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 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 […]
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Harvest Fest and Bonfire at the UW Student Organic Farm
It’s that time of year: Harvest Parties! There’s a lot happening this weekend, from Allen Centennial Garden’s Harvest Fest to REAP Food Group and Native […]
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.
- PhD Exit Seminar: Just Transitions in Animal Agriculture: Visions for the Future and Solidarity Building in the U.S. MidwestDate: Thursday, April 24, 2025 Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM CT Location: Science Hall, Room 140 – 550 N. Park St., Madison, WI Or… Read more: PhD Exit Seminar: Just Transitions in Animal Agriculture: Visions for the Future and Solidarity Building in the U.S. Midwest
- 2025 CIAS Graduate Student Summer Research Mini-Grant Call for ProposalsThe Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS) invites UW-Madison graduate student applications for our summer research mini-grant program, which is made possible through a generous… Read more: 2025 CIAS Graduate Student Summer Research Mini-Grant Call for Proposals
- Fellowship Opportunity: The Organic Center’s 2025 Science Fellowship ProgramThe Organic Center is excited to announce the 2025 Science Program Fellowship in partnership with the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS). This unique opportunity is designed for… Read more: Fellowship Opportunity: The Organic Center’s 2025 Science Fellowship Program
- Civil Rights Activism and Agriculture: A Family that Kept the Land – Lecture and ReceptionCommunity and Environmental Sociology Presents: Reverend Wendell Paris, Mr. George Paris, and Mrs. Alice Paris Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2025 Time: 5:00pm CST – lecture, reception to… Read more: Civil Rights Activism and Agriculture: A Family that Kept the Land – Lecture and Reception
- New study finds that 80% of Americans attend farmers markets, underscores local food demand(Originally published on CALS News) A newly published national survey provides valuable insights into the significance of farmers markets, with particular relevance to Wisconsin’s strong agricultural tradition.… Read more: New study finds that 80% of Americans attend farmers markets, underscores local food demand