​Midwest Grain Resource & Immersive Training (Midwest GRIT)
Program Update 9/26/24:
For the past two and a half years, Midwest GRIT collaborated with 60 diverse farmers across seven states in the Upper Midwest to learn about what impact food-grade grains could make in their fields and on their farms.
With over 40 virtual training and community building sessions, countless field day appearances, small equipment trainings, and more, the relationships that we grew from Midwest GRIT will be long-lasting.
While we re-evaluate the best way to serve the tenacious and emerging group of folks producing staple crops for their communities and foodshed, we want to extend deep gratitude to our project partners, Artisan Grain Collaborative and UW Madison OGRAIN, and all the new partners and friends we met along the way.
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Please stay tuned for additional events, resources and community groups devoted to supporting your journey in food-grade grains.
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Endless appreciation – Christine, Farmer Education Coordinator
Midwest GRIT is a program focused on strengthening diverse small and mid-size Midwest food-grade grain farmers. A program of Michael Fields Agricultural Institute. in partnership with the Artisan Grain Collaborative (AGC), and The Organic Grain Resource and Information Network (OGRAIN), Midwest GRIT supports farmers through three key areas: education, peer-to-peer learning and relationship development, and resource sharing.
Learn
Experience content especially created for food-grade grain farmers; Program partner Artisan Grain Collaborative offers educational support and resources based on input from their broad network of growers and to end-users, including brewers, distillers, bakers, chefs, and local food cooperatives.
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Access an extensive library of academic work and resources from the OGRAIN program of University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Connect
Create long-term relationships with our yearlong cohorts of regional farmers, with space reserved for women, non-binary, and BIPOC farmers.
Network with farmers at different stages of their careers, an essential component to building a robust grainshed.
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Build relationship with stakeholders across the grain chain, including researchers, growers, and end-users.
Grow
Develop one-on-one and group relationships between members of the grain supply chain across the Midwest and beyond.
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Gain new skills in organic food-grade grain production and marketing through hands-on field days and virtual workshops with regional experts
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Build on your existing agricultural enterprises and experience while being compensated. Midwest GRIT is a paid learning opportunity.
Midwest GRIT is a program of Michael Fields Agricultural Institute and the Artisan Grain Collaborative (AGC), in partnership with The Organic Grain Resource and Information Network (OGRAIN).
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Funding Provided by USDA-NIFA BFRDP award no. 2021-49400-35592 "Building place-based mentorships for beginning grain farmers, with special supports for beginning women farmers"
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