Wisconsin Farmers Union: Midwest CSA Conference bringing farmers to Eau Claire

Contact: Danielle Endvick, 715-471-0398, dendvick@wisconsinfarmersunion.com
Sarah Lloyd, 608-844-3758, slloyd@wisconsinfarmersunion.com

EAU CLAIRE – Wisconsin Farmers Union, in partnership with a range of Midwest organizations, is convening the Midwest CSA Conference Dec. 3-4 at The Plaza Hotel in Eau Claire. The conference will provide a forum for Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farmers and advocates to come together for deliberative discussion and peer-to-peer learning. Full-group sessions, including a keynote by Steven McFadden, author of the newly released “Awakening Community Intelligence: CSA Farms as 21st Century Cornerstones,” will discuss shared values of the movement to strengthen the local food system and strategies for promoting cooperation and shared risk among farms and communities.

Four tracks throughout the two-day conference will offer workshops for farmers in the areas of: Financial Management & Business Planning, Beginning CSA Farming, Production & Logistics, and Building Community. Farmers will share their experiences with time for questions and discussion.

The Building Community workshops will feature four sessions on deepening relationships with
members and the wider community. A track specific to beginning CSA farmers, or those considering starting a CSA farm, will offer guidance on information and resources, including financing available to beginning farmers and strategies for starting off on the right foot. There will also be four workshops that cover production and logistics specific to CSAs. Farmers will share innovative production strategies, as well as discuss what they put in their member boxes week-to-week. Research will be presented on labor efficiency specific to CSA farms. The Financial Management sessions will include in-depth looks at CSA farm financials.

Chris Holman of Nami Moon Farms near Custer attended the inaugural Midwest CSA Conference in 2013 and looks forward to this year’s event. “Attending a conference that was dedicated to producers, provided practical knowledge and attempted to tackle difficult issues was a big reason I decided to attend the 2013 Midwest CSA Conference,” Holman said. “My biggest takeaway from the experience was my determination to dive further into the murky, seemingly shame-driven underworld of farm finances so that more light can be shown on such a key area. I believe this is a primary factor in any farm’s ability to succeed, and this conference is the only one I’ve seen that gave it the air time it deserves.”

“We are glad to convene this conference again and bring CSA farmers together to network and share their experiences,” said Wisconsin Farmers Union Special Projects Manager Sarah Lloyd. “The workshops will provide hands-on information and the general sessions and networking time will allow farmers to recharge their batteries after a long growing season.”

To register or learn more about the Midwest CSA Conference, visit www.midwestcsa.com.