Small Farmers' Alliance

02/25/2021

Looking for funding options??? Check out the Grant Writing Workshop and then apply for the grants listed. MFAI will even give you feedback if you'd like.

02/10/2021

Registration is now open for the 2021 VIRTUAL Gateway Horticulture/Urban Forestry Career & Internship Fair.

Join us and take advantage of the opportunity to connect with Gateway students and potential employees/interns. This year’s format will of course be a little different than in years past. Each employer will have a google site, custom built, to feature your business and the career/internship opportunities you have available. During the Career & Internship Fair hours, each employer will be given a virtual meeting space to interact with potential employees/interns. Upon registration, you will be sent a confirmation email with a few content requests to help customize and highlight your site.

Date: Thursday, March 4th, 2021
Time: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. - Career Fair
Location: Virtually

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. Ali Schultz: [email protected]

Click on the link to the employer page to complete your registration

http://gtc.edu/careerfairs-employers

Ali Schultz
Horticulture/Sustainable Food Production Instructor
Gateway Technical College
3520 30th Avenue
Kenosha, WI 53144
[email protected]

Gateway Technical College Career and Employment Services periodically hosts career fairs on campus. Career fairs are an opportunity for area employers to connect with students seeking internships and employment. Employers interested in participating in any of Gateway’s upcoming career fair events ...

01/08/2021

Happy New Year everyone!

Clif Bar Family Foundation Small Grants are awarded for general organizational support as well as funding for specific projects.

Priority is given to applicants that address the Foundation's funding priorities from a holistic perspective:
Protect Earth's beauty and bounty.
Create a robust, healthy food system.
Increase opportunities for outdoor activity.
Reduce environmental health hazards.
Build stronger communities.
Operate with clearly defined objectives and viable plans to achieve them.
Demonstrate strong community ties and operate at the community level.
Promote positive change through both the projects and their implementation process.
Only US-based 501(c)3 organizations (or groups with a 501(c)3 fiscal sponsor) are eligible for grants.

Applications are due Monday, February 1st at 11:59 PM EST.

These grants are awarded for general organizational support as well as funding for specific projects. Applications are reviewed three times a year; the deadlines are the 1st of February, June, and October. Grants awarded during a particular cycle will be announced at the beginning of the following c...

11/05/2020

STATEWIDE VIRTUAL EVENT - The Edible Startup Summit
Monday & Tuesday, Nov. 9-10, 2020

Registration is closing on Saturday, Nov. 7. Please don't delay in securing your spot! Register HERE. You will receive sign-in links to the sessions after you register.

This year, ESS has gone virtrual! This two day Summit for food business entrepreneurs is packed with information about business planning, product development, marketing, on-line ordering, food safety, adjusting to the time of coronavirus, and more! See our great line-up of sessions HERE. We are offering the whole summit for $25.00 - you can attend as many sessions as you like.

Jumpstart your food business by registering today.

This year's Summit is organized by Extension Dane County and the UW-Madison Extension Food Systems program, Co-sponsors include: the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Food Finance Institute; UW-Madison's Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic; Christine's Kitchen; the City of Madison Economic Development Division; Cook it Forward; Compeer Financial; FEED Kitchens/FEED To Go; Madam Chu; Madtown Food Services; Pasture & Plenty; Real Food Brands; REAP Food Group;Tribe 9 Foods; and Working Draft Beer Company.

Edible Startup Summit 2020 Edible Startup Summit 2020 is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 9 - Tuesday, Nov. 10. You can attend as many sessions as you like for the b

10/22/2020

The Edible Startup Summit 2020 is coming soon. This year, ESS has gone virtual! This two day Summit for food business entrepreneurs is packed with information about business planning, product development, marketing, on-line ordering, food safety, and more!. Registration is now open!

The Edible Startup Summit is a training program for food business start-ups and entrepreneurs

09/15/2020

Food Business Loans and Resources

See Extension's Small business resources page for information on a wide range of resources available to you at this time.

Kiva Greater Madison offers up to $15,000 loans at 0% interest, and supports your business with crowd funding. Learn how to get started with a Kiva loan here.

The City of Madison has created the "Streatery Program" to temporarily allow restaurants to expand their business footprint in order to serve people outdoors. Here's the Streatery guidance document.

Are you operating your business during the pandemic? Here's some food safety guidance and links to best practices.

A good source of updated information on grants and loan programs is the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce. Check these sites regularly for new programs.
On-going support: Licensing/Food Safety/Product Development help for Food Entrepreneurs

Please contact Dr. Barb Ingham, UW-Madison/Division of Extension Food Safety Specialist 608-263-7383, [email protected]
One-on-one support for food businesses with food safety questions.
Support for small food businesses trying to meet licensing requirements.
Supporting food businesses in manufacturing safe food under license.
Resources to assist with product development and production/packaging questions.
General Questions? Please contact Dr. Barb Ingham, UW-Madison/Division of Extension Food Safety Specialist 608-263-7383, [email protected]

The COVID-19 pandemic is leaving many Wisconsin businesses struggling and scrambling to find a way to manage through this public health crisis. Federal and Stat

09/15/2020

STATEWIDE VIRTUAL EVENT
Monday & Tuesday, Nov. 9-10, 2020

The Edible Startup Summit 2020 will be a full two day Summit with virtual sessions for food business entrepreneurs. Registration is now open! Register HERE.

Learn about important considerations in starting a food business and on how to operate a food business during a pandemic. We'll have speakers, panel presentations, workshops, consulting sessions, and networking opportunities. Topics will include: food business trends, food safety, innovation during the pandemic, business planning, branding and marketing, pricing your product, sourcing ingredients, and more. This year's Summit is organized by Extension Dane County and the UW-Madison Extension Food Systems program, with support from the Food Finance Institute, UW-Madison's Law & Entrepreneurship Clinic, Christine's Kitchen, and FEED Kitchens.

Edible Startup Summit 2020 Edible Startup Summit 2020 is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 9 - Tuesday, Nov. 10. You can attend as many sessions as you like for the b

09/15/2020

Welcome to Dane County Food Business Connect
with registration information for
Edible Startup Summit 2020 below
Starting a Food Business in Wisconsin: Keep Food Safety in Mind
Los buñuelos hechos por Sabor Regio Buñuelos made by Sabor Regio
Monday, September 14th, 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Link to register
The presentation will be in English and will be simultaneously interpreted into Spanish.

Cómo Iniciar un Negocio de Alimentos en Wisconsin:
Tome en Cuenta la Seguridad con los Alimentos
El lunes 14 de septiembre, 9:00 - 10:00 am
Enlace para el registro
La presentación será en inglés y se interpretará simultáneamente al español.
Los buñuelos hechos por Sabor Regio
Buñuelos made by Sabor Regio

Barbara Ingham, Food Safety Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, answers basic questions about types of licenses a food business may need and standards for a food production facility, provides tips on developing food safety plans, and offer hints for locating resources and support so small food entrepreneurs can get their businesses licensed in Wisconsin. This webinar is intended for small food businesses in Wisconsin and facilities and programs that support these entrepreneurs. Extension educators are welcome to attend.

September 14, 9:00 AM Starting a food business in Wisconsin: keep food safety in mind (What are the licensing requirements for starting a food business in Wisconsin?)

09/15/2020

Hello all. North Central Region SARE will host a Farmer Rancher Grant Program webinar via Zoom, Tuesday, September 22 from 4 - 5:30pm CDT.

This webinar will help guide participants through the process of submitting a grant proposal to NCR-SARE's Farmer Rancher grant program. Join Joan Benjamin, NCR-SARE Farmer Rancher Grant Program Coordinator, to learn how to write a strong proposal and project budget and where to get help. NCR-SARE will record the webinar and make it available online

08/13/2020

Grant & Financial Support Advising for Farmers and Agricultural Organizations in the Upper Midwest

Click for more information.

Hello all. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) reminds farmers who have been impacted by COVID-19 that the Wisconsin Farm Support Program will reopen for applications from August 10 - August 24, 2020.

08/10/2020

Food Safety Webinars for Food Processors
Learn about federal and state food safety regulations

Starting a food business in Wisconsin: keep food safety in mind
Webinar 2: August 10th, 9:00am, Registration Link Below

What are the licensing requirements for starting a food business in Wisconsin? This webinar will answer basic questions about types of licenses a business may need, standards for a food production facility (and tips on locating space for rent), food safety plans, and resources to help small-scale food entrepreneurs get business licensed in Wisconsin and up and running. Barbara Ingham, Food Safety Specialist, Division of Extension, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Full-length registration link: https://uwextension.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJElf-upqDorHdTNO22BDwaEkfuA6O8qzj2a

On-going support: Licensing/Food Safety/Product Development help for Food Entrepreneurs

Please contact Dr. Barb Ingham, UW-Madison/Division of Extension Food Safety Specialist 608-263-7383, [email protected]

One-on-one support for food businesses with food safety questions.
Support for small food businesses trying to meet licensing requirements.
Supporting food businesses in manufacturing safe food under license.
Resources to assist with product development and production/packaging questions.
General Questions? Please contact Dr. Barb Ingham, UW-Madison/Division of Extension Food Safety Specialist 608-263-7383, [email protected]

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: Webinar 2: August 10th, 9:00 AM Starting a food business in Wisconsin: keep food safety in mind (What are the licensing requirements for starting a food business in Wisconsin?). After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the mee...

07/30/2020

Call for Research and Education Pre-Proposals is now open!