Marbleseed Programmatic Overview
Lori Stern, Executive Director
Alexandria Baker, Development and Communications Director
Sarah Broadfoot, Operations Director
Alondra Cano, Farmer Education Specialist
Sophia Cleveland, Administrative Coordinator
Jo Facklam, Communications Manager
Tay Fatke, Farmer Education Manager
Alpa Goswami, Program Director
Sam Gutierrez, Operations and Events Coordinator
Tom Manley, Climate and Conservation Director/ Organic Conservation Specialist
Sara Mooney, Local Food Purchasing Specialist
Kaleb Ortner, Organic Agronomy Specialist
Victoria Ostenso, Farmer Network Manager
Marguerite Rapp, Communications and Publications Specialist
Mercedes Talvitie, Climate and Conservation Manager
Nou Thao, Local Food Purchasing Specialist
Rachel Wood, Conference and Partnerships Manager
Cover photo credit: Canoe Creek Produce, Decorah, Iowa
The Marbleseed origin story includes the coming together of a group of farmers excited by the opportunity of a national, third-party verified, certified organic label. Previous to the passage of the Organic Food Production Act, organic standards were local and varied. Without a clear definition of “organic,” it was challenging for farmers to market their products with integrity. Farmers were eager to gain certification under this hard-fought label.
They came together as a community to celebrate and learn, and as the need for guidance on topics from production to record-keeping grew, so did what has now become the Marbleseed Organic Farming Conference. This annual event, held in La Crosse, Wis., draws attendees from 39 states and often other countries. Because of this early farmer leadership, Wisconsin has the second largest number of organic farms in the country.
There have been many changes in the last 36 years of gathering for the conference. The certified organic label has garnered a large market and the support of consumers. However, this has also attracted larger farms and big agricultural interest. Many farmers mourn the loss of what was a very grassroots, farmer-led movement. Reflective of agriculture generally, these first certified organic farmers are aging out of farming.
Like the “back to the land” movement of the 1970s that drew young people into farming organically, there is a next generation of farmers eager to grow food for their communities and heal the planet. The role of farmer mentors is critical for many of these beginning farmers who do not have the benefit of family farm knowledge or inter-generational wealth or land access. They are often from communities that have lacked access to healthy food; however, they are eager to steward the land, find cooperative and collective models of land access, and build community.
Farmer led in this moment draws on deep, land-based cultural knowledge of ecosystems. Production systems are rooted in organic, although not necessarily certified organic. Marbleseed acts as a convener for sharing knowledge and creating space for a diversity of ways of knowing and understanding the natural world.
There are many motivations to organically manage the farm. Farmer led means meeting farmers where they are and validating the commitment to regeneration and nonGMO, chemical-free practices. Pest and weed pressures remain huge challenges for farmers, along with weather events and a changing climate.
Marbleseed’s events, resources, and educational approach relies on listening to farmers’ needs in all areas of farming. Marbleseed also implemented one of the first farmer mentorship programs in the country which has run continuously for seventeen years.
Our programming is far more extensive and year-round
than it was when those first certified organic farmers came together and envisioned the conference. Yet our board members are still farmers. And many of our staff members are farmers as well. And we still rely on farmer voices to guide our work and priorities. As agriculture professionals, Marbleseed staff continually are looking for ways to meet the knowledge and skill needs of human-scale, organically managed farms. In 2023, we implemented Farmer Summits within our annual conference to provide a format for farmer-to-farmer education on topics of interest in real time. In 2024, over 30 breakout sessions were created by attendees during the Farmer Summits on five critical themes.
Thirty-six conferences later, it is possible to “Google it” when you stumble upon a mystery pest or leaf spots. Tutorials on YouTube demonstrate rotational grazing and setting up electric fences. Gathering on farms and in La Crosse may also offer knowledge and skills, but it is the energy of being with other farmers and learning in community that provides the true value.
Marbleseed by the nuMbers:
• Marbleseed paired 12 mentors and mentees through the Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship Program in 2023 and 11 in 2024.
• 62 beginning farmers attended Marbleseed’s 2023 New Farmer U, and 25 in 2024.
• The Organic Broadcaster reaches 14,300 subscribers.
• 16,300 people receive Marbleseed’s online newsletter.
• Over 1,800 farmers, homesteaders, and food system professionals attend Marbleseed’s Annual Organic Farming Conference in La Crosse, Wis.
• Marbleseed’s Organic Field Days showcased five successful organic farms to 321 attendees in 2023, and 15 farms to 325 attendees in 2024.
testiMonials:
[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
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.
Because of Marbleseed’s educational resources, I have felt empowered to transition my farm to organic and regenerative. The networking I have been able to do with the Marbleseed community and like-minded partners has been an incredible blessing.
Always helpful when an article touches on an issue we have on our farm. Hearing how other people deal with those struggles helps us relate and not be so hard on ourselves.
HealTH TH rougH eduC aTion and allysH ip
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 October—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.
After being contacted by several farmers who had experienced discrimination in a range of forms, from being ignored as vendors at local farmers markets to graffiti and killing livestock, as an organization it felt urgent to do something. We have folks on staff that are navigating these issues as well. The Allyship Project is based on the process of how to create welcoming communities and how to identify and connect with allies.
Many rural spaces face unique challenges when it comes to combating discrimination and promoting inclusivity. The geographic isolation of rural communities can sometimes make issues of racism and discrimination more pronounced. This is why understanding the specific context of ‘isms’—racism, sexism, ableism, and others—in these spaces is crucial. Our work is focused on educating allies and upstanders who are committed to making a difference. By equipping individuals with the tools and skills to recognize, respond to, and prevent discrimination, we aim to create safe, diverse communities where everyone can thrive.
The goal of welcoming rural spaces also links to efforts around farmland access. Rural land tends to be more affordable than property in suburban rings closer to large population centers. Farmers seeking land where they are clearly “other” adds to feelings of isolation if they experience discrimination. We have also heard stories of next generation farmers of color finally finding the perfect farm, only to sell at a loss a year later because they were being targeted and had nowhere to turn.
We know many in the Marbleseed community and in rural communities as well see the value of diversity and the importance of inviting the next generation of farmers into their communities. They too are left feeling unable to stand up for their neighbors. This project addresses skill-building while also creating a visible network of upstanders so that any farmer can easily locate the support they need.
Allyship is not just about understanding discrimination; it’s about taking action. Our allyship training programs are designed to help individuals become active allies who stand up for others, even when it’s uncomfortable. Participants are reminded of the racism in agriculture, referencing Pigford v. Glickman, 40 acres and a mule, and Sundown
towns throughout the nation. They start to see why many rural places continue to be unwelcoming and even hostile.
We have all been in a situation where we did not speak up because we felt unprepared or did not know what to say or do. Later in the car or at home it occurs to us all what we could have done. Because the training portion of the project is skills-based, there are small group discussions that anticipate the various barriers and challenges to overcome or address situations. Through role play of real-life scenarios, participants engage in conversations and learn how to apply upstander strategies to mindfully confront and address discrimination while keeping themselves safe.
Building a network to keep participants connected, even outside of training, is critical to the Allyship Network. By connecting rural residents and farmers on the ASN, we are creating a web of support and shared responsibility. This network allows us to amplify voices, share resources, and work together to dismantle systems of discrimination in our communities. Farmers can use the ASN to search for allies near them. One Black farmer even suggested that this network could be a source of information on where to look for farmland in a community where there are more allies. Perhaps this work will help keep another family from selling the farm of their dreams. Read more about the ASN on page 5-6.
This work also ties into broader wellness initiatives at Marbleseed, including the Mental Health First Aid program. Discrimination and exclusion take a toll not just on individuals but on the mental well-being of entire communities. By creating welcoming, inclusive spaces, we help promote mental and emotional wellness for all.
At the heart of Marbleseed’s mission is the belief that everyone deserves to feel safe, valued, and respected. Our Allyship Project is just one step in making that vision a reality in rural spaces. By developing the skills and networks to stand up for those targeted by racism and discrimination, we are building a foundation for healthier, more vibrant communities.
Connect wit h and lear n from a diverse ne twor k of f ar mers, f ar mer-wor kers, homest eaders, and f ood syst em prof essionals. Join groups t hat matc h wit h your exper tise & int erests. Post and searc h f or job oppor tunities, events, and classif ieds.
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 1,100 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. Power-building will manifest in the following ways:
1) Farmers identify their skills and interests and easily connect with others to learn more or share knowledge. The ASN allows us to acknowledge and provide space for the immense breadth of expertise this community holds so that it can flourish. The possibilities of education are endless; the ASN currently houses folks who have identified themselves as knowledgeable on topics ranging from alternative ownership models and Afro-Indigenous farming practices to improving community food access and worker social responsibility. Through the platform’s map and directory, users can find and connect with others who have specific skills or knowledge bases. Ultimately the platform is democratizing the learning process through free, peer-to-peer engagement.
2) Users build solidarity across human-scale farming operations that feed rural and urban communities and across language barriers. The crisis of corporate consolidation in the food system is fueling the destruction of our planet, exploiting workers, forcing the closure of human-scale farms, gutting rural communities and destroying human health through environmental contamination by agrochemicals and fueling food deserts. Harnessing collective power and working together on shared goals can help us change the tide. The ASN can be used to distribute free educational resources, promote events on upcoming federal legislation, and create learning opportunities around how policy is impacting farmers and the food system. The platform’s communications tools can be leveraged for effective and easy calls to action, with platform-wide emails and mobile push notifications sharing what and how actions can be taken and helping folks see themselves as part of a broader community.
3) Farmers and farmer co-ops connect with manufacturers and mission-driven businesses seeking specific crops and products. Using the ASN in this way can demystify the process of building these relationships, make them more personal, shift the power dynamics, and result in more money in the pockets of human-scale farming operations.
The ASN is also a notable example of the farmer selforganizing model. The platform itself is an incredibly powerful communications tool that allows for usergenerated content and self-organizing, as well as admingenerated and platform-wide communication tools that can help drive involvement in policy and participation in direct, collective action. Often working on their own, small and mid-scale organic and regenerative farmers are healing the planet and feeding our communities, yet much power remains in the hands of an exceedingly consolidated corporate food system. By providing a platform for farmer organizing, the ASN provides a virtual space for farmer-to-farmer connection and mobilizing around the policy issues that impact them most. Importantly, all of this is possible outside of the volatile
and data-consuming social media giants that profit from the political and ideological division they sow. Ultimately, we envision the ASN as a space to encourage systems changes that will regenerate farming practices and the planet.
As Ryan Zinn, Regenerative Projects Manager at Dr. Bronner’s put it:
One key bottleneck in the transition and expansion of organic, regenerative, and fair supply chains is great direct collaboration between farmers/ranchers and manufacturers. The ASN has the potential to connect key stakeholders and facilitate the deep relationship building needed to realize a regenerative future together.
Join the Ag Solidarity Network!
1. Go to agsolidaritynetwork.com
2. Complete the sign-up form.
3. Select “Join Ag Solidarity Network” in the top right of the screen and complete the sign-up process. You will need to activate your account using your confirmation email (check your junk folder). If it is not there, you may need to add the email info@agsolidaritynetwork.com to your contacts/safe senders list.
3. Log in, customize your profile, and explore the site.
4. One last thing! Download the Ag Solidarity Network App for Android or iOS so you can get updates from the ASN while you are on-the-go.
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 twoday 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. Additionally, Marbleseed’s 2025 Organic Farming Conference will also offer workshops led by Aaron Pape and Paul Dietmann on Understanding Techniques and Tools for Successful Farm Transfers as well as Overcoming Entry Barriers for Emerging Farmers.
Growing and nurturing the next crop of farmers takes a team effort. That’s why we partner with ag leaders across the Midwest, including Sharing Our Roots, Big River Farms, and we have always been related to provide training, interpretation, and mentorship. We also work with Renewing the Countryside, Partners IN Food and Farming, and Hoosiers Young Farmer Coalition to host our New Farmer University trainings in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Indiana. These place-based relationships are vital to meet the specific needs of the farmers throughout our region. In our most recent New Farmer University workshop on Marine in St. Croix, we partnered with Renewing the Countryside to support 25 farmers from Minnesota and Wisconsin on cash flow statements, balance sheets, taxes, insurance, and legal help.
Farmer Led—Rooted in Organic. The tagline for our organization perfectly sums up much of our programming here at Marbleseed, and that especially rings true about
the mentorship program. Through mentorship, seasoned farmers share their expertise and experiences and guide their mentees through the challenges, successes, and long hours of farming. Our mentorship programming empowers farmers through one-on-one guidance as they grow their businesses, seek organic certification, add farm enterprises, hone production skills, balance farm and family, and more. In 2024, we matched 11 mentorship pairs across the Midwest. Those farmers’ operations ranged from vegetable production to tree nuts to apple orcharding to grazing.
In 2025, we are excited to build off the foundation of our Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program with projects like Fearless Farm Finances. Working with one of its authors, Paul Dietmann, we look forward to releasing a revision of the highly effective book to include cultural relevance and accurate information regarding current programs and applications.
Quotes from New Farmer U attendees highlight the value offered to beginning farmers through this program:
Highly valuable experience, would definitely recommend to other beginning farmers and attend again.”
There are a lot of resources out there that can help take what I’ve learned at this event even farther! Amazing.
Excellent workshop with highly useful information and networking.
Learn more about the Farmer Advancement Program on the webpage at https://marbleseed.org/programs/ farmer-advancement-program and the Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship Program at https://marbleseed.org/programs/ farmer-to-farmer-mentorship
Photo credit: Justine Bursoni
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.
Now what is considered climate smart? For this funding opportunity, a climate-smart commodity is defined as an agricultural commodity produced using farming, ranching, or forestry practices that reduce and/or mitigate greenhouse gas emissions or sequester carbon. It is a goal of the USDA to support and encourage small and medium-sized farms to participate in the PCSC program. All US farmers play a critical role in contributing to a diverse, resilient food system.
The goals of PCSC demonstrate that farmers are on the leading edge of natural climate change mitigation strategies. With the help of farmers and ranchers, the entire PCSC program will sequester or avoid over 60 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent over the life of the projects, and more than 25 million acres of working land will be engaged in practices such as cover crops, no-till, and nutrient and manure management to name a select few. The PCSC is a lauded program, and it is the job of the grant teams to help USDA reach its goals to support US farmers and contribute to a resilient future for farmers.
Marbleseed and our partners, who include Organic Farmers’ Agency for Relationship Marketing (OFARM), Ohio Ecological Food & Farming Association (OEFFA), Michael Field Agriculture Institute, and Tennessee State University (TSU), were awarded a $4.5 million PCSC grant in late 2023. During the negotiation period with USDA, the group collaborated diligently to ensure a commitment to organic and a recognition of organic’s inherent climatesmart nature. The process to create a grant that would provide innovative solutions for a unique set of growers was met with excitement and anticipation as the team worked to incorporate shared goals into the narrative. As a result of discussions, the grant “Growing, Marketing, and Measuring the Climate-Smart Impacts of Organic Grain” was approved!
Although this project is robust and includes soil samples and data collection, the objectives are straightforward. Our team aims to provide direct financial support to organic grain growers and aid in climate-smart practice implementation by offering organic-specific technical assistance. Organic producers will receive $5,000 each year to implement an approved climate-smart
practice and have access to a field team, field days, and conferences that will provide strategies for practice execution and success.
The partners engaged in our PCSC grant have unique strengths, experiences, and knowledge that provide opportunities for cross training and collaborative work that will elevate the quality outcomes of this project. The team will continue to cater to, and shed light on, the needs of the organic farmer through PCSC program events, farm incentives, and technical assistance as the project continues over the next five years.
In the first year of the project, the team was able to enroll seven producers. Five of the enrolled producers selfidentify as being small producers (less than $350,000 annual gross farm income) and/or historically underserved, which the USDA defines as beginning farmers; black, Indigenous, and people of color farmers; veteran farmers; limited resource farmers; women farmers; and farmers growing specialty crops are. All producers have had benchmark soil samples taken in 2024, which will contribute to an overall understanding of soil health on diverse fields. Enrollment for 2024 is complete, and we are working diligently to recruit more farmers. As a result of new information from USDA and tentative increases to our budget capacity, we have recruitment strategies that will continue into the winter when farmers have more time to collaborate compared to the growing season. We are proud of our outreach strategies in 2024 that included the following:
• Conference Sessions
• Marbleseed Organic Farming Conference
• Five sessions focused on grains with a combined attendance of 110
• OEFFA
• Six sessions focus on grains with a combined attendance of 150
• Seven farmers enrolled across six states
• Producers are implementing new and elevated conservation practices that include diverse cover crops, minimum tillage, and conservation crop rotation.
• All producers have received enrollment assistance and technical assistance from the team of field service coordinators
• Four field days
• OEFFA: Artisan Organic Grains and Milling Tour with 26 attendees
• Marbleseed: Marbleseed/OGRAIN Organic Research Field Day with 60 attendees
• TSU: Field day with 16 attendees
• OFARM: Field day with 26 attendees
Learn more about Marbleseed and partners’ activities on the PCSC program webpage here: https://marbleseed.org/ climatesmartcommodities
nCr-sare Honoring our elders
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.
Keep an eye out this year for:
• Mental Health First Aid training with a focus on farmers, diverse elders, caregivers, and professional self-care.
• Creation and delivery of the Honoring Our Elders training and Training of Trainers.
• Ag Solidarity Network: Farmer Ally Network.
Photo credit: Gee Xiong
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.
• Aiding in a search for land tenure and suitable farmland.
The Farmland Access Hub meets virtually every month to discuss topics ranging from Farm Service Agency (FSA) Land Capital Markets, land use and zoning policy, and land access transitions. The group meets in-person annually, which in 2024 took place in August in Madison, Wis. with Marbleseed hosting and co-facilitating with UW-Madison Extension.
The Farmland Access Navigators program is made up of a group of agriculture service providers and farmers who coach beginning farmers to be better prepared to search for and acquire farmland tenure. Navigators across the Upper Midwest meet virtually on a bi-weekly basis following a community-of-practice syllabus of topics, ranging from implicit bias and white fragility to land grab, restoration, and healing from historical events. Navigators also use these meeting times to share client updates and seek additional resources with each other for client support.
Marbleseed staff member, Nou Thao, has been working with four HMoob farmers in the Milwaukee area to find land so that they can grow their farm businesses and expand their sale markets. In addition, she is assisting them to navigate resources, including the pathway to becoming
landowners, what to do next once land is secured, and how to develop a wholesale-ready business.
Go Farm Connect is a farmer-led initiative to build relationships between non-traditional farmers and the agricultural support agencies and experts that can help farmers succeed. Farm Connectors go through a series of training sessions and make up a peer network of support and information to assist the emerging cohort of farmers that America needs to thrive. Connectors work with all sizes of farms in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Connectors group meets virtually on a bi-weekly basis to share stories, gather knowledge, and gather resources to support farmers they interact with.
In April, Farm Connectors Nicholas Leetee and KO Thao with Rooted, Chiang Rai Lor with FairShare CSA Coalition, Yimmuaj Yang with Groundswell Conservancy, and Nou Thao with Marbleseed collaborated with USDA farm service staff to host a FSA Dane County office visit for HMoob market farmers that provided them the opportunity to learn about ag programs, loans, grants, and opportunities for new growers. Attendees received an overview of the various USDA offerings and resources, along with a tour of the Extension Dane County’s Teaching Garden and the FSA office.
In July, this same group of Connectors collaborated with Jer Thao, a HMoob farmer who received a USDA-funded EQIP high tunnel, to host a two-day educational build workshop on his farm in Deerfield, Wis. A partnership with Golden Sands RC+D funded and captured this demonstration on video, with an emphasis on capturing content in the HMoob language. Kaitlin Schott, USDA’s NRCS Urban Ag Specialist for Wisconsin, navigated video interviews and shared information and resources about federal farm programs with attendees. Paul Huber with Rooted facilitated on-going learning discussions and led the high tunnel construction. Attendees got hands-on assembly experience and completed 80% of the project.
Photo credit: Yimmuaj Yang
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 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.
Marbleseed’s role in this grant partnership was direct contracting with farmers and providing the technical assistance and education that these farmers needed to succeed in the program. We are proud of our success in reaching historically underserved producer groups and producers with limited English proficiency.
wisConsin loC al food purCHase assisTanCe
Photo credit:
Nina Much, Heritage Grange
In the second year of the WI LFPA Program, our technical assistance and education team at Marbleseed worked hard to refine our offerings and ensure that all producers had the tools and skills they needed to sell into the program. On their initial applications, farmers were asked to share what areas of learning they were interested in exploring. Applicants were then paired with other farmers who had signaled an interest in sharing their own experiences and knowledge. This allowed Marbleseed staff to facilitate connections between farmers around the state.
Before sales were initiated on May 1, each farm in the program attended an initial training on quality specifications, proper handling, and food safety. Eight sessions were held between late January and early April in all regions of the state to minimize travel times for farmers. Marbleseed staff worked directly with farmers to establish product lists, crop projections, and pricing sheets.
In April, WI LFPA growers were sponsored to attend Produce Safety Alliance training courses for farms that grow, harvest, pack, and/or hold produce on their operations. The opportunities allow farms covered under the Produce Safety Rule, as well as those operating with the WI LFPA program, to meet a training requirement.
Educational events in May included workshops on cold-staging produce and aggregation and distribution. The cold-staging produce event provided information on cold-staging options with informational handouts. The Farm-to-Food Access: Aggregation and Distribution webinar brought together an interactive panel of WI LFPA farmers who have added the aggregation and distribution of other farms’ products into their business model to share with farmers interested in how the growing network of aggregators could work for their operations.
October and November welcomed a series of eight Regional Convening virtual gatherings for program staff, partners, and producers to meet and learn about the current program impacts, share their experiences, provide feedback, and learn of upcoming opportunities with food access programs.
Also in October, Grassworks partnered with WI LFPA and Marbleseed to host a daylong event at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery Building (MSABDB). The state-of-the-art facility allowed MSABDB staff to break down a beef and lamb carcass in a theatre-like setting, giving attendees the opportunity to watch as a cameraman followed Professor Jeff Sindelar’s every move and video was projected to large screens overhead.
In mid-October, the second of a two-part series on cold-staging workshops brought farmers together for hands-on learning to build a CoolBot cooler. The event took place at Westport Farm, a community farm owned by Groundswell Conservancy. Presley Chang, a vegetable farmer and carpenter with experience building CoolBot
coolers, led the workshop in the HMoob language. Interpretation was available from HMoob to English for other workshop attendees.
Overall, the WI LFPA program had an immense impact on the small and mid-sized producers who participated. The program’s innovative model of providing a guaranteed contract to producers, in amounts ranging from $3,00025,000, gave producers the financial security that they needed to grow their farm business. Our technical assistance team provided a direct, hands-on relationship to producers for whatever support they needed, including production planning, wholesale education, invoice support, and so much more.
A quote from a HMoob farmer in Eau Claire, Wis. highlights the importance of WI LFPA technical assistance support:
As a small and socially disadvantaged farmer, it’s hard for us to reach markets other than the typical Farmer’s Markets. Working with Marbleseed on the Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) program, it has expanded our market allowing farmers like ourselves to have more positive outlook on our financial and business plan. These efforts by Marbleseed has helped small farmers gain access to wholesale markets, which otherwise would be hard to access. The assistance that Marbleseed will supply producers can be crucial to our farm survival. Their support of beginning farmers, farmers who require language support, and historically underserved populations of farmers is unique and invaluable.
By working with these underserved farmer groups, the WI LFPA program strengthened the resilience of the food supply in Wisconsin and supported the growth of small farm businesses. Despite the program wrapping up in early 2025, Marbleseed will continue to work with these underserved farmer groups and provide them with the support that they need to thrive.
Learn more about the WI LFPA program on the webpage here: https://marbleseed.org/wilfpa
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.
Over the last almost two years we have worked to collect data, engage producers and other stakeholders, and try to identify lasting solutions to these processing capacity challenges. A lot has changed in that time. Wait times for processing have returned to more “normal” expectations, still often roughly a year out. Many processors have utilized funding made available through state and federal programs designed to increase capacity and build some resiliency to mitigate vulnerabilities to disruptions. These improvements are helping producers and processors meet demand, but the system is still at risk and farmers still tend to have limited options for processing and packaging, most especially those who market products directly to their customers.
We have surveyed and collected data from farmers and processors to help us fully understand the problems and opportunities and to help illuminate a path toward long-term solutions. We have convened several groups of stakeholders meeting in-person to share their experiences and concerns. We have co-hosted educational events with partners like GrassWorks for producers and processors to gather and learn from experts and each other. We have identified what is missing from the producer side and explored the challenges faced by processors as they consider how and whether to grow their businesses. Many of the assumptions we had early in this project were wrong, and the landscape has changed significantly. Models for solutions we thought could be viable are now clearly unlikely to succeed, at least in the shorter term.
Two problems have emerged as the primary issues to focus on to both improve and prevent further weakening of
the system and capacity that the region currently has:
• Much like farms themselves, many processing businesses in the region are owned and operated by folks who are “aging out” and looking for a strategy or opportunity to transfer their businesses to new ownership. This has historically been shown to be difficult to do successfully, for both parties.
• Limited labor resources and the difficulties associated with recruiting, training, and retaining employees to do this demanding work is the biggest hurdle preventing processors from utilizing available grants and supports to expand their operations.
As we worked to dissect these problems, some themes became apparent. One of the most notable is the number of businesses that rely largely on people from immigrant communities to do the work of slaughtering, breaking down, and packaging livestock for sale. We know this has long been true for the larger meat industry and for the largest processing facilities in this region, but it is also true for many local mom-and-pop shops. This creates both challenges and opportunities, but there are some examples in other areas of the food system to look to for guidance. The dairy and produce industries also rely heavily on immigrants to do much of the work, with good and bad manifestations for how to do it legally and fairly. There does not seem to be any set of lasting solutions to build a resilient processing system that does not include immigrant communities as a stakeholder at the table. We must work with partners who have language and cultural competencies to ensure we are bringing real opportunity to all involved. Equity and fairness must guide the development of any system that may result from this work. We must also work with training programs and educators to be sure we can train people for what is very skilled labor and make that education available both to local farm kids and recent immigrants who share these communities. There must be a pathway to ownership for these businesses so those doing the work are tethered to the towns and farms that rely on them. This is the core of the remaining work to be done on this project and long after this study is complete.
proCess, plenT y: sTudying a loC al MeaT supply CHain
Photo credit: Wild Child Farms, Waukesha, Wis.
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. Although people often think there is one standard farm-to-school program, the reality is much more variable. Farm-to-school programs are unique in every community. They support local and regional farmers while improving the health of children and communities and are a natural extension of the work
Marbleseed has been doing to promote the growth and financial viability of small and medium-sized farms across the Upper Midwest.
• We will be training producers on school nutrition programs that work well for local products and various pathways that their products can take to end up in schools. Trainings will be followed by school cafeteria or school buyer (including a food hub) site visits.
• The goal of connector events is to bring together producers, food hubs, aggregators, other regional distributors, and school food service buyers to provide opportunities to discuss pain points and to talk about how to move forward with sales agreements.
• We will connect participating producers with our technical assistance specialists and resources.
Photo credit: Cattail Organics, Athens, Wis.
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 USDA as historically underserved include farmers or ranchers who are beginning, socially disadvantaged, veterans, and/or limited resource.
Two NRCS programs, Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), will be at the core of the Midwest Pilot Project’s efforts. Marbleseed will work with farmers to prepare conservation plans to optimize these two programs.
The NRCS’ flagship conservation program, EQIP, helps integrate conservation initiatives on working lands. Farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners develop conservation plans that address on-farm resource issues. The goal is to improve environmental quality while making conservation practices work for the overall benefit of the farm.
The CSP is a program designed to help farmers build on existing on-farm conservation efforts while strengthening that farm’s operation, further enhancing practices already in place on a farm. For example, if cover crops have been
utilized on a farm, a CSP-funded practice might include a multi-species cover crop or one chosen because of its ability to alleviate soil compaction. These practices and activities facilitate cleaner water and air, healthier soil, and better wildlife habitat while improving a farm’s agricultural operations.
Each state participating in the Midwest Pilot Project will be represented by a farming advocacy organization. Marbleseed will be working in Wisconsin. Marbleseed has a longstanding commitment to climate mitigation strategies through conservation and organic farming practices. It will be Marbleseed’s goal to enable access to important cost share programs through NRCS for farmers that have been historically underserved by programs like EQIP and CSP.
As farmer-facing non-profits, the partner organizations of the National Healthy Soils Policy Network’s Midwest Pilot Project can reach a large community of farmers across the Upper Midwest, especially those who may identify as historically underserved. These partners include Renewing the Countryside in Minnesota, Iowa Valley RC&D in Iowa, the Missouri Rural Crisis Center in Missouri and the Kansas Rural Center in Kansas.
Photo credit: Busy Bee Compost, Cascade, Wis.
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.
There are several components to OTI, including market development efforts, crop insurance improvements, and mentorship opportunities through TOPP. These are all important pieces of this puzzle, but much of the excitement around OTI centers on the additional support available to producers through the NRCS. The OTI has directed $70 million dollars to provide technical and financial assistance to producers and an additional $5 million to strengthen organic expertise for conservation program assistance, disseminate the latest in organic research, and provide training to NRCS staff nationally. More specifically, the program seeks to:
• Improve NRCS staff knowledge of organic systems.
• Ensure NRCS staff are receptive to organic producers and see opportunities to work with them.
• Prepare more TSPs to work on transition to organic plans.
• Make organic and transitioning producers aware of NRCS support.
• Aid organic and transitioning producers in receiving Conservation Technical Assistance and programmatic support from NRCS.
• Ensure organic certifiers and organizations are aware of and promoting NRCS assistance.
• Help Historically Underserved and Socially Disadvan-
taged organic and transitioning producers to successfully access assistance from NRCS.
• Coordinate NRCS support with USDA TOPP.
• Create training on the new Organic Management CPS 823.
• Streamline the link between NRCS and organic certification paperwork.
It should not be surprising that there is such an emphasis on conservation assistance in OTI. Conservation is baked into the organic cake and always has been. In fact, the national organic regulations tell us that as organic farmers we are obligated and required to protect and improve the natural resources on our farms. Organic production is defined as:
• A production system that is managed to respond to site-specific conditions by integrating cultural, biological, and mechanical practices that foster cycling of resources, promote ecological balance, and conserve biodiversity.
There has been some confusion, misunderstanding, and disappointment in the last several months as producers have tried to get information about and access to the technical and financial assistance available as part of OTI, particularly as it relates to the NRCS practice standard for Organic Management CPS 823. The work of the new Organic Assistance Specialists should go a long way toward improving access and understanding. In the interim, if you have any questions about conservation planning or opportunities for support through NRCS, please don’t hesitate to call the Marbleseed Organic Answer Line at 888-9066737 ext. 1.
Photo credit: Botanically Grounded, Hartford, Wis.
Ever get to hang out with eleven other states to grow the organic food movement? That’s exactly how Marbleseed staff wrapped up the year, focusing on a future-forward plan co-created with fifty other program leads throughout the Midwest to strengthen and grow the impact of the Organic Transition Initiative (OTI).
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. This work is accomplished by establishing strategic partnerships that will help farmers transition into organic food production and support existing organic farmers. Marbleseed and all eleven states working on the TOPP initiative organize themselves under MOSA, who was selected by the USDA to lead our Midwest area.
This year through TOPP we have been busy connecting farmers transitioning to organic with local, experienced organic mentors; providing farmer training and education; and offering education and technical assistance on agronomy, organic certification, extension, conservation planning, organic regulations, certification cost share, business development, and marketing. We built networks and strengthened the organic community through our outreach and connections, and we developed and expanded access to technical assistance and training for organic and will-be-organic food producers.
Whether you are an experienced organic farmer interested in mentoring, a new farmer looking to be paired with a mentor, or a member of an organization who would like to partner with us, please reach out. Organically certified farmers get a $3,000 stipend to serve as a mentor in this two-year program. Mentors who speak Spanish, HMoob, or other languages are eligible for an additional $500 stipend. Mentees who enroll in the program receive a $500 learning stipend to pay the costs of trainings or workshops that help you reach your organic farming dreams. For all TOPP-related questions, connections, and participation inquiries, please contact Alondra Cano at Alondra.cano@ marbleseed.org to learn more and get plugged in.
Learn more about TOPP on the program webpage here: https://marbleseed.org/transition-to-organic-partnership
TransiTion To organiC parTnersH ip prograM
Photo credit: TOPP Staff
organiC ConservaTion parTnersH ip 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.
Marbleseed has a long history of providing education and technical assistance to organic farmers, but this role also requires very specific conservation planning skills and expertise. Much work has been done developing these skills and an understanding of NRCS tools, systems, and procedures. This process has really illuminated how conservation and organic are a perfect match. Organic growers have always worked to protect the resources and land that sustains us and our enterprises, and there are no better partners in these efforts than the NRCS. The desire for conservation and good stewardship is not only a part of the ethos of organic but also a clearly defined requirement in the standards and law that govern organic. We are obligated to protect and improve the natural resources we manage, increase biodiversity, and build soil health over time. This is the foundation of the organic commitment to continual improvement and the essence of regenerative, and it is also the mission of the NRCS. Staff at every level of the agency are dedicated to protecting soil, water, and air while helping farms succeed over the long haul. Everything about this partnership and work makes sense for these reasons.
Outreach and farmer-facing education is one of the main components of this work. This has taken the form of presentations at Marbleseed and allied organization events and conferences as well as articles, webinars, and printed resources designed to help growers understand how working with NRCS can benefit their operation. Organic farm systems benefit from good conservation planning, with
or without financial assistance in the form of contracted cost-share for implementing practices. Despite the clear alignment between organic production and conservation practices, there is still much outreach to be done to connect growers with the dedicated NRCS staff who can help them farm better.
The Organic Transition Initiative (OTI) has many components with involvement from several agencies within the USDA. Marbleseed is a partner in many of these projects along with partners from across the region. The Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP) is a project of the Agricultural Marketing Service that provides mentorship and technical assistance to transitioning producers delivered through a network of partners across six regions. This important support is a perfect complement to the NRCS activities as part of OTI.
The new NRCS Interim Practice Standard for Organic Management (ICPS 823) is intended to take inventory of all the resource concerns that exist on an organic or transitioning farm, develop alternative production strategies to address these concerns, and support the management changes necessary for success in an organic system while protecting the resources. Much of the work in this partnership has centered on the development and refinement of this new standard and the necessary training and consulting with NRCS staff to best serve clients who choose to implement it. This standard offers real value to producers as it can help them create a holistic system for continued improvement of the resource base necessary for resilient organic farming, and as an avenue for financial assistance to help offset some of the potential economic challenges of the organic transition period.
Our work with Wisconsin NRCS has guided and informed our other efforts as part of OTI and will continue to be a key component of how Marbleseed supports organic farmers. Conservation and organic production belong together, and Marbleseed will continue to work in the space where they intersect to help NRCS fulfill its mission and to help organic farms flourish for the future.
Photo credit: Johnson Farms, Madison, SD
Wisconsin Women in Conservation (WiWiC) is a statewide 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 network-
ing 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.
WiWiC has expanded into 30 counties across Wisconsin. Marbleseed’s role in WiWiC is as the Northwest Regional Coordinator serving Dunn, Peppin, Barron, Chippewa, Clark, and Eau Claire counties. In each county, there is a Networking or Conservation Coach that helps host an
Photo credit: Mercedes Talvitie, WiWiC Northwest Coordinator
event and/or offers their expertise to women in their area. In-person WiWiC events welcome women and all those who identify as such to attend and offer a safe space to learn, to ask questions, and to create community. In the northwest counties, there were two learning circles, two potlucks, one field day, and one bus tour. These events had nearly 100 attendees, and all had a conservation professional from NRCS, the Farm Service Agency (FSA), or Pheasants Forever. As a result, events are not only fun but also provide tangible resources to attendees. All attendees are given information on the multitude of services that the NRCS and FSA have available to assist with the implementation of conservation on the landscape.
Attendees are given the opportunity to network with their local agencies to investigate if cost-share programs are a good fit for them and how to take the next steps to apply. Regardless of a landowners’ interest or capacity for federal programs, WiWiC offers free conservation plans written by the program’s in-house conservation plan writer. Across all 30 WiWiC counties in 2024, 92 conservation plans, including Environmental Quality Incentives Program applications, were written because of WiWiC.
Below is a list of events that occurred with the help of Marbleseed’s coordination:
• Spring learning circle at Kamp Kenwood: This learning circle was focused on enjoying the beauty of Lake Wissota and discussing the tangible actions that small-scale landowners can take to preserve the lakeshore.
• Bus tour in Polk County: The bus tour included stops at Blackbrook Farm, Star Prairie Seed Farm, and Cultivating the Commons. Networking Coach Ayla Dodge led us around the pasture to see the fencing and waterlines that NRCS supported with cost-share. We continued to Star Prairie Seed Farm where everyone learned about the seed cleaning operation and how to protect and promote prairies in the Midwest. Our last stop was Cultivating the Commons, where WiWiC Networking Coach Kass McKinnon led us on a walk through their vegetable seed operation.
• Summer Field Day: Maiv Flower Farm’s owner and WiWiC Conservation Coach Pa Thao hosted the summer field day. On the tour we were amazed not only by the floral beauty but also by the fragrant Hmong Chicken Herbs. We learned about the traditional postpartum diet that helps heal the body after labor and other Hmong vegetables and herbs grown at Maiv Flower Farm.
I was very pleased with how the field day turned out. We had attendees from across northwest Wisconsin, all with similar goals and looking for ideas to take back to their own farms. Each and every person had something to add to the conversation! Pa’s farm is such a beautiful & diverse operation, and I think I speak for everyone when I say we all learned something new and how to make the most of your land!”- Jamie Bischel, NRCS
• Potluck at Winnowburrow Farm and Florals: It was fun to see old and new friends come together at Bonnie Warndahl’s farm. Bonnie discussed how their farm is transforming and the grazing plan that will be implemented in the upcoming year. She wants to utilize grazing to bring fertility into her soils.
• Potluck at River Doc Nature Conservancy: Cate Lucas, the Naturalist Educator & Program Director led us on a hike through the property and pointed out the conservation efforts to improve water quality, control erosion, and expand native species habitat. Our group heard conservation stories from Carol Olson who donated 55 acres of woodland, wetland, and prairie to the Rice Lake Area School District to provide opportunities to learn, grow, and play within nature.
• Fall Learning Circle at Beavercreek Reserve: This learning circle was focused on water quality and water interactions and used a demonstration from a well-water simulator. This demonstration spurred great conversation about available resources for landowners to test well water, abandon wells, and implement conservation that can help improve water quality.