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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Earth Fest: Tiny Gardens Everywhere: The Past, Present and Future of the Self-Provisioning City
Monday, April 20th, 5pm @ Conrad A. Elvehjem Building, Room L140, 800 University Ave, Madison, WI Register for a chance to receive a free copy […]
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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 […]
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.
- Earth Fest: Tiny Gardens Everywhere: The Past, Present and Future of the Self-Provisioning CityMonday, April 20th, 5pm @ Conrad A. Elvehjem Building, Room L140, 800 University Ave, Madison, WI Register for a chance to receive a free copy… Read more: Earth Fest: Tiny Gardens Everywhere: The Past, Present and Future of the Self-Provisioning City
- INVITE: Introducing the Super Transport CoopThursday, April 30, 5-9pm, 2026 @the Eight10, 810 Churchill Street, Waupaca WI This event formally introduces the STC vision, its intended impact and opportunities for… Read more: INVITE: Introducing the Super Transport Coop
- Webinar Summary: Dr. Deniz Berfin Karakoç, Arizona State UniversityWatch the webinar and read the summary. “Digitalization of Agrifood Supply Chains, and the Impact on Social Sustainability and Fair Value Redistribution”
- Panel Discussion: The Materiality of DataThe University of Wisconsin Digital Scholarship Hub is featuring CIAS Food Systems Work on transportation and logistics at an upcoming discussion. The Materiality of Data… Read more: Panel Discussion: The Materiality of Data
- Another Successful Year for the CIAS Graduate Student Summer Research Mini-Grant ProgramAdvancing Leadership and Innovation in Sustainable Agriculture Since 2013, generous support from the Single Step Foundation has made it possible for the Center for Integrated… Read more: Another Successful Year for the CIAS Graduate Student Summer Research Mini-Grant Program