Did you know that southwestern Wisconsin (Vernon, Crawford, Richland and Monroe counties) loses $376 million every year because of our current food consumption and conventional farming activities?
Did you also know that we have all the assets and resources turn this around and build healthy, sustainable communities based on viable family farms and businesses, a healthy environment and a strong workforce?
The Food and Farm Initiative (FFI) addresses the needs and concerns relating to the food and farm system in southwestern Wisconsin.
The following pages provide details on VSN’s many FFI-related programs:
Community Food Assessment – Our 18-month long study on how local food dollars are spent and where local farm dollars are going.
Kickapoo Harvest – A grassroots initiative aimed at getting healthy, locally produced food into the hands and mouths of those who need it most.
Direct Marketer’s List – A handy guide to Vernon County farms that sell directly to consumers.
Fifth Season Cooperative – A system for connecting local producers with local consumers in Crawford, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, and Vernon counties.
Farm to School – VSN joins a national movement to improve nutrition in our schools.
Resources for Farmers – The latest in workshops, grant opportunities, and other news about local agriculture.
The goals of the Food and Farm Initiative are to encourage the development of a sustainable, local food system by:
* Engaging, educating and mobilizing a broad network of area residents;
* Improving access to healthy, locally produced foods;
* Strengthening the economic viability of regional agriculture; and
* Addressing the issue of institutional barriers for local producers.
Food and Farm Initiative (FFI)
Did you know that southwestern Wisconsin (Vernon, Crawford, Richland and Monroe counties) loses $376 million every year because of our current food consumption and conventional farming activities?
Did you also know that we have all the assets and resources turn this around and build healthy, sustainable communities based on viable family farms and businesses, a healthy environment and a strong workforce?
The Food and Farm Initiative (FFI) addresses the needs and concerns relating to the food and farm system in southwestern Wisconsin.
The following pages provide details on VSN’s many FFI-related programs:
Community Food Assessment – Our 18-month long study on how local food dollars are spent and where local farm dollars are going.
Kickapoo Harvest – A grassroots initiative aimed at getting healthy, locally produced food into the hands and mouths of those who need it most.
Direct Marketer’s List – A handy guide to Vernon County farms that sell directly to consumers.
Fifth Season Cooperative – A system for connecting local producers with local consumers in Crawford, La Crosse, Monroe, Richland, and Vernon counties.
Farm to School – VSN joins a national movement to improve nutrition in our schools.
Resources for Farmers – The latest in workshops, grant opportunities, and other news about local agriculture.
The goals of the Food and Farm Initiative are to encourage the development of a sustainable, local food system by: