Farm Fresh Atlas, which began as a regional guide, is now a statewide collaborative resource to find farm-fresh foods wherever you go in Wisconsin. The atlas makes it easy to buy directly from the farmer, farmers’ markets, retail shops and restaurants that feature farm-fresh selections.
Farm Fresh Atlas was created in 2002 by REAP Food Group, a nonprofit located in Madison, Wisconsin, to promote sustainable, local food producers in southern Wisconsin. The individual atlases previously featured five regional areas of Wisconsin, in print and online portals. Now all five regions have come together under one umbrella.
“Wisconsin is known for its sustainable family farms and world-class food producers and we want to celebrate that bounty. We were awarded a grant in 2016 from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop and promote a unified, statewide website,” said Helen Sarakinos, Executive Director for REAP Food Group. “The enhanced collaborative website (farmfreshatlas.org) is live and available for the public, farmers and restauranteurs who enjoy local food resources throughout our bountiful state. You can now find everything you need in one location.”
The website currently features:
- 382 – Farmers & Food Producers
- 225 – Farmers’ Markets
- 82 – Restaurants/restauranteurs & bakeries
- 52 – Retailers who sell local food
- 37 – Organizations that support local growers
Each listed farm and business commits to the Farm Fresh Atlas pledge to ensure they practice environmental sustainability, treat workers fairly, and sell products that are grown or produced on a family or cooperatively-owned farm.
“We encourage everyone to visit the website,” continued Sarakinos. “Whether you’re a visitor to our state in search of the freshest produce, a dairy producer who wants to share your amazing products or a restauranteur who wants to connect with local producers, the Farm Fresh Atlas will help you find what you need. Our numbers are growing every day as more people discover the foods that make Wisconsin one of the most bountiful agricultural states.”
