The FARMWISE Project represents a major investment in regional food infrastructure designed to serve Doudlah Farms Organics and other organic and regional farmers.
For years, Wisconsin organic farmers have faced a significant infrastructure challenge: food-grade commodities frequently must be transported hundreds of miles to North or South Dakota for specialized cleaning and processing before being shipped back to Wisconsin and other Midwest markets. FARMWISE is designed to bring more of that infrastructure home. The approximately 24,000-square-foot facility is planned to provide food-grade seed and commodity cleaning, packaging, climate-controlled warehousing, co-packing and other services. Once operational, the facility is expected to have the capacity to clean up to 24 million pounds of food-grade commodities annually and provide retail bagging capacity of up to 12 million pounds annually. The project is also designed to serve as a regional hub connecting farmers, food businesses and markets while strengthening the resilience of the Midwest food supply chain. Doudlah Farms Organics currently spends approximately $250,000 annually transporting commodities for off-site processing, illustrating one of the infrastructure gaps FARMWISE is intended to address. “This project is much bigger than Doudlah Farms Organics,” said Lucy Doudlah, CEO of Doudlah Farms Organics. “FARMWISE is about creating infrastructure that helps farmers keep more of the value of what they grow right here in Wisconsin. Every unnecessary mile a farmer has to haul a crop costs money that could instead be invested in the farm, employees and the next generation.” Doudlah Farms Organics grows and markets organic food crops including heirloom popcorn, dry edible beans, ancient grains, wheat, cornmeal and other food-grade commodities. FARMWISE is being developed with support from the USDA Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) Program, which was created to strengthen the middle of the food supply chain and improve resilience in regional food systems. The groundbreaking will recognize the farmers, public agencies, financial institutions, contractors, community leaders and other partners who have helped move the project forward.
September 25 & 26 Join the Four Elements Organic Herbals Farm Tour in Baraboo, Wisconsin
Marbleseed -Building Collaborative Capacity Event @ Hunger Task Force Farm
Building Collaborative Capacity: Farming Stronger by Working Together was a learning and networking event for farmers and farm-adjacent professionals interested in strengthening local food systems through collaboration. The event highlighted practical models from southeastern Wisconsin that help farms and partner organizations extend their reach, build shared capacity, access new markets, and reduce isolation. The program featured several regional initiatives demonstrating different ways that farms, food-system organizations, and community partners can work together:
SE Wisconsin Farmers Market Cooperative shared its approach to combining products from multiple farms under a single market booth, creating a collaborative retail model that can increase visibility, simplify market participation, and broaden product offerings.
Fondy Farmdiscussed its 20-farm incubator model, emphasizing how shared space, resources, learning opportunities, and peer networks can support emerging farmers and strengthen collective capacity.
Prairie Gold Foundation described its work connecting food from local ecological farms with food banks, including Hunger Task Force. This model illustrated how farm collaboration can expand market opportunities while improving community food access.
Hunger Task Force Farm shared approaches to managing large volunteer crews and organizing the labor needed to support farm production and food-access work.
UW Organic Collaborative
Kelli Ann Molter retired from the Air Force in 2021 as a colonel–the top two percent of military ranks–after a career built on leadership, administration and near-constant movement. Fourteen assignments, more relocations than she can easily count, and decades of putting her own interests on hold. Now, she's an intern at Winter Spring Farm in West Bend, Wisconsin, learning what day-to-day on an organic farm looks like.
USDA Invests $800,000 in Value-Added Agriculture Projects Across Wisconsin
In New Berlin, Lush Farms, LLC will use a $200,000 grant to expand sales and shipping of worm castings to new customers. Lush Farms will harvest and sell worm castings as a nutrient-rich, natural soil amendment. This project will expand the customer base by nine customers, increase revenue by $852,111, and create one job. In Soldiers Grove, Driftless Seed Company, LLC will use a $200,000 grant for the processing, marketing, and market expansion of its various organic specialty crop seeds. The locally produced vegetable, flower, and native prairie seeds are regionally adapted for Midwest growers. This project will expand the customer base and create four jobs. In Viroqua, B&E's Trees, LLC will use a $200,000 grant to expand the marketing, selling, and shipping of its maple syrup energy products to new customers. The maple syrup pouch is a versatile beverage that can be drank as is or mixed with other beverages. This project will expand the customer base by 7,698 customers, increase revenue by $446,471, and create two jobs and save two jobs
🌐 Webinar: Choosing an Organic Certifier:
Tuesday, October 6th 12-1PM CT
This session will help farmers and advisors understand the organic-certifier landscape and evaluate which certifier best fits an operation’s needs. Two experienced guests will compare factors such as cost, response time, reputation, and service differences, while sharing how to identify and research multiple certification options.
Connecting Farms to Families is a statewide partnership between Hunger Task Force, the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), producers and hunger relief organizations across Wisconsin. Funded by a $2.5M grant through the Food Security and Wisconsin Products grant program, Connecting Farms to Families uniquely supports Wisconsin agriculture and local hunger relief efforts. Hunger Task Force invests 100% of the grant funds to purchase Wisconsin foods from small- to mid-size farmers, ranchers and producers. These foods—including meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables, eggs, grains and value-added items—are then provided absolutely free of charge to food pantries, nonprofits and Tribal Nations through direct distribution and the Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative.
This DNR video introduces an interactive online mapping tool that helps residents find information about PFAS contamination in land, water, municipal drinking-water systems, and fish-consumption advisories across the state. Users can search an address, explore individual PFAS sites and monitoring data, and identify where detected levels are below or above Wisconsin health-advisory thresholds.
Edacious is an independent food-testing organization that uses accredited lab analysis to verify food safety and nutritional quality, turning results into credible evidence for producers, brands, and researchers. Its work complements—rather than replaces—certifications such as organic, grass-fed, or Regenerative Organic Certified, by measuring characteristics of the food itself. Edacious defines nutrient density as the amount of beneficial nutrition relative to non-beneficial components and currently reports tested nutrients per serving against USDA reference values, with a broader scoring system planned.
Wisconsin Organics Board Member Chuck Benbrook Discusses the Driscoll's Pesticide Litigation
Chuck Benbrook returns to the Real Organic Project podcast with a close look at several legal battles involving Driscoll’s and what they may tell us about the enormous influence of the country’s dominant berry companies. He discusses pesticide concerns around schools and farm communities, allegations raised by a former company agronomist, Driscoll’s lawsuit against the food-finding platform Localize, and another legal challenge to the company’s marketing claims brought forth by Beyond Pesticides. He argues that the berry industry already knows how to reduce pesticide risks and expand organic production; the harder question is whether they will ever choose to do it.
Watch the Documentary: I Tracked Down the Company Ruining Fruit
A whistleblower alleges that Driscoll’s, which controls berry genetics and serves as a powerful intermediary, profits from its system while avoiding responsibility for pesticide-related concerns. The report says Canadian authorities repeatedly flagged the company’s berries for exceeding pesticide limits, raising questions about accountability across its supply chain.
An investigation by The New Lede reports that newly released internal Syngenta documents and court records indicate the company allegedly withheld or delayed sharing safety information with the EPA about paraquat, including evidence relating to absorption through skin and clothing, potentially elevated worker exposures, surfactant-related toxicity concerns, and possible effects on brain cells. The report argues these omissions may have limited regulatory scrutiny while Syngenta worked to defend paraquat in the United States, even as more than 70 countries moved to ban the herbicide over health concerns, including research linking exposure to Parkinson’s disease.
October is National Farm to School Month, a statewide opportunity for Wisconsin schools to celebrate local foods, farmers, school gardens, and hands-on food education. Schools and classrooms can join the new Farm to School Month Bingo Challenge by completing activities October 1–30 for prize-drawing entries, with completed cards due November 6; throughout the month, DPI will also spotlight Wisconsin-grown apples, popcorn, maple syrup, and cranberries through its Know Your Wisconsin Plate series.
How Food Co-ops Helped Build the Organics Movement
Food co-ops helped transform organic food from a fringe movement into a mainstream market by creating early, reliable demand for organic farmers and products; educating consumers; requiring verification before federal organic standards existed; and building cooperative warehouses and distribution networks that connected producers to shoppers. The article argues that co-ops also defended strong organic standards as the market expanded and continue to be unusually important organic retailers: in 2023, food co-ops reported that 38% of their store products were organic, compared with 25% in natural grocery stores and 3% in conventional grocery stores.
Nutritional Composition of Beef: A Comparison of Commercial North American Grass- and Grain-Finishing Systems
Varre, J. V., Statham, T., Smith, A. F., Ahsin, M., Cloward, J., Herrera, M. C., Mittendorf, C., Crompton, C., Ward, R. E., Evans, T., Bird, T., Lyons, S., Pinelli, A., Kittredge, D., & van Vliet, S. (2026). Nutritional composition of beef: A comparison of commercial North American grass- and grain-finishing systems. Journal of Animal Science, 104, skaf436. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skaf436
New Organic Product Alert: Organic Coconut Oil from Ciranda in Hudson, Wisconsin
New Organic Product Alert: Royal Ancient Oats Flour by Royal Lee Organics
New Organic Product Alert: Organic Valley Maple Cream Creamer
Join Wisconsin Organics at FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace
November 7, 2026 | Minnesota
Wisconsin Organics invites certified organic food businesses to showcase their products at FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace, a leading event connecting regional food producers with consumers, buyers, retailers, and food-service professionals.
Wisconsin Organics will host a shared table where participating businesses can display and offer samples of their certified organic food products. While direct sales will not be permitted, this is an opportunity to increase visibility, introduce products to prospective customers and buyers, and build valuable market connections.
Wisconsin Organics can also help participating businesses develop a professional sell sheet to share with consumers and business contacts at the event.
The House and Senate have passed a Continuing Resolution and the president has signed it. This means no shutdown this fall. It also means organic programs funded through the annual appropriations process will continue being funded with no interruption until the next deadline of Dec. 11, 2026.
These include:
The National Organic Program (NOP), which enforces organic standards across a $76.6 billion marketplace
Critical research investments like the Organic Transitions Program and SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education)
Twice a year, USDA previews its regulatory priorities in the Unified Agenda — and the latest edition has three items worth the organic community’s attention: a proposed rule on inert ingredients in pesticides for organic production, an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking on compost production for organic agriculture, and a long-term action to rescind the National Organic Program's standards for mushrooms and pet food.
Written Comments Are Due to the National Organic Standards Board on Oct. 1
Written comments and oral comment registration for the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) Fall 2026 meeting are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on October 1, 2026, through the USDA AMS Meeting Page.
Date: September 26, 2026 Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia Farm Aid brings together artists, farmers, advocates, and supporters to raise funds and awareness for family farms and sustainable agriculture.
Date: September 28, 2026 Location: Eau Claire, Wisconsin Join business, government, and community leaders for conversations about Wisconsin’s economic priorities and future. Registration: Registration link was not provided.
Join Mad Agriculture and Savanna Institute for an evening celebrating the launch of the Wilding pilot, a three-year Driftless Region initiative integrating native perennials, prairie corridors, and riparian buffers into working farmland. The gathering includes an optional farm tour, a roundtable with farmers and conservation partners, a farm-to-table dinner, live music, and a bonfire, helping lay the groundwork for the broader Wild Grid effort.
The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association’s 2026 Sustainable Agriculture Conference will take place October 30–November 1 at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The conference brings together farmers, gardeners, food businesses, educators, and food-system leaders for practical workshops, pre-conference tours, networking, a trade show, locally sourced food, and sessions on sustainable and organic agriculture, business development, advocacy, and community food systems.
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