The following information was gathered through a search of the USDA Current Research Information System and updates from researchers. This list may not include all organic research occurring at UW-Madison. If you know of other projects we should include, or if you have any questions about organic research at UW-Madison, please contact Erin Silva at [...more]

On 18 Thursday mornings from April 24 through August 28, a group of apple growers came together over the phone to discuss holistic orchard management. Leading the calls was Michael Phillips, organic orchardist and author of The Apple Grower: A Guide for the Organic Orchardist. The breadth and depth of information covered on the calls [...more]

Wisconsin is well positioned to reap the benefits sown by our organic farmers, processors and other businesses. With continued support for and investment in organics, Wisconsin will remain a leader in organic agriculture. With a focus on organic dairy, this report describes production, processing and economic issues in organic agriculture. It also includes farm profiles, an [...more]

The organic food market continues to expand in the United States, consistently growing at a rate of 15 to 21 percent per year and reaching nearly $17 billion in consumer sales in 2006. Organic products are increasingly present in traditional mainstream markets. This publication is designed to help farmers and processors understand the steps necessary [...more]

Wisconsin continues to be a national leader in organic food production, despite the fact that certified organic farms, acreage and production represent only a small fraction of agriculture in the state. This report provides a snapshot of the current status of organic agriculture in Wisconsin, and summarizes some of the opportunities and challenges in the [...more]

Organic cranberries are produced across the continent, with over 100 acres grown in Wisconsin. The major problems facing organic cranberry growers include weeds, insect pests, fruit rot and other fruit quality issues; but most significant is a 50% or more reduction in yield compared to conventional production. There is room for the organic cranberry market [...more]

Retail produce buyers in Minneapolis, MN and Madison, WI were interviewed to see if there are opportunities for small-scale growers of certificed organic produce. Produce buyers considered organic produce to be good quality, appealing to customers who want to help protect the earth. Buyer’s views of their relationship with growers, changing sources of [...more]

Composted manures offer promise as beneficial soil amendments for vegetable growers. New research results show that composted manures can increase vegetable yield, influence crop diseases, and bring about changes in soil microbial life. These research findings are from an on-farm collaboration between vegetable growers and research scientists at UW-Madison. The project began with Richard DeWilde and [...more]

The 1993 study helped us see the potentials for marketing cooperatives, and the decisions CROPP has made since then are instructive for anyone interested in that topic. — Steve Stevenson Formed in 1988 by a handful of organic farmers, the Coulee Region Organic Produce Pool (CROPP) in LaFarge, Wisconsin, shares a philosophy of collective action and [...more]

It’s important that we farm organically. That’s the whole reason we’re in farming. We have ethical reasons we feel it’s important to treat the soil biodynamically. — Altfrid Krusenbaum The importance of farming organically and biodynamically has motivated the land stewardship practices of Altfrid and Sue Krusenbaum on their 240-acre East Troy, WI, grass-based dairy farm [...more]