Organic grain is a fast-growing sector of today’s agricultural economy. Are you or someone you know interested in learning more about organic grain production and marketing? Do you want to benefit from organic grain prices but don’t know how to navigate the transition process and manage a farm organically? Are you a beginning farmer who wants to grow organic grain, for feed or for food, but don’t know where to begin? We have a good place for you to start.
A three-week, 14-installment seminar on organic grain production and marketing will be offered through the newly-formed Organic Grain Resources And Information Network (OGRAIN) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. We will meet January 11-29, Monday through Friday, from 2:25-3:15 PM. The seminar will meet on campus, in collaboration with the Farm and Industry Short Course (FISC), but will be available remotely through a live, interactive streaming service. Access to recorded talks will also be available to registered participants who can’t join the live stream.
Through lectures and discussions led by farmers, researchers, agency personnel, and industry representatives, various topics will be covered including:
- Organic corn, soybean, and small grain production
- Fertility and pest management in organic systems
- Marketing and contracting
- Food-grade grain production, processing, and marketing
- Organic transition, certification, and coexistence
The seminar is available to anyone in the Upper Midwest with an interest in learning more about organic grain production. However, there is particular emphasis on recruiting beginning farmers with less than 10 years experience. Whether you’re a curious conventional farmer, a livestock or produce grower interested in adding grain to your system, or a new farmer wanting to start with organic grain production, you’ll find much of value in the OGRAIN seminar.
Cost for non-FISC participants is $50. This covers either in-person or on-line participation as well as access to all classroom materials (readings, recorded presentations, useful links and resources, activities etc.). If you’re unable to cover the cost of the course, there are scholarships available. Please inquire for more information. Also, if participants need assistance gaining access to an internet connection with sufficient speed, we can help identify a location capable of streaming the class.
To register, please send an email with your name, phone #, home address, and whether you’ll be joining us in the classroom or online. Payment will need to be received (check or cash, made out to UW Madison) before January 11th.
Registration information, payment, and questions can be directed to:
Anders Gurda, Seminar coordinator, agurda@wisc.edu
612-868-1208, 1630 Linden Dr., Madison, WI 53706