For information on local sourcing for large volume buyers and Wisconsin producers

Local Food News

Register Now!
IFM 6th Annual Meeting -
Step Forward to Local
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Exhibition Hall at the Alliant Energy Center

Institutions, distributors, and local food producers and processors are all invited to join IFM for a day of learning about sourcing Wisconsin local food, networking, and sampling Wisconsin-grown products. This is a unique opportunity for large volume buyers to get the information and contacts they need to expand or start sourcing local, and for local food exhibitors to gain new customers.

View our IFM 6th Annual Meeting page for our agenda and registration forms.

Receive the IFM Local Sourcing E-News!

Our updates feature what institutions need to know to source local – upcoming events, new resources, and information about local Wisconsin product offered by local growers, processors, and distributors. To receive our emails (two or three per month), contact the IFM Coordinator at witzling@countyofdane.com or (608) 224-3710.

Local Food Means Business! Dane County releases a study siting a new business opportunity for local foods, new jobs!

Read all about it in the feasibility study. Institutional buyers in Wisconsin contributed to this study by responding to a survey about their demand for local food. Stay tuned for more details on the development of this exciting project!

Find Local Food Here

Institutions can find local food suppliers by looking at profiles of IFM Member produce growers, local food businesses, and distributors. The profiles contain critical information to help institutions find a supplier to meet their needs. Buy Wisconsin local today!

Food service directors are choosing locally grown for many reasons, including:

Competitive pricing
Tastier, more nutritious food
Local sales support WI family farms and rural communities
Local sourcing helps to reduce air pollution by decreasing the number of vehicle miles traveled (VMT) from farm to table
Buying locally helps develop our local economy. It is estimated that every $100,000 in local food sales results in 2.2 jobs. Buying locally creates a multiplier effect as local growers buy their machinery, seed, feed, insurance, marketing services and more from other local businesses.

Local Food at the
Wisconsin Restaurant Expo
March 12-14, 2012, Milwaukee, WI

The Wisconsin Restaurant Expo has gone local! IFM will be presenting about sourcing in large volume with institutional buyers Scott Hoffland (UW-Milwaukee) and Amy Miller (Sauk Prairie Memorial Hospital & Clinics). And Something Special from Wisconsin™ will be there with local food vendors galore!

Read more about the event at the Wisconsin Restaurant Expo website.

Local Food Jobs Website

Looking to hire? There is a new website, Farm and Food Jobs, aimed to help connect local producers and processors with potential employees or interns. The service posts listings nationwide and is free to use.

IFM Local Food Cooking Class Materials Available

Find simple recipes using seasonal local ingredients, created by Chef Justin Johnson especially for institutions, plus contact information for local producers and pictures here. Thanks to all for a great class – stay tuned for more!

Thanks for a Great Meeting!
Local Food Means Business -
Wisconsin Local Food Expo
Tuesday September 20, 2011

Thanks to all the meeting participants - local food producers, farmers, buyers, and distributors - meeting presenters and our generous contributors for making the day a success. This was a one-of-a-kind opportunity for local food sales networking! See the Local Food Means Businesses event page for exhibitor contact information and more.

Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin Created 38 Jobs

The Department of Agriculture's Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin 2008 to 2010 grant recipients, including IFM, created 38 new jobs and retained 25 jobs! Read all about it in their new impact report. An estimated $4.2 million in business sales were generated, and 1,200 Wisconsin producers have benefited from these projects. The competitive grant funding aspect of Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin was recently restored by the joint finance committee.

Dane County's Institutional Food Market Coalition provides outreach, education, and technical assistance to buyers, growers, and distributors to increase local food sales. Call (608) 224-3710 for assistance!