By Blake Jackson
The Milwaukee-Waukesha Chapter of the Wisconsin Farmers Union is inviting farmers, community members, and food access advocates to a special gathering on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at Village Farmstead in Oak Creek.
The event, titled Filling Gaps in the Local Food Supply Chain: Exploring Collaborative Aggregation Strategies, will run from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. and is free to attend.
The program is designed to bring together stakeholders from across the local food system to explore how aggregation whether of products, storage, transportation, or sales can strengthen opportunities for farmers and make local food work at scale.
Guests will enjoy a variety of activities, including:
- A happy hour featuring craft beverages from Central Waters Brewing, wine, and farm-sourced snacks
- A guided tour of Village Farmstead
- A panel discussion on collaborative aggregation strategies, with input from schools, grocers, cooperatives, farmers, and food access organizations
- Informal networking to encourage collaboration and future partnerships
“We need a Southeast Wisconsin food and farm system that works for all of us-farmers, institutional buyers, food access networks, restaurants, and grocers. Too often, though, the barrier to bringing local farmers’ products into these different markets is one of scale,” said Sam Odin, Milwaukee-Waukesha WFU Chapter President.
“Aggregation of products, storage, transportation, and sales presents one strategy to address this challenge. At this event, we will bring together representatives from these different sectors to discuss collaborative aggregation possibilities for our community.”
The event is co-hosted by the Milwaukee-Waukesha WFU Chapter, Milwaukee Food Council, and UW-Extension. Registration is encouraged at www.wisconsinfarmersunion.com/events.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-fatcamera
Categories: Wisconsin, General