Elders program supports mental health for diverse farmer elders and their caregivers. A training curriculum will be developed and tweaked to meet the culturally relevant needs of our farming community whose focus is on growing cultural foods that link to lost ancestral lands. The program acknowledges the trauma and historical systemic practices that are direct results of ongoing discrimination for both elders and their caregivers and creates a Farmer Ally Network as a peer-support resource.
New in 2024! National Center for Appropriate Technology Bringing the Farm to School through New Connections
Marbleseed is a sub awardee of the National Center for Appropriate Technology on the Bringing the Farm to School program and will be developing farm-to-school programming with this funding support. Farm-to-school program implementation differs by location but is generally understood to include procurement, which is the purchasing of local foods from a farm or food hub; education, which refers to students participating in activities related to agriculture, food health, or nutrition; and school gardens, where students engage in hands-on learning through gardening, farmer mentorship, management of a garden, and on-site education.
Wisconsin Local Food Purchase Assistance
From 2023-2024, the Wisconsin Local Food Purchase Assistance program (WI LFPA) contracted with 188 small to mid-sized Wisconsin farmers to purchase over $2.95 million worth of food to be distributed to hunger relief efforts across the state through the WI LFPA Direct-to-Farm Grants. Marbleseed partnered with the Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection; Wisconsin Farmers Union; and the Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative to provide high-quality local produce, meats, and value-added products to food banks and pantries in 67 counties. Over 80% of the farmers participating in WI LFPA are from groups that have been historically underserved by farm services, and special emphasis of this program was given to providing high-quality, culturally relevant food with dignity.
Transition to Organic Partnership Program
The OTI is an unprecedented and historical $300 million multi-agency USDA effort unveiled by Secretary Vilsak in
2022. The goal of this national effort is to open opportunities for new and beginning farmers, build and strengthen organic markets and streams of income for farmers and producers, and expand direct consumer access to organic foods through increased production. Marbleseed is one of the lead agencies in Wisconsin as part of a Midwest cohort alongside Arkansas, Kentucky, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Ohio, and Tennessee. Billed as the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), Marbleseed works to recruit farmer mentors and match them up with mentees to increase the number of organically certified acres in the state and the number of organic farmers in our region.
New in 2024! The Midwest Agriculture Conservation Network
Marbleseed has been chosen to represent the Midwest Pilot Project of the National Healthy Soils Policy Network in an effort to incorporate more conservation practices on midwestern farms. Marbleseed will work directly with farmers to develop on-farm conservation practices supported by the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) as a part of a multi-state effort to partner farm advocacy organizations and the NRCS to increase program utilization by historically underserved populations of farmers. Groups defined by the USDA as historically underserved include farmers or ranchers who are beginning, socially disadvantaged, veterans, and/or limited resource.
Wisconsin Women in Conservation
Wisconsin Women in Conservation (WiWiC) is a state-wide collaborative effort led by the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in partnership with Renewing the Countryside, Marbleseed, and Wisconsin Farmers Union. This five-year project funded by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) brings together Wisconsin’s women landowners, farmers, farm workers, urban growers, and conservation professionals to connect and share about conservation practices, resources, and funding opportunities. To achieve this, WiWiC hosts innovative events, provides valuable resources, and fosters networking opportunities for women. With more than 1,500 women served through roughly 100 events in 2024, WiWiC has built strong relationships throughout the state and continues to serve women at all stages of their conservation journey.
Land Access, Connectors & Navigators
Marbleseed has been partnering with Renewing the Countryside to provide land access services to farmers in the Upper Midwest region through the Farmland Access Navigators program, Go Farm Connect, and Farmland Access Hub initiatives. The Farmland Access Hub is a consortium of partners including non-profits, government agencies, local companies, and private citizens dedicated to assisting beginning farmers with their quest for land tenure. By bringing together this large group, we can make a greater impact on land tenure in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin by: Pooling resources and knowledge, identifying beginning farmers in need of assistance, providing financial and technical resources, and aiding in a search for land tenure and suitable farmland.
Organic Conservation Partnership with Natural Resources Conservation Service
Marbleseed’s current partnership with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Wisconsin began in late 2022. This cooperative effort created a position for a state Organic Conservation Specialist. This specialist’s role is to provide training and support for NRCS staff as they work to serve certified and transitioning organic producers of every scale and production type. Additionally, they work to reach and inform farmers about the benefits of conservation planning and practices for their operations and provide these clients with technical assistance, resources, and direct planning assistance.
Farmer-to-Farmer menTorshiP ProGram
Marbleseed has continued to foster peer-to-peer learning and collaboration within the farming community, in the 17th year of our Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship Program. This program is designed to pair experienced organic farmers with those who are newer to the field or looking to improve specific practices. Through this mentorship, participants gain practical insights into organic farming techniques, business management, and resilience-building strategies in the face of challenges like climate change. In 2024, the program expanded to include more farmers from diverse backgrounds, ensuring that knowledge sharing is inclusive and reaches a broader audience across the Midwest. Eight mentors and mentees were paired in 2024.
Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship Through TOPP Marbleseed, in collaboration with the Midwest Organic Services Association and the Midwest TOPP partners provided TOPP mentorship. In 2024 we had 5 TOPP mentor pairs.
“[Farmer to Farmer Mentorship] is a great program to connect folks interested in learning hands-on with others who have that same excitement for sharing and helping” - Walt Allen Ruben, mentorship program participant
35th Annual marbleseeD orGanic FarminG conFerence
In February 2024, Marbleseed marked a major milestone with the celebration of its 35th Organic Farming Conference, held in La Crosse, Wis. This annual event has long been a cornerstone for the organic farming community, providing a platform for education, networking, and innovation. The 2024 conference, however, was especially meaningful due to its landmark anniversary. Over the years, the conference has grown into the largest organic farming gathering in the United States, and this year’s event continued that tradition by offering a robust lineup of workshops, keynote speakers, and handson sessions. Farmers, researchers, and policymakers convened to discuss the latest advancements in organic practices, soil health, and sustainable food systems. The conference also offered an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the organic movement over the past 35 years, while looking forward to the future of organic agriculture.
At our 2024 Conference, Marblelseed embraced the success of our Farmer Viability Convergence, and integrated feedback to improve and expand upon this concept with an expansion of the Convergence. We kicked off Thursday afternoon with Farmer Summits, taking an “unconference” approach. Centering self-organizing, there is no strict pre-defined agenda, instead farmers suggested topics according to their interests and needs around five key themes of Wellness, Organic Production, Farm Hacks + DIY, Livestock, and Climate and Conservation. On Friday, there were opportunities to continue these discussions over lunch in a format we are calling the Farmer Café. We expanded the lunch hour on Friday to include Farmer Cafés, literal “round tables” with designated topics chosen by those present. And finally, because great learning environments give us time to reflect on new content and plan for how to use it, we wrapped up Saturday afternoon with another Convergence.
The trade show opened the evening of Feb. 22 and ran through Feb. 24. It featured more than 150 vendors—buyers, suppliers, and organizations offering services that support farmers. We welcomed keynote speakers Anna Hammond of Matriark Foods; Ben Hartman, Farmer and Author; and Jim Kleinschmidt of Other Half Processing. Their keynote address tackled waste and offered insights into how to view it as a potential opportunity. Marbleseed also honored 2024 Organic Farmers of the Year, Full Circle Community Farm and 2024 Changemaker, The Great Lakes Intertribal Food Coalition.
Praise from 2024 conference attendees:
“Attending my first Marbleseed Conference by applying for the scholarship program has been a life-changing resource! I wouldn’t have been able to afford the conference on my own so I am very grateful. Learning and making connections has made a big impact on my business!”
“The annual conference has always provided a wealth of information that influences our farm business. It is also a much-anticipated opportunity to network and reconnect with other regional farms.”
Photo Credit: Justine Bursoni
2024 FielD Days
We hosted an array of Field Days in 2024 from Wisconsin to Minnesota. In June 2024, we joined the Marbleseed Farmers of the Year for a tour of their farm to learn from their diversified enterprises including organic vegetables, grass-fed beef, pastured pork and poultry, as well as conservation practices implemented on the farm. The Adamski family’s roots stretch back five generations on their 240-acre farm in Seymour, Wis. Rick and Valerie use managed grazing as the cornerstone method for raising certified organic beef. The farm provides a balanced ecological system to protect waterways, increase soil health and sequester carbon, and increase wildlife and biodiversity. This Field Day was put on with financial assistance from the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP).
We joined Wisconsin Women in Conservation (WiWiC) in Amery Wis. in July 2024, for the WiWiC Bus tour and had an amazing time crisscrossing Dairyland’s fields and farms learning about different conservation practices that the women stewards of Wisconsin have implemented on their land, as well as their farming styles, from grazing to seed saving. The Conservation Bus Tour included scenic drives through rural Wisconsin, from the bleating of goats under managed grazing to the importance of native plants.
In August of 2024, Marbleseed partnered with OGRAIN at the Arlington Agricultural Research Station. We spent the morning touring the station to check out the latest research in organic grains and forages. This year’s field trials include roller crimping, strip tilling, planting into hairy vetch, and dry bean variety testing. Afterwards, we discussed climate-smart commodities opportunities.
Praise from 2024 Field Day
Attendees:
“The launch of WiWiC bus tour was a great success! We were lucky to have very engaged women conservationists who joined us and asked thoughtful questions and shared knowledge.”
“Wonderful to make incredible connections.”
Photo Credit; Bonnie Warndahl
Ag SolidarityneTwork
In 2021-2022, Marbleseed partnered with FairShare CSA, Organic Farmers Association, and OGRAIN to collaboratively develop and launch a free, online community platform named the Ag Solidarity Network (ASN; agsolidaritynetwork.com). The platform connects a diverse network of farmers, farmworkers, homesteaders, and food system professionals who are collectively growing the organic movement so they can cross-pollinate ideas, ask questions, and build power. Marbleseed hosted an official launch of the ASN in May 2023, which included a Member Meet N’ Greet, Platform Q&A, Farmer Education Workshops, and Ask a Specialist Office Hours. As of 2024, the platform is available in both English and Spanish and has over 1,300 users. Acting as a perpetual resource, the ASN provides opportunities for farmers and manufacturers to close the loop in domestic supply chains and for everyone in the ag and farming community to learn, connect, and build power together.
BUILD YOUR COMMUNITY, JOIN THE AG SOLIDARITY NETWORK
Connect with and learn from a diverse network of farmers, farmer-workers, homesteaders, and food system professionals. Join groups that match with your expertise & interests. Post and search for job opportunities, events, and classifieds.
Marbleseed by The
numbers
The Organic Broadcaster reached 15,000 subscribers and over 10,000 people received Marbleseed’s online newsletter
Over 1,600 farmers, homesteaders, and food system professionals attended the 35th Annual Organic Farming Conference in LaCrosse, Wis.
Marbleseed paired 8 mentors and mentees through the Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship Program
28 beginning farmers attended Marbleseed’s 2024 New Farmer U
$62,938 was raised for farmer-led events, programs, and publications
Endless thank you to our suPPorTers
In 2024, Marbleseed expanded its impact, strengthening our ability to provide organic farmers with the resources, education, and advocacy they need to succeed. Through a combination of individual donations, grant funding, and community-driven fundraising events, we increased our capacity to serve small and mid-scale organic producers across the Midwest. This year brought exciting growth, including new grant funding, an expansion of our programming and staff, increased engagement with local restaurants in the form of a distributed fundraiser and the milestone of the 35th anniversary of our Annual Organic Farming Conference. We are incredibly grateful to our foundation partners, individual donors, and the entire Marbleseed community for their dedication to a more just and resilient food system.
We also want to extend our deepest gratitude to those who made a one-time or recurring donation in 2023-2024. This year, 569 donors contributed $62,938 to support farmer-led events, programs, and publications. As a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, we depend on individual donations, grants, and strategic partnerships with mission-driven businesses and foundations to sustain and grow our work. For more than 35 years, your contributions have made it possible to provide free and low-cost, farmer-led resources that strengthen organic farm businesses and the broader organic farming movement. At a time when agriculture and the food and farming system face increasing challenges, Marbleseed is making a real difference for farmers and the future of our food system. Your support fuels a vibrant network of human-scale farms committed to sustainable practices that enrich the land, protect water sources, and nurture thriving ecosystems. Thank you for being part of this essential work.
We are especially grateful to our Engaged Donors who gave $300 or more:
Ahan
Amilinda
Sam Atkins
Sarah Bull Compeer
Loften Deprez
Ruth Eggert Linnemann
Susan Ela
Tatiana Giacinti
Alison Gregory
Mike & Sharon Grinker
Emelie Haigh
Todd & Lin Jennewine Huffman
Johnny’s Selected Seeds
Joel Koplos
The Minneapolis Foundation
Alpa Goswami
Doug Nopar & JoAnn Thomas
Thomas Manley
Linda & Gordon Olson
La Crosse Distilling
Marty’s Deli
Patagonia
David Perkins
Tim & Betsy Pierce
Mikol Sesker
F. Sommers
Nicholas Stapel
Lori Stern
Target
Lori Tauring & Renee Tierney
Gene & Patricia Thomas
Stephen Tiwald
Wendy Watson
Western Wisconsin Health
Carla Wright
Photo Credit: Falfa-Divide Farm, Fairchild, Wis.
Endless thank you to our ParTners
Partnerships are crucial to Marbleseed’s success as they expand our reach, enhance our resources, and foster collaborative solutions to address complex challenges in sustainable agriculture.
ABC Consulting LLC
Ahan
Albers Kuhn
Amilinda
Ann McDonald State Farm Agency
Artisan Grain Collaborative
Big River Farm
California Certified Organic Farmers Foundation (CCOF)
Cattail Organics
Central Rivers Farmshed
Ciranda
Clif Bar Family Foundation
Compeer
DC Farm for Vets
Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP)
Driftless Seed Company
Eau Claire Area Hmong Mutual Assistance Association, Inc (ECAHMAA)
Emerging Crops Coalition
Equity Wisconsin
Fairshare CSA
Farley Center
Farm Aid
Farmers Advocating for Organics (FAFO)
Farmers Rising
Fondy Farm Project
For Independent Hmong Farmers Corp.
Full Circle Community Farm
Grain Millers
Grassworks
Hmong American Association of Portage County
Hunger Task Force
Interpreters’ Cooperative of Madison
La Crosse Distilling
Mad Agriculture
Marty’s Deli
McKnight Foundation
Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (MFAI)
Midwest Agriculture Conservation Network (MACN)
Midwest Organic Services Association (MOSA)
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC)
NCR-SARE
New Harvest Foundation
New Hmong Professional
Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association (OEFFA)
Oregon Tilth
Organic Agronomy Training Service (OATS)
Organic Farmers’ Agency for Relationship Marketing (OFARM)
Organic Farmers Association (OFA)
Organic Farming Research Forum (OFRF)
Organic Grain Resource and Information Network (OGRAIN)
Organic Trade Association (OTA)
Organic Valley
Outpost Natural Food Co-op
Partners in Food + Farming
Patagonia
Philidelphia Community Farm
REAP Food Group
Renewing the Countryside
Seasonal Harvest
Second Harvest Food Bank of Wisconsin
Sharing Our Roots
Sinsinawa Mound Collaborative Farm
Sno Pac
Stepping Stones
Sunrise Foods International Tend Foods
Tennesse State University (TSU)
The Common Market, Great Lakes
The Food Group
The Good Acre
The Neighbors Place
University of Ill. Extension
University of Ill. Farm and Ranch
Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN)
University of Wis. Climate Resilient Organic Vegetable Production
University of Wis.-Madison
Extension Emerging Crops Coalition
Vang Council of LaCrosse
we have always been related Wello
Wisconsin Farmers Union (WFU)
Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative (WFHC)
Wisconsin Natural Resources
Conservation Service (WI NRCS)
Wisconsin Women in Conservation (WiWIC)
Wonderstate
Endless thank you to our FounDaTion GranT ParTners
Albers Kuhn Family Foundation
Farm Aid
Clif Family Foundation
New Harvest Foundation
Compeer Financial
Photo Credit: Patrick Maloney, Maloney Cattle, Ellsworth Wis.
Funding Sources
*includes
Expenses
2024 Board of Directors
Katie Bishop, PrairiErth Farm, Ill.
Dylan Bruce, Circadian Organics, Wis. – Secretary
Dan Cornelius, Yowela Farms, University of Wisconsin - Great Lakes Indigenous Law Center, Wis.
Dela Ends, Scotch Hill Farm, Wis.
– Board President
Clare Hintz, Elsewhere Farm, Wis.
Kattia Jimenez, Pura Vida Organic Farm LLC, Wis.
Charlie Johnson, Johnson Farms, S.D.
Kathleen Delate, Iowa State University, Iowa
Eliana Pinilla, Chicago Food Policy Council, Ill.
Darin Von Ruden, Von Ruden Family Farm, Wis. – Treasurer
Maria Valkusas Rosmann, Rosmann Family Farms, Iowa