Wisconsin Local Foods Project

In Western Wisconsin there is a strong push to develop a more robust local/regional food system for economic development as well as for environmental and health reasons. There are many reasons to buy locally grown food. You'll get exceptional taste and freshness, strengthen your local economy, support family farms, safeguard your family's health, and protect the environment.

The UWEC Chippewa Valley Center for Economic Research and Development (CVCERD) has recently partnered with UW-Extension Baron/Chippewa Counties (UW-EX) on a very timely research project. A $10,000 grant was secured through UW-EX to develop an applied local food research project. The intent of the project is to document the degree to which local food is produced and consumed in Western Wisconsin. In addition, we seek to contribute to existing efforts aimed at increasing local food purchasing and consumption in the region. This project will provide basic data and information as well as research analysis and outreach to support and tie together these efforts.

In order to characterize local food production and consumption in Western Wisconsin the CVCERD has conducted surveys of colleges and school districts. We believe that investigating farm to college and farm to school programs is a good beginning to characterizing the local food landscape in the region.

We are currently conducting an online survey of households for the same purpose. Our future plans include surveying local farmers' markets, institutions (hospitals, nursing homes, etc), restaurants and most importantly farmers regarding food consumption and production. We ultimately view this research as a way to draw attention to local/regional agriculture and food systems as an important form of economic development.

For more information on this project please contact Eric Jamelske at 715-836-3254, jamelsem@uwec.edu or Andrew Dane at 715-537-6250, 715-726-7950, andrew.dane@ces.uwex.edu.



Wisconsin Farm-to-College Surveys

College Survey: Purchase some local food products (pdf)
College Survey: Do not purchase any local food products (pdf)

Report (Spring 2008): Food Purchasing of Wisconsin Colleges: Local or Not? (pdf)



Western Wisconsin Farm-to-School Surveys

School District Survey: Purchase some local food products (pdf)
School District Survey: Do not purchase any local food products (pdf)

Report (Spring 2008): Food Purchasing of Western Wisconsin School Districts: Local or Not? (pdf)


Western Wisconsin Household Food Purchasing Survey

Click here to go the on-line household survey


Other Work

Poster I (January 2008): Wisconsin Local Food Summit (pdf)

Poster II (January 2008): Wisconsin Local Food Summit (pdf)

Poster III (January 2008): Wisconsin Local Food Summit (pdf)

Poster I (April 2008): UWEC/UW Student Research Day (pdf)

Poster II (April 2008): UW/UWEC Student Research Day (pdf)

Corey Hilber at UWEC Student Research Day (April 2008) (jpg)


Events

UWEC Local Foods Week Schedule (April 2008) (pdf)

Dulany Local Food Buffet Menu (April 2008) (pdf)

Dulany Local Food Buffet Picture (April 2008) (jpg)

Free Foodlums Local Food Sampling (April 2008) (pdf)

Ken Meter presentation during UWEC Local Foods Week UWEC (wmv)


Related Links

NPR Audio Clip on Local Foods (mp3)

UW-Extension
Crossroads Resource Center
Report: Finding Food in Northwest Wisconsin (Crossroads Resource Center)

Buy Local Buy Wisconsin
Wisconsin Local Food Network
Savor Wisconsin
Minnesota Grown

Wisconsin Organic Store Locator
Wisconsin Food Co-op Listing
Wisconsin Farmers' Markets Listing
Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas Regions& Maps

Western Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas
Eau Claire Downtown Farmer's Market

Haymarket Grill
Native Bay Restaurant
Just Local Foods Co-op

UW-Eau Claire Dining and Food Service
The Foodlums

Farm-to-College
Farm-to-School
Food Routes
Slow Food International
Slow Food USA