The Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (MFAI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advancing regenerative agriculture through research, education, and policy - supporting farms and food systems of all kinds across the Upper Midwest and beyond since 1984. We focus on conservation, sustainability, profitability, and opportunity for today's farmers and the emerging land stewards of tomorrow.
Our Program Areas
The Institute conducts research trials and demonstrations with Kernza®, a variety of cover crops, food-grade small grains, industrial hemp, and alternative crops such as mung beans, millet and buckwheat.
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Institute staff do market research on these artisan crops through the Fields Best Small Batch Grains retail business. Get some for yourself HERE or visit our booth at one of these local farmers markets: Fitchburg Center Farmers Market, Tosa Farmers Market, Whitewater Farmers Market, and Thiensville Farmers Market.
WI Cover Crop Data Network is a researcher-facilitated citizen science project designed to generate data from farmers who grow cover crops. Five years worth of results can be explored via this data map.
Research
Wisconsin Women in Conservation (WiWiC), a collaborative peer learning and networking project that brings together women landowners, farmers, farmworkers, gardeners, and conservation professionals to explore and share 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.
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Milwaukee Urban Agriculture Network (MUAN) connects Milwaukee-area residents with education, resources, and networks through potlucks, webinars, and field days. MUAN partners with UW Extension and established urban ag organizations across Milwaukee County and through the Upper Midwest to support strong regional networks of growers.
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Uplands Producer-Led Watershed Group is a peer-to-peer network of Iowa County producers, a mixture of large and small, conventional and organic, grain and livestock, fresh produce and dairy farmers sharing best practices for building soil and protecting water in the hilly Driftless Region of the state.
Education
The Institute's 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.​
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We work at the grassroots and at the Capital to organize with policymakers, non-profit leaders and farmers in support of regenerative practices while addressing socioeconomic barriers.​
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​Led by Chuck Anderas, the Institute's Assistant Policy Director, WGC is a broad partnership that has been working together for years ​to advance managed grazing practices across Wisconsin through state and federal incentive and education programs.
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Policy
BUILD
We're building soil health, soil-focused communities of practice, and broad partnerships with organizations and farmers who share the vision of a just, healthy, and bright agricultural future. We're building regenerative capacity in the Upper Midwest and beyond.
What We Do
PLANT
We're planting literal seeds - trialing alternative crops, growing food grade grains, and testing the efficacy of various cover crops. We're also planting virtual seeds of innovation and inspiration among growers, policy makers, and consumers.
SHARE
We're sharing our research, networks, experience, and knowledge with partners, coalitions, farmers, landowners, agricultural workers, consumers, and communities - both urban and rural - for the good of the entire regenerative ecosystem.