Join FairShare CSA Coalition and UW-Madison Extension for a webinar panel of certified, recently transitioned, and non-certified farmers as they discuss their decision-making process for organic certification. Kat Becker of Cattail Organics, Brad Wissmueller of Little Society Farm, and Martice Scales of Full Circle Healing Farm will talk about their experiences and the key factors that shaped their decisions about organic certification, including market opportunities, recordkeeping, and feasibility. Learn more about the organic transition process, as well as financial and technical assistance available to transitioning farmers through the Midwest Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). A live question-and-answer session will also give you the chance to ask your most pressing questions about organic certification.

What are the similarities and differences across farms operated by producers of different races? This talk—part of the 2024 CFAES DEI Speaker Series—examines whether farm financial performance differs among farms operated by White, Black, and Native American producers. Black and Native American farmers, in particular, have struggled to hold on to farmland over the last century. The talk will explore the historical context in which these farms operate and highlight observed racial differences in performance for farms that engage in beef cattle production, an industry in which a large share of Black and Native American producers specialize. The findings will be placed in the broader context of other work examining socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. About the speaker: Dr. LaPorchia Collins is a research agricultural economist in the Market and Trade Economics Division for the USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS). At ERS, she examines issues affecting the U.S. livestock, dairy, and poultry industries. Her research covers topics related to food security, inequality, and the environment. Prior to joining ERS, Dr. Collins served as a Professor of Practice and Director of Undergraduate Studies in Economics at Tulane University. Her research has been published in high-impact, applied economic and interdisciplinary journals such as The American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Applied Economics Perspectives and Policy, Empirical Economics, and Applied Geography, among others. She earned her doctoral degree in agricultural, environmental, and development economics from The Ohio State University and bachelor's degree in agricultural economics from Southern University and A&M College.