Wisconsin Local Food Purchase Assistance Program Announces Summer Educational Events Series

MADISON – Wisconsin’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Program (WI LFPA) has announced a series of public events for the summer of 2023. These events have a goal of building connections between local food system and hunger relief network partners and providing education for farmers’ success in expanding production for supplying food banks, pantries, and community food access efforts. For more information or to register for these events, go to https://www.wilocalfood.org/events.  

• Diversified Enterprises for Community Food Access at Full Circle Community Farm
  Date: July 20, 2023
  Time: 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
  Location: W2407 Hofa Park Road, Seymour, WI, 54165
  Full Circle Community Farm’s mission is to provide the highest-quality organic, local food while creating a community-based farming model to bring vitality to their farm and community. During this event, attendees will learn more about Full Circle Community Farm’s diversified enterprise and its agricultural practices that sustain food production and address community food access needs. In addition, people will learn about reducing tillage in vegetable fields, post-harvest handling with a tour pack shed tour and demonstration, tour the pastured pig set-up, and see their rotational cattle grazing.

• Activate to Relate with WI LFPA at Philadelphia Community Farm
  Date: August 12, 2023
  Time: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  Location: 599 280th Street, Osceola, WI 54020
  Join Philadelphia Community Farm and WI LFPA for a day of community building. Learn about Philadelphia Community Farm’s unique mission and connect with WI LFPA producers. This is an excellent opportunity for producers to network with each other, share resources, and discuss how to address food insecurity in northern Wisconsin. Optional: Bring a dish to pass for the potluck lunch. Camping is available for those who want to stay overnight.

• Hermit Creek Farm: Farm Tour & Wholesaling to Food Distribution Programs
  Date: August 19, 2023
  Time: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
  Location: Hermit Creek: 65554 Spring Brook Rd, High Bridge, WI 54846, then caravan to other farm site during tour
  Join WI LFPA Producer Landis Spickerman as she shares about the production and management of their two farm sites in northern Wisconsin.  Learn about how to better your soil fertility using animals, crop rotation, and season extension to maximize production to increase food access. The tour will include topics such as food safety practices, how a farm can become wholesale-ready, and how H2A workers are integrated as a part of their farm.

About the Wisconsin Local Food Purchase Assistance Program

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service to create and implement the Wisconsin Local Food Purchase Assistance (WI LFPA) program. The LFPA program aims to strengthen local food systems, support Wisconsin farmers, and distribute fresh, nutritious foods to underserved communities.

DATCP is collaborating with producers, distributors, food security organizations, and tribal partners to provide program development, coordinate transportation and logistics, and procure food from local producers through partnerships with Marbleseed, Wisconsin Farmers Union, and Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative. For more information, visit wilocalfood.org.