Olivia Parry, IFM Director, at Wisconsin Association of Public Purchasers Vendor Expo, September 2008.

About IFM

What is IFM?

The Institutional Food Market Coalition (IFM) was established in 2006 in an effort to achieve two goals:

• Expand market opportunities for Dane County and regional growers, and
• Connect large volume institutional buyers, such as hospitals, universities, nursing homes, prisons, office parks and large businesses with local Wisconsin product.

Check out our food systems planning paradigm.

IFM Activities

Outreach and Education

IFM conducts outreach and education to identify new institutional buyers interested in sourcing large volumes of local fruit and produce. IFM activities include the following:

IFM News

February 2010
February 2009
June 2008
September 2007
April 2007

Produce Auction Field Trips

Each year, IFM hosts two field trips to Badgerland Produce Co-op Auction in Montello, WI. The field trips offer a great opportunity for institutional buyers to experience the sights and sounds of a live produce auction and learn about how it works. Participants also learn about different purchasing programs, get a chance to meet the local farmers, hear from auction management, talk to board members and eat a hot home-made lunch. During the trip we also set time set aside for buyers to ask questions and share ideas. Please contact Olivia Parry at parry@co.dane.wi.us if you would like to be put on the invitation list.

Institutional buyers participate in a round table discussion at the 2nd Annual IFM Meeting.

Annual Meeting

IFM hosts an annual meeting every fall for large volume buyers interested in learning more about sourcing locally, networking and learning from IFM and each other about ways to reach local purchasing goals. IFM’s next meeting is May 19, 2010.

Producer Outreach

In response to very high institutional demand, IFM conducts ongoing outreach to Dane County producers interested in selling significant quantities of wholesale fruit and produce. If you are interested, please contact Olivia Parry as soon as possible at 608-266-4270, or parry@co.dane.wi.us for further information. If you are outside of Dane County, please contact the nearest produce auction or UW Extension office, to find out how to participate.

IFM Coalition Partners

The IFM Coalition is made up of numerous state and local government entities, food system organization representatives, Dane County staff, the IFM Advisory Committee, UW Extension, several WI produce auctions and other interested stakeholders – all of whom are committed to increasing the sales and consumption of locally grown food, and the expansion of the local food economy.

Agricultural Innovation Center
Badgerland Produce Co-op Auction
Blue Planet Partners
Dane County Food Council
Dane County Planning and Development Department
Fennimore Produce Auction
GreenLeaf Market
Growers Produce Auction
LocalDirt.com
REAP Food Group
University of Wisconsin Extension, Dane County
University of Wisconsin Extension, Marquette County
University of Wisconsin–Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems
University of Wisconsin System Office of Procurement
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
Wisconsin Department of Corrections

IFM Advisory Committee

Bartlett Durand, CEO, Black Earth Meats
Lois Federman, Senior Agricultural Consultant, DATCP
David Fischer, Interim Department Head, UW-Extension, Dane County
Jesse Gillett, Vice President, Indianhead Foodservice
Scott Hoffland, Director, Restaurant Operations, UW Milwaukee
Anne Pfeiffer, Ag Innovation Specialist, Ag Innovation Center
Mary Jean Reading, Manager, Badgerland Produce Co-op Auction
Anne Reynolds, Assistant Director, University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives
Bill Rizzo, Community & Economic Development Educator, UW-Extension, Dane County
Joie Schoonover, Director of Dining and Culinary Services, Division of University Housing, UW-Madison
Keith Vandervelde, Department Head, UW-Extension, Marquette County
Doug Wubben, Farm to School Specialist, CIAS

IFM Staff and Interns

Olivia Parry, Director, Institutional Food Market Coalition
Laura Witzling, Coordinator, Institutional Food Market Coalition
Courtney Berner, IFM Outreach Specialist

Contact IFM

For more information about IFM, please contact:

Dane County Planning & Development Dept
210 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, room 362
Madison, WI 53709
608-266-4270
Parry@co.dane.wi.us