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| The Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative (WFHC) is a farmer-led cooperative owned by the producers and the Wisconsin Farmers Union. The WFHC is dedicated to securing the most profitable markets for our producer-members.The hub makes it easy for the retail, institutional, and foodservice sectors to buy locally. The WFHC helps local farmers by providing them with the opportunity, through marketing, sales, aggregation, and logistics, to access wholesale markets they could not access easily before.The WFHC is committed to building an economically sustainable local food network. In its first year of operation the WFHC is concentrating on marketing and sales, as well as logistics and transportation, of the produce and value-added products of its members. The WFHC sells all products under the cooperative name as a brand, while maintaining farmer identity and farm brands from the farmer to the end market. | ||||||||||||
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| The Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative is the result of a unique private-public partnership kicked off by Dane County. Dane County started with a Feasibility Study in late 2010, funded by a HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant through the Capital Area Regional Plan Commission. The study included outreach to and involvement by a wide range of stakeholders and market actors and the Southern Wisconsin Food Hub Feasibility Study was completed in September, 2011. Following the Study, Dane County issued a request for information (RFI) for an owner-operator, resulting in a partnership between Dane County, the Wisconsin Farmers Union (WFU) and farmers interested in being part of this new enterprise. A business planning process was then started by Dane County. Wisconsin Farmers Union took over the reins in the late summer of 2012 and provided resources and financing to finish the business plan and move towards business launch with pre-development funds. The cooperative was officially incorporated in October of 2012 and the by-laws were adopted by the founder members at the first annual meeting of the co-op, held in April 2013. During the feasibility study and early business planning process grant funding from the City of Madison, Dane County and Madison Gas & Electric also aided the project. In addition the Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative has received support from Forward Community Investment, the UW Center for Cooperatives, USDA Rural Development office Cooperative Development Services personnel as well as the award of a USDA Value-Added Producer Grant. | ||||||||||||
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The Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative (WFHC) is committed to building a socially and economically vibrant local food system with respect for the land and our communities. The cooperative is a group of farmers working together towards this goal. Wisconsin is on the forefront of reimagining and remaking the food system to support all people in the value-chain; farmers, food system businesses, and consumers. 
Are you interested in joining the Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative?
The WFHC is looking for additional farmers to join and sell their products through the co-op. We have steady buyers for many products who are looking for an expanded selection and volume of local produce. Farmer members of the WFHC make an initial, one-time equity investment to become a voting member of the co-op.