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Who We Are

 The Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (MFAI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advancing regenerative agriculture through research, policy, and education, supporting diverse communities across the Upper Midwest and beyond.

What We Do

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ANSWER questions

We address questions producers are asking today, so they can make informed choices tomorrow. 

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BUILD communities

We bring people together to construct pathways towards a healthy and just food system.

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CHAMPION healthy systems

We help policymakers understand what actions help food and farming systems thrive and empower community members to advocate for relevant changes.

Mission

Michael Fields Agricultural Institute’s mission is to help rural and urban farms and agricultural communities in Wisconsin and beyond be healthy environmentally, economically, and socially.

Updated 5.18.23

Vision

Michael Fields Agricultural Institute is guided by a vision of agriculture that prioritizes people and promotes human and ecosystem health, food sovereignty, and justice.

Updated 5.18.23

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Whom We Serve

We work for growers, land owners and managers, agricultural workers, and community members in Wisconsin and beyond. By serving the needs of agriculture in our region, we serve all who share our belief that resilient, healthy food and farm systems are possible.

Equity Statement

Michael Fields Agricultural Institute recognizes the harm that systemic social, racial, and economic injustice has played in our agricultural systems. We are committed to policies, structures, and practices that foster food and farming systems that are just and equitable.

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Our Program Areas

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We conduct research trials and demonstrations with Kernza®, legume cover crops, food-grade small grainsindustrial hemp, and alternative crops such as mung beans, millet and buckwheat.

Research

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We support healthy ecosystems and a resilient food system through our education programs:

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Wisconsin Women in Conservation (WiWiC), a five-year multi-faceted project that brings together Wisconsin women landowners to learn about conservation practices, resources, and funding opportunities.

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Midwest GRIT, a peer-to-peer learning program focused on strengthening diverse small and mid-size Midwest food-grade grain farmers.

Education

Policy

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Our policy work is predicated on the simple belief that people should be empowered to use democratic processes to direct government resources to advance their vision of agriculture in society.

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Federal & State Policy

We work at the grassroots level to organize with policymakers, non-profit leaders and farmers to support conservation practices while addressing socioeconomic barriers in agriculture.

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Grants Advice

We offer free, one-on-one consulting services to help Midwest farmers, agricultural entrepreneurs and institutions navigate USDA-SARE and other grant resources.

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