        |
Links to INCA Friends and Resources
There are many groups
through out the state and nation working to promote local,
sustainable food resources. Listed below are a few you may find
useful.
|
Local Food Links for Consumers |
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5 a Day |
Great educational
material. Eat every color, every day! |
|
Community Food Security
Coalition |
The
Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC) is a non-profit
organization dedicated to building strong, sustainable,
local and regional food systems that ensure access to
affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food
for all people at all times. |
|
Farm to School Program |
Farm to School programs
are popping up all over the U.S. These programs connect
schools with local farms with the objectives of serving
healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student
nutrition, providing health and nutrition education
opportunities that will last a lifetime, and supporting
local small farmers. |
|
The Food Alliance |
An eco-label program that
inspects the farms it labels for sustainable practices. |
|
Food Routes |
A national non-profit
dedicated to reintroducing Americans to their food
the seeds it grows from, the farmers who produce
it, and the routes that carry it from the fields to our
tables. National sponsors of the "Buy Fresh, Buy Local"
Campaign. |
|
Home Canning Guide |
A great guide for canning
foods safely at home. |
|
Humane Society of the
United States |
Learn about the benefits
of humane livestock treatment. |
|
Local Harvest |
Best way to find local
foods in your area! |
|
Robyn Van En Center
for CSA Resources |
CSA brings together
community members, farmers and agricultural land in a
relationship of mutual support based on an annual
commitment to one another, a commitment that ensures the
survival of local agriculture today and for future
generations. The Robyn Van En Center offers a variety of
services to existing and new CSA farmers and
shareholders nationally. |
|
Wisconsin Foodshed
Research Project |
Tools and Resources for
activists and eaters who are changing the way we grow,
market, process and eat food. |
|
Sustainable-Related Groups
Links |
|
Center for Rural Studies |
The
purpose of the Center for Rural Studies is to enhance
the quality of life of rural residents of the Northern
Plains through coordinated research and information
dissemination efforts. |
|
Healthy Farmer, Healthy
Profits |
Links to
labor-saving and efficient tools for small farmers. |
| |
|
|
Leopold Center for
Sustainable Agriculture |
The
Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture explores and
cultivates alternatives that secure healthier people and
landscapes in Iowa and the nation. |
|
Institute for Agriculture
and Trade Policy |
The
Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy promotes
resilient family farms, rural communities and ecosystems
around the world through research and education, science
and technology, and advocacy. They are a major sponsor
of "Renewing the Countryside." |
|
Iowa Food Policy Council |
Iowa Food
Policy Council's purpose is to address issues concerning
Iowa's food system. |
|
ISU Sustainable
Agriculture Extension |
Provides
information, training, and programs supporting
sustainable agriculture. |
|
Midwest Sustainable
Agriculture Working Group |
MSAWG is a
coalition of farm, food, rural, religious, and
conservation organizations, and individuals who
organized in 1988 to interject grassroots sustainable
agriculture perspectives into crafting a sustainable
agriculture program within the U.S. Department of
Agriculture. |
|
Minnesota Institute for
Sustainable Agriculture |
The
Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA)
is a unique partnership between the University of
Minnesota and the Sustainers' Coalition, a group of
individuals and non-profit organizations. The purpose of
MISA is to bring together the diverse interests of the
agricultural community with interests from across the
University community in a cooperative effort to develop
and promote sustainable agriculture in Minnesota and
beyond. |
|
MOSES (Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference and
hotline) |
Sponsor of
the Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference and organic
transition hotline.
The Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education
Service (MOSES) has introduced a new toll-free Farmer
Transition Hotline for Midwest producers interested in
making the transition to organic production. The number
888-551-4769 (GROW) will be staffed by long-time organic
farmer, trainer and organic inspector, Harriet Behar,
who says, "I'm a sounding board for people's ideas, and
I can show callers that the organic certification
process is not as overwhelming as they thought. I'm also
here to help farmers understand the organic regulations
and get through the paperwork." |
|
National Catholic Rural
Life Council |
Many
programs centered around economic, social and
environmental policies of agriculture and rural
communities. |
|
The New American Farmer |
Profiles
of sustainable farmers across the US. |
|
Practical Farmers of Iowa |
PFI's
mission is to promote farming systems that are
profitable, ecologically sound, and good for families
and communities. |
|
Slow Food Iowa |
Dedicated
to stewardship of the land and ecologically sound food
production; to the revival of the kitchen and the table
as centers of pleasure, culture, and community; to the
invigoration and proliferation of regional, seasonal
culinary traditions; and to living a slower and more
harmonious rhythm of life. |
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Growers Reference Links |
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Agricultural/Farm
Measurements, Conversions, and Calculations |
A
compendium of measures, converters, and calculations for
all kinds of agricultural situations. |
|
Good Agricultural
Practices
|
The Good
Agricultural Practices (GAPs) Project aims to reduce
microbial risks in fruits and vegetables by developing a
comprehensive extension and education program for
growers and packers. |
|
EatWild.com |
Clearinghouse for information about pasture-based
farming including environmental, nutritional, health,
and other benefits. |
|
Grassfarmer.com |
American
Farmland Trust's information site on grass-based farming
systems. Grassfarmer.com brings online visitors
information on a variety of topics related to grazing
and grass farming. |
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Marketing/Business Planning
Links |
|
agMRC |
The
mission of the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center is
to provide independent producers and processors with
critical information needed to build successful
value-added agriculture enterprises. |
|
Building a Sustainable
Business: A Guide to Developing a Business Plan for
Farms and Rural Businesses |
The
publication, Building a Sustainable Business: A Guide to
Developing a Business Plan for Farms and Rural
Businesses, was created by the Minnesota Institute for
Sustainable Agriculture (MISA) to address the evolving
business planning needs of beginning and experienced
rural entrepreneurs. |
|
Community Kitchen
Incubator Orientation Guide |
The
Community Kitchen Incubator (CKI) is a unique facility
designed to help area specialty food businesses grow and
succeed. The purpose of this Orientation Guide is to
provide a brief overview of the CKI's history and goals,
highlight its programs and services, and summarize its
operating policies and procedures. |
|
ISU Kitchen Incubators |
Information on incubator kitchens and other food-related
small businesses. |
|
Wisconsin Kitchen
Incubator Network |
An
informal directory of community commercial kitchen
incubators in Wisconsin. |
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Alternative Crop Links |
|
Agricultural Utilization
Research Institute |
AURI
is a nonprofit corporation created to improve the
economy of rural Minnesota through new uses and new
markets for the state’s abundant agricultural
commodities. The Agricultural Utilization Research
Institute assists entrepreneurs along every product
development step, from research to marketing.
Throughout our history, we have helped in the
development of hundreds of new ag-based products,
creating new businesses and jobs. |
|
Alternative Farming
Systems Information Center |
AFSIC
specializes in identifying and accessing information
related to alternative agricultural enterprises and
crops as well as alternative cropping systems. |
|
Alternative Field Crops
Manual |
This
Alternative Field Crops Manual addresses the need for
detailed information on the production of a number of
agronomic crops adapted to the upper Midwest. Our intent
is to provide county extension agents and others in
educational roles a concise, uniform source of
information on those field crops which may be considered
as alternatives to traditional farm commodities. |
|
Illinois Specialty Farm
Products |
Research
studies are being carried out on specialty crop
marketing, specialty crop technology, including on-farm
trials, and pilot projects to assess the economic
potential in different parts of the state to produce,
market, and/or process different types of specialty farm
products. |
|
Missouri Alternatives
Center |
The
Missouri Alternatives Center's mission is to provide
Missourians with timely information about alternative
agricultural opportunities, to evaluate diverse
enterprises, improve management decisions, increase
economic returns and enhance the quality of their lives. |
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Great Search
Resources |
|
 |
Use
RadioSource.net
to
search nationwide for extension broadcasts on topics from
agricultural and life science topics from universities
across the nation. |
|
 |
Use
e answers as a
reliable, research-based information on a wide range of
Extension subjects. From this source you can access the
combined knowledge of Land Grant universities around the
nation. |
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