Bret Shaw is an environmental communication specialist for the Division of Extension and an associate professor in the Department of Life Sciences Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He focuses on planning and evaluating social marketing campaigns dealing with natural resource management issues such as water quality, land use and environmental conservation, and promoting local food systems and rural economic development in Wisconsin.
While parts of the local food movement are thriving and demand for local food products in Wisconsin is strong, many consumers are unaware of the availability of local, farm-raised fish.
Many of farmers' markets fail within their first four years in business. While their number has swelled, inexperienced management, high manager turnover, small size and low resources can make a market more susceptible to collapse.
As many Wisconsinites know, not all farmers' markets are the same, but they are found in all types of communities – cities, small towns, suburbs and rural areas.
Communicating the science-based facts supporting a course of action or policy, such as protecting lakeshore, may be necessary, but it is often not sufficient to encourage people to adopt new practices.
Wisconsin consumers widely agree that "local" food means food grown within the state. However, most Wisconsin shoppers do not consider food grown in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota to be "local," a new statewide survey shows.
