"Nothing Compares to Farmers Connecting with Farmers"

As we close in on the final hours of our 2025 Annual Appeal, it's a privilege to share testimonies and impact stories from our supporters. Do you have a story about how the work of Michael Fields Agricultural Institute has impacted you or your community? DONATE HERE to fund 2026 programs and leave us a note about why you give.

We are grateful to have the support of ground-breaking grazier and no-till crop farmer Ron Schoepp, of Schoepp Farms in Lodi, WI. Ron is one of the citizen scientists who contributes to our WI Cover Crop Data Network - collecting field samples to evaluate for biomass, nutrients, and forage quality. We have been collaborating with more than 60 farmers over five years across the state to create interactive maps and an online Scenario Tool to help growers make good decisions about cover crops in their unique landscapes and situations. For their trail-blazing work, Schoepp Farms won Wisconsin's Conservation Farm Family of the Year Award in 2023.

But Ron’s history with Michael Fields Agricultural Institute goes way back to the early 90s when he was a part of the Wisconsin Integrated Cropping Systems trials. He has presented about managed grazing at our East Troy farm field days. Ron thinks that ultimately it is these field day events, or maybe the field day lunches, that have the most impact on farmers.

“Farmers learn from the speakers at field events, but they learn the most from talking amongst each other,” he says. “I met people over the lunch at MFAI field days that I now work with every day. I would never have met them if not for those events.”

We agree that the most powerful advisors for farmers are other farmers, and that is why most of our research, education, and policy work actually takes place in the context of interest-based farmer networks.

Ron is part of our WI Grazing Coalition, as well as our WI Cover Crop Data Network. But we also facilitate the Staple Crops Cohort, Wisconsin Women in Conservation, and Milwaukee Urban Ag Network. In our farmer networks, farmers of all kinds are helping each other to achieve conservation and production goals.

Ron calls this sort of farming “Regenerable Ag.”

“It has to be both regenerative and sustainable,” he says. “You have to build the soil, but you also have to sustain a living.” We couldn’t agree more! Will you join Ron today, in the final hours of our Annual Appeal, in making a donation to our future work?

Donate TONIGHT to the 2025 Annual Appeal

We know you have limited resources and lots of great causes you might be supporting with year-end gifts. That's why we have some great farmer-donated prizes to show our deep appreciation for your support of regenerative ag research, education, and policy advocacy through Michael Fields Agricultural Institute. Because we are a 501C3 non-profit, your donation is tax deductible.

Everyone who donates by midnight will be entered into a drawing for one of six amazing prizes, like Praise the Lard and Hogwash soap from heritage hog producer April Prusia of Dorothy's Range.

Friends who are local to South Central Wisconsin will be entered to win this amazing box of pastured meats from Hickory Hills Farm in Nelson, WI. Donated by Mrill Ingram, our Participatory Action Research Scientist, this box includes a chicken, two lamb chops, two packages of ground lamb, and a rolled leg-of-lamb. These are Mrill's farmers - where she buys all of her meat - and she can't say enough about the quality of these cuts.

All donors will be entered to win a Fields Best market bag filled with our regenerative cookie mixes and limited-edition Beer Steins. MFAI Research Director Dr. Nicole Tautges has been developing a lot of baking mixes this year from our perennial Kernza fields and our Buckwheat, Rye, and Wheat - and she will personally back you a selection of these mixes and flours. In development now: Regenerative Rye Brownie Mix! You just might get to try the very first bag.

This next prize will let you show your love for urban farmers with our brand-new Milwaukee Urban Agriculture Network Bag and a MUAN t-shirt. This is just one of many farmer networks MFAI facilitates. You can read all about MUAN here, and sign up to be notified about upcoming events and field days. But you can also go to our YouTube channel and see the recordings of our MUAN webinars:

MUAN Video Playlist

The final prize celebrates another MFAI farmer network: the Wisconsin Women in Conservation project. This 5-year-old effort brings together nearly 5000 women across the state for webinars, field days, happy hours, and learning circles exploring soil health, conservation practices, and resources for implementation. This limited-edition bandana, hand-drawn by college student Lucy Boyd, comes with a WiWiC t-shirt, too!

With your year-end donation, you are celebrating the work of these farmer networks, these farmers, and the staff who organize and convene their gatherings. You are also contributing to 2026 education events, on-farm research, market development, policy analysis, and regenerative advocacy at the state and federal levels. Whether you win one of these Donor Appreciation Prizes or not, you will get a Love Soil magnet in your thank-you note, so you can proudly show your support!

THANK YOU for partnering in this essential work!

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