CPW Attends 37th Annual Marbleseed Organic Farming Conference

A clear view of the Mississippi River in LaCrosse WI.

February 26- 28, 2026 was the 37th annual Marbleseed Organic Farming Conference (formerly MOSES) in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Each year, Marbleseed hosts thousands of farmers, agriculture professionals, and food policy advocates for three days of workshops, roundtable discussions, and featured speakers to connect, learn and shape the future of organic growing in the Midwest. Attendees from every position along the organic foods supply chain can select and engage in sessions that inform, empower, and inspire new and lasting approaches to sustainable agriculture and food distribution.

Joleen Baker (Warehouse Director, CPW), Mackenzie Burke (Purchasing Manager, CPW), Kara Parr (Produce Buyer, CPW), and Maddie Hagar (Produce Category Manager, Wedge Community Co-ops) attended this year’s conference. They attended transformative sessions including: “Grow Your Own Fertility & Reduce Reliance on Inputs”, “Food is Medicine”, and “Farm to Schools and Institutions”. Friday’s featured speaker was Stephanie Luce, Professor of Labor Studies at City University of New York. She presented “Building a World for People and the Planet”- focusing on how to shape systems grounded in solidarity, community, and sustainability for the collective rather than competition, individualism, and waste. After hearing the featured speaker, Maddie reflected. “There has been a lot of research done, books written, and light shed on what’s wrong and what needs to be fixed. [Now,] we need to spend our energy demanding seats at the table, imagining and envisioning the food systems that we need to create. CPW and Wedge Community Co-ops are irreplaceable, necessary institutions that need to be replicated and given the opportunity to grow alongside farmers as a part of the solution.”

(Left to right) Kara Parr, Mackenzie Burke, Joleen Baker, and Maddie Hagar at the Marbleseed Conference.

Our attendees’ interactions with the speakers and farmers afforded many valuable insights into the pressures and constraints of current models of food production and distribution. “It was so humbling to witness the level of expertise and passion these farmers have for organic and regenerative production. These are the people who are committed to providing us highly nutritious food in a responsible way, and we need to do everything within our power to help them continue and succeed,” Kara said.

CPW’s tables in the exhibit hall during the conference.

CPW also co-sponsored the event, donating fresh ingredients like salad greens and herbs for the meals catered for attendees. Staff also represented CPW at the table in the exhibit hall, displaying some of our favorite local products, answering questions about their roles in the organic foods distribution network, and connecting with farmers to build new relationships. Rooted in the organic movement and led by growers, Marbleseed teaches that “abundance grows in solidarity’”.