MARBLESEED INC

FARMER-LED LEARNING IS AT THE HEART OF MARBLESEED'S PROGRAMMING, ENSURING THAT EVERY TRAINING, EVENT, AND RESOURCE IS SHAPED BY THE FARMERS WHO KNOW THE LAND BEST. IN 2025, THIS INCLUDED OUR 36TH ORGANIC FARMING CONFERENCE, HELD IN LA CROSSE, WI WHERE OVER 1,500 ORGANIC AND REGENERATIVE FARMERS GATHERED TO NETWORK AND LEARN BEFORE THE START OF THE GROWING SEASON UNDER THE THEME "LOCAL FOOD REVOLUTION." THE EVENT FEATURED MORE THAN 80 EXPERT- LED WORKSHOPS, FARMER-LED SUMMITS, AND HANDS-ON DEMONSTRATIONS ON TOPICS RANGING FROM SOIL HEALTH AND ORGANIC GRAIN ROTATION TO FOOD SOVEREIGNTY AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE. ATTENDEES ALSO EXPLORED A TRADE SHOW WITH OVER 150 EXHIBITORS, CONNECTING WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS AND DISCOVERING THE LATEST INNOVATIONS IN ORGANIC FARMING. WORKSHOPS AND DISCUSSIONS COVERED COLLECTIVELY ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO ORGANIC MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING POLICY SOLUTIONS AT ALL LEVELS. BEYOND THE CONFERENCE, MARBLESEED HOSTS ON-FARM FIELD DAYS ACROSS THE MIDWEST, FROM URBAN MARKET GARDENS TO SILVOPASTURE OPERATIONS, POTATO FARMS, AND CRANBERRY FARMS. THESE EVENTS OFFER REAL-TIME LEARNING ON CONSERVATION PRACTICES, EQUIPMENT, CROP ROTATIONS, ORGANIC WEED MANAGEMENT, AND EMERGING TECHNIQUES LIKE CIRCULAR GRAIN SYSTEMS WITH LOCAL DISTILLERIES. OUR FARMER-TO-FARMER MENTORSHIP PROGRAM, NOW IN ITS 19TH YEAR, CONTINUES TO PAIR BEGINNING AND TRANSITIONING FARMERS WITH SEASONED MENTORS ACROSS PRODUCTION TYPES, FROM BEEF AND POULTRY TO HIGH-TUNNEL RASPBERRIES AND SMALL GRAINS. IN 2025, TEN MENTORSHIP PAIRS (INCLUDING HMOOB AND SMALL- SCALE URBAN FARMERS) BUILT SKILLS IN ORGANIC TRANSITION, ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT, AND CONSERVATION PLANNING THROUGH BOTH OUR CORE PROGRAM AND TOPP (TRANSITION TO ORGANIC PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM)-FUNDED MENTORSHIPS.

MARBLESEED STRENGTHENS THE ECOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF MIDWEST FARMING THROUGH TRAINING, MENTORSHIP, AND ON-FARM LEARNING ROOTED IN ORGANIC AND REGENERATIVE PRINCIPLES. OUR CONSERVATION AND ORGANIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAMMING EQUIPS FARMERS WITH PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR SOIL HEALTH, CLIMATE RESILIENCE, BIODIVERSITY RESTORATION, AND LONG-TERM VIABILITY. IN 2025, FIELD DAYS SHOWCASED APPLIED CONSERVATION AT FARMS LIKE ATOMS TO APPLES FARM IN MOUNT HOREB, WI, WHERE 65 FARMERS LEARNED ORCHARD-FLOOR MANAGEMENT, EQUIPMENT USE, AND ORGANIC HERBICIDE TRIALS. A FIELD DAY WITH MCHUGH FARM AND LA CROSSE DISTILLING CO. DEMONSTRATED CIRCULAR AGRICULTURE, COMPOSTING SYSTEMS USING DISTILLERY BY-PRODUCTS, AND THE ORGANIC GRAIN TO DISTILLERY VALUE CHAIN. OTHER FIELD DAYS TARGETED GROWERS OFTEN UNDERSERVED IN CONSERVATION PROGRAMS AND FUNDING. ON-FARM, HANDS-ON DEMONSTRATIONS OF COVER CROPPING, COMPOST SYSTEMS, ADAPTIVE GRAZING, REDUCED TILLAGE, AND PERENNIAL INTEGRATION ENABLE FARMERS TO PERSONALIZE THESE PRACTICES TO THEIR OWN OPERATIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES SPECIFIC TO ORGANICALLY MANAGED SYSTEMS. THESE EVENTS WILL BE COMPLEMENTED BY CONSERVATION-RICH CONFERENCE SESSIONS, WEBINARS AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, FROM SOIL HEALTH PANELS TO FARMER-LED WORKSHOPS SHOWCASING ORGANIC CROP ROTATIONS AND ECOLOGICAL PEST MANAGEMENT. ADDITIONALLY, MARBLESEED ACCOMPANIES THESE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES WITH RESOURCES THAT MAKE ACCESS TO CONSERVATION COST SHARE PROGRAMS MORE ACCESSIBLE FROM TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, PLANNING, DIRECT CONSERVATION PRACTICE PAYMENTS, AND INFORMATION ABOUT AVAILABLE BRIDGE LOANS THROUGH OTHER PARTNERS.