Check out the latest news and articles.
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CSA Across the Nation: Findings from the 1999 and 2001 CSA Surveys
Posted on October 2, 2003The Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement in the United States has grown to include over 1,000 farms that are linking growers and customers in unique […]
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Organic Agriculture in Wisconsin: 2003 Status Report
Posted on October 1, 2003Organic food sales in the US have grown 20% or more annually throughout the last decade and remain strong. Organic products are now available in […]
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Flavor, not health claims, key in marketing pasture-based cheese (Research Brief #66)
Posted onA small but growing group of consumers is paying attention to the health benefits of milk and meat from animals raised on pasture. Meat and milk from grazed ruminants have higher levels of “good fat” than ruminants fed stored feeds. Conjugated linoleic acid, or CLA, is one of those “good fats.” Some people claim that CLA can inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors, enhance immunity, reduce cholesterol, and replace fat with muscle. Can dairy farmers raising cows on pasture capitalize on these health claims with specialty cheese?
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Harvest Festivals Reveal the Benefits and Challenges of Serving Local Produce in Schools
Posted onWhat do students at Shorewood Hills, Lincoln, and Chavez Elementary Schools have in common? All 1,400 of them, along with school staff and parents, will […]
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Biological control of Canada thistle: more work needed (Research Brief #65)
Posted on July 1, 2003Canada thistle is a big headache for livestock producers managing pastures. Animals won’t eat this spiny, tough plant, reducing productivity of pastures and livestock. Despite being on Wisconsin’s noxious weed list and a target for serious control for many years, it is still a significant, widespread problem.
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Pesticide Use and Risk Reduction: An Investment in the Future of Wisconsin Agriculture
Posted on June 1, 2003The Pesticide Use and Risk Reduction (PURR) Project was initiated in 1998 to help farmers anticipate the effects of more restrictive federal pesticide regulation. Fourteen […]
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Poultry Enterprise Budget Makes Management Decisions Easier
Posted on March 1, 2003Low commodity prices have inspired many farmers to look at alternative enterprises, like poultry production, to increase their farm income. With careful financial planning and […]
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Lawn care herbicide linked to reproductive problems in mice (Research Brief #64)
Posted on February 1, 2003Researchers at UW-Madison found that exposure to low levels of a common lawn herbicide mixture led to reduced litter sizes in laboratory mice. This research builds on other studies showing possible links between pesticide exposure and reproductive and/or developmental problems in animals and humans.
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Poultry Enterprise Budget
Posted onEnterprises like pastured poultry can add to farm income with careful financial planning. CIAS has developed a spreadsheet to help farmers make financial and management […]
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Large-scale pastured poultry farming in the U.S. (Research Brief #63)
Posted on January 1, 2003Can you make a living raising pastured poultry on a large scale? “Yes, but talk to farmers who’ll give you their whole story, including their failures, before you begin,” one producer participating in a 2000 Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS) survey advises.