Farm Viability
Research, tools, and information on how farmers can build and maintain an economically viable farm business.
Compass tools
Compass Tools help farmers with data-driven decision-making to become more profitable and sustainable. The CIAS Compass Toolbox contains a suite of whole farm profit management spreadsheet tools to help farmers understand their costs of production, identify what products and markets are best for them, and identify ways to improve profitability. Compass Workshops help train farmers and service providers to use these tools.
Veggie Compass
Livestock Compass
Fruit & Nut Compass
Pasture-Based Beef Enterprise Calculator
OGRAIN Compass – NEW 2023 VERSION
Hemp Compass
Grassland 2.0 Grazing Compass Tools
These tools, built in collaboration with the Grassland 2.0 Program, evaluate a transition from a confinement to a pasture-based system of raising animals. They analyze the financials of the grazing season to estimate cost and labor savings. They help estimate the amount of land needed, paddock establishment and operating costs, and also include an evaluation of the nutritional composition of a feeding plan focused on grazing.
Heifer Grazing Compass
Beef Grazing Compass
PUBLICATIONS AND OTHER RESOURCES
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New AI podcast on growing the adoption of small grains!
Check out our new AI voiced podcast “The Heartland Shift: Small Grains, Big Impact”! CIAS Food Systems Scientist Dr. Lauren Asprooth uses AI podcasting to […]
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New Paper: Resilience strategies for academic centers focused on food systems transformations
Since the inception of the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems in 1989, several new centers have come, changed leadership, transformed, and some have closed. This […]
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Harvest Farm Weekend at Yowela Farms
Hundreds gathered this past weekend at Yowela Farms for the third annual Harvest Dinner and inaugural Harvest Weekend. Hosted by REAP Food Group and Dan […]
CIAS PARTNERS
Organic Grain Resource and Information Network (OGRAIN)
Ellen Polishuk, Plant to Profit
Jim Munsch, Deer Run Farm
NEWS
These tools, built in collaboration with the Grassland 2.0 Program, evaluate a transition from a confinement to a pasture-based system of raising animals. They analyze the financials of the grazing season to estimate cost and labor savings. They help estimate the amount of land needed, paddock establishment and operating costs, and also include an evaluation of the nutritional composition of a feeding plan focused on grazing.
- Organic Apple Orchard AcademySign up today for this virtual event! Commercial Fruit Growers Share Practical Knowledge This is a multi day event scheduled for February 9th, 11th, 16th and 18th 2026 |… Read more: Organic Apple Orchard Academy
- Open CIAS Postdoc position to study diversified food grain supply chains The Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems is hiring a Postdoc Research Associate to study the development of diversified food grain supply chains in the Upper… Read more: Open CIAS Postdoc position to study diversified food grain supply chains
- Presentation: Value Chain Coordination in Agri-FoodVéronique De Herde, A Fulbright visiting scholar, will be presenting her research project on value chain coordination in agri-food, on Tuesday, November 18, in a seminar… Read more: Presentation: Value Chain Coordination in Agri-Food
- Forward Ag Invests in Cross-Sector Solutions to Drive Agri-Food Innovation in WisconsinOur very own John Hendrickson’s and Michelle Miller’s proposal to study a flax supply chain in Wisconsin was amongst the seven grants awarded across Wisconsin… Read more: Forward Ag Invests in Cross-Sector Solutions to Drive Agri-Food Innovation in Wisconsin
- NATIONAL FARMERS DAY LIVESTREAM! October 9, 10 AM to 8 PM.Celebrate National Farmers Day with Organic Valley! Organic Valley is bringing a firsthand farm experience to viewers live from our small organic family farms, coast… Read more: NATIONAL FARMERS DAY LIVESTREAM! October 9, 10 AM to 8 PM.