Veggies at the Downtown Eau Claire Farmers Market.

The report features some interesting findings, such as the increasingly younger demographic of organic farmers in Wisconsin and the fact that the majority of these farmers are women.

A report issued by the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that demand for organic foods in Wisconsin is outpacing supply. With the second highest amount of organic farms in the country and a growing, younger demographic of organic farmers, Wisconsin seems to be a strong player in the organic farming movement. However, while the state is meeting demand of organically produced meat, dairy and produce, it is failing to meet the demand for grains, soybeans, and processed vegetables. This is evidenced by the fact that Wisconsin still relies heavily on imports for organic grains.

Dr Erin Silva, assistant professor of plant pathology and co-author of the report, says that these failings in production are due to a few challenges for farmers: high rent for farmland and startup costs for organic farming methods, a lack of training on organic practices, and a lack of a solid network for small-scale growers. The report goes on to cite a lack of educational resources as the major roadblock to progress in this field.

The report features some interesting findings, such as the increasingly younger demographic of organic farmers in Wisconsin and the fact that the majority of these farmers are women. You can read/download of the report's findings here.