Reap Food Group Inc

THERE ARE LONG-STANDING INEQUITIES AND VULNERABILITIES IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM, A 13-COUNTY AREA WITH MADISON AND DANE COUNTY AS THE CENTRAL MARKETING AND LOGISTICAL HUB, REFERRED TO HEREAFTER AS THE REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM. EVIDENCE FOR EXISTING INEQUITIES AND VULNERABILITIES IS DOCUMENTED IN DATA FROM NUMEROUS LOCAL AND REGIONAL STUDIES AND REPORTS. WHILE THESE DATA SETS PROVIDE IMPORTANT INFORMATION, A MORE COMPREHENSIVE, REGIONAL ASSESSMENT IS NEEDED TO CAPTURE ADDITIONAL SUPPLY CHAIN GAPS (ANECDOTALLY KNOWN, BUT NOT REPRESENTED IN THE DATA), AND TO COMBINE DATA FROM DIFFERENT FOOD SYSTEM SECTORS TOGETHER. IN 2020, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC EXACERBATED ALL OF OUR REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS GAPS AND WEAKNESSES. MANY SECTORS AND FOOD SYSTEM ENTITIES WERE DISRUPTED AND HAD TO INNOVATE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THE PANDEMIC AMPLIFIED EXISTING FOOD SYSTEM INEQUITIES AS WELL. COMMUNITY MEMBERS HIT HARDEST BY PANDEMIC SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS INCLUDED NOT ONLY INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY, BUT PARTICULARLY THE REGIONS PRODUCERS GROWERS AND SMALL- AND MEDIUM-SIZED FOOD BUSINESSES. THE PANDEMIC HAS ILLUMINATED THE LACK OF, AND URGENT NEED FOR, A COMPREHENSIVE REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM PLAN FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN REGION. BUILDING ON THIS MOMENTUM WITH A COMPREHENSIVE AND INCLUSIVE REGIONAL FOOD ACTION PLAN WILL BETTER PROTECT OUR REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM IN THE EVENT OF FUTURE EMERGENCIES. UTILIZING STRENGTHS OF SEVERAL FOOD SYSTEMS ORGANIZATIONS AND ARE FOOD COUNCILS, THE PARTNERSHIPS PRIMARY GOAL IS TO BUILD A NETWORK OF DIVERSE COLLABORATORS ACROSS THE SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN REGION WHO WILL CO-CREATE A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN REGIONAL ENGAGEMENT AND ASSESSMENT PROCESS THAT SETS THE STAGE FOR A REGIONAL FOOD ACTION PLAN.

REAP FOOD GROUP, INC. A WISCONSIN-BASED NONPROFIT, WILL EXPAND THE FARM FRESH ATLAS, AN ANNUAL PRINT AND INTERNET GUIDE TO SUSTAINABLE FARMS, FARMERS MARKETS, GROCERS, AND RESTAURANTS, BY UPGRADING THE TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT GROWING THE TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITIES OF THE FARM FRESH ATLAS TO BETTER SERVE THE NEEDS OF FARMERS AND CONSUMERS THROUGH AN INNOVATIVE MARKETING PLATFORM. EXPANDING THE FARM FRESH ATLAS TO INCLUDE LISTINGS FROM THE ENTIRE STATE OF WISCONSIN, ESPECIALLY BIPOC, WOMEN AND NEW PRODUCERS, AND PARTNERING WITH ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS WISCONSIN TO INCORPORATE NICHE LISTINGS INTO ONE CENTRALIZED LIST OF PRODUCERS. YEAR 1 (OCTOBER 2023 TO SEPTEMBER 2024) WILL FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTING THE NEW TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TASTE THE LOCAL DIFFERENCE, A LOCAL FOOD CONSULTING, MEDIA AND MARKETING AGENCY THAT LICENSES THEIR TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM TO CREATE THEIR OWN LISTS OF PRODUCERS AND MIGRATING THE EXISTING ATLAS LISTEES ONTO NEW TECHNOLOGY. YEAR 2 (OCTOBER 2024 TO SEPTEMBER 2025) GROWS THE PLATFORM STATEWIDE. YEAR 3 (OCTOBER 2025 TO APRIL 2026) WILL COMPLETE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS AND INCORPORATE PARTNER LISTINGS. PROJECT BENEFICIARIES ARE SMALL PRODUCERS IN WISCONSIN AND CONSUMERS IN WISCONSIN. THIS PROJECT WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PRODUCERS LISTING IN THE ATLAS, INCREASE PRODUCERS ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ATLAS, INFORM CONSUMERS WHERE TO PURCHASE LOCAL FOODS, AND INCREASE CONSUMER PURCHASE OF LOCAL FOODS. HAVING A STATEWIDE, COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE WILL CONNECT PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS ACROSS OUR ENTIRE STATE AND STRENGTHEN THE LOCAL FOODS ECOSYSTEM IN WISCONSIN.

WISCONSIN FARM FRESH ATLAS PROJECT

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THERE IS A CRITICAL NEED FOR AN INTEGRATED CURRICULUM IN FOOD JUSTICE, WITH INPUT FROM EDUCATORS, LOCAL FARMERS, AND FOOD PRODUCERS, THAT INCORPORATES INNOVATIVE IDEAS FROM NATIONAL LEADERS IN FOOD JUSTICE, AND INCLUDES CURRENT EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSFUL FOOD JUSTICE INITIATIVES. OUR GOALS ARE 1) COORDINATE EFFORTS ACROSS SCHOOLS TO CUSTOMIZE, IMPLEMENT AND EVALUATE CLASSROOM CURRICULUM ON FOOD JUSTICE, AND 2) EXPAND EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN FOOD JUSTICE FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH LOCAL FARMERS, LOCAL FOOD PRODUCERS, AND NATIONAL LEADERS IN FOOD JUSTICE, AND 3) ESTABLISH NEW PARTNERSHIPS WITH NATIONAL LEADERS IN FOOD JUSTICE, MADISON SCHOOLS, FARMERS AND FOOD PRODUCERS. TO ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS, REAP FOOD GROUP WILL A) CONVENE A TASK FORCE ON FOOD JUSTICE CURRICULUM IN MADISON SCHOOLS TO DISCUSS FOOD JUSTICE CURRICULUM, SHARE IDEAS OF NEW LESSONS, COLLABORATE ON CREATING NEW LESSONS, AND SUPPORT IMPLEMENTATION IN THE CLASSROOM, AND B) CULTIVATE, COMPILE AND DISTRIBUTE A LIST OF FOOD JUSTICE INTERNSHIPS, FIELD TRIPS, AND WORK APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES IN ORDER TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES IN FOOD JUSTICE IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM, AND TO BUILD CRITICAL LEADERSHIP SKILLS THAT STUDENTS CAN CARRY EXPERIENCES FORWARD TO APPLY IN FUTURE CAREERS, AND C) HOST THE FOOD JUSTICE SYMPOSIUM, TO GATHER MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY WHO ARE ALSO CHANGING OUR FOOD SYSTEM TO BE MORE JUST, IN ORDER TO SPREAD AWARENESS OF FOOD JUSTICE, CREATE OPPORTUNITIES TO MAKE NEW CONNECTIONS, AND TO SHARE INNOVATIVE IDEAS.

THE PURPOSE OF THE PROJECT IS TO DESIGN AND PILOT 1) A WHOLESALE FARM FRESH ATLAS AND CREATE 2) WHOLESALE-READY PROGRAM TO INCREASE THE SALES FROM SMALL- AND MEDIUM-SCALE FARMERS TO INSTITUTIONAL BUYERS IN SOUTHERN WISCONSIN. THE PROJECT AIMS TO ESTABLISH A DIGITAL WHOLESALE VERSION OF THE DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER FARM FRESH ATLAS AND BUILD A WHOLESALE READINESS PROGRAM FOR FARMERS INTERESTED IN SCALING UP TO SELL TO A VARIETY OF WHOLESALE BUYERS (AGGREGATORS, FOOD HUBS, GROCERY STORES, RESTAURANTS, INSTITUTIONS). THIS PLANNING PROJECT WILL PILOT THIS PROGRAM IN SOUTHERN WISCONSIN THOUGH MANY OF THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE MATERIALS WILL BE AVAILABLE AND USEFUL TO PRODUCERS AND BUYERS STATEWIDE

FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM

CREATING LOCAL MINIMALLY-PROCESSED VEGETABLE SUPPLY-CHAINS FR FARM TO INSTITUTION IN SOUTHERN WISCONSIN: FEASIBILITY STUDY AND BUSINESS PLAN FOR COMMERCIAL SCALE OPERATION