This free workshop invites BIPOC and other historically under-served farmers, processors, distributors, and food outlets to share their successes and innovations in providing food for our communities. The event intends to create space for expanded networking and strengthening connections among and between communities to create equitable, fair supply chains.

Fifteen speakers from the Upper Midwest will share their experiences in building capacity to produce, process, distribute, and feed our communities, detailed below.  The agenda includes opportunities to discuss and explore ideas and approaches with participants at roundtable sessions. The panel sessions will be translated for Spanish and Hmong speakers.

Marbleseed is sponsoring the free event, with funding from the USDA LFPA program, Organic Valley, Cultural Conservancy, and Slow Food USA. Key partners organizing the event include the WI Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin (including CIAS!), REAP Food Group, Wisconsin Farmers Union, and the Great Lakes Intertribal Food Coalition.

More than 120 people have registered in advance. As of February 7, advanced registration is closed but walk-in registration is most welcome. See you there!

Building distribution: partnerships from farmer to community efforts for strengthening food systems

• Kara Black, Fresh Category Procurement Coordinator, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin
• Jen Falck, (Oneida) Department of Agriculture and Food Systems, Menominee Nation
• Isaiah Skenandore, (Oneida) farmer provider
• Sherri Tussler, Hunger Task Force  
• Jon Greendeer, (Ho Chunk), Health and Wellness Coordinator, Ho Chunk Nation and farmer provider

Building production and processing capacity for wholesale

• Regi Haslett-Marroquin, Tree Range, on poultry processing
• Tara Roberts Turner, Wisconsin Food Hub Coop, on vegetable wholesaling
• Ann Vang, Sib Pab Lead, Central Rivers Farmshed, on grower support

Connecting across the supply chain: building Farm to School, retail and restaurant capacity

• Rodrigo Cala, Latino Economic Development Corporation, on organizing farmers to joint market in the Twin Cities
• Venice Williams, Alice’s Garden & Sherman Phoenix, on retailing local food
• Sean Sherman, (Oglala), Owamni restaurant/ Indigenous Food Lab, on supplying food to restaurants

Other speakers include Dan Cornelius (Oneida), University of Wisconsin-Madison, workshop convener; Lori Stern, Marbleseed; April Yancer, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection; Gary Besaw, Menominee Nation Department of Agriculture and Food Systems; Randy Romanski, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and Sarah Lloyd, Wisconsin Farmers Union. Special guests B.E. Farrow and Mariel Romero Mendez will provide music and dance to open and close the session.