Each month we ask our Team to share a few highlights of their regional food system work from their perspective. It’s hard to capture all of the meetings, Connections, farm visits, and meaningful conversations into one blog post, but a few highlights from August are below!

FARMWISE Indiana recently wrapped up two Regional Wholesale Connect events in the northern half of the state, bringing together farmers, food producers, and food entrepreneurs who are actively seeking wholesale partnerships with buyers looking to source more locally made and grown food.

I cannot think of a better way to get a glimpse into an area's local food system than at a Farmstop.

What is a local food system?

Food hubs are one of the most powerful tools for strengthening regional food systems, and earlier this month, two FARMWISE Indiana Value Chain Professionals had the opportunity to see one of the best in action. As guests of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Pete Vissar and Becky Landes traveled to Kalamazoo, Michigan, to visit Valley HUB KVCC, a nationally recognized urban farm, food hub, and education center operated through Kalamazoo Valley Community College. The visit was organized by Rachel Brandenburg with ISDA and brought together 28 food system professionals from Indiana and Michigan for a full day of learning, connection, and hands-on experience. Here is what they brought home.

FARMWISE Indiana Newsletter: July 2026

When kids in Fort Wayne head back to school, some of them will also be heading home with fresh, locally grown produce- and FARMWISE Indiana Value Chain Professional Becky Landes helped make that happen.

Recently, FARMWISE Indiana hosted a melon field day and tasting with the Southwest Purdue AG Center in Vincennes. Located in Knox County, this area is home to countless growers of both specialty and more commonly available melon

This Guide from FARMWISE Indiana is designed to facilitate successful partnerships between local food suppliers and wholesale buyers. While this Guide may seem like a lot of information, each section is designed to help avoid the common pitfalls that can occur in communications and negotiations between buyers and suppliers.

FARMWISE Newsletter: June 2026

Sourcing from local farms and food businesses is a known priority for IU Dining’s leadership and, over the years, they have made this commitment clear by investing time and dollars to build direct relationships with farmers and food producers and identifying and prioritizing local suppliers within their distribution networks.

FARMWISE Indiana and the Southwest Purdue Agricultural Program are hosting a Field Day and Melon Tasting Event on Tuesday, July 28, 2026.

Join FARMWISE Indiana for one of two FREE Regional Wholesale Connect events designed to bring together Indiana producers and wholesale buyers in a relationship-focused setting. These events provide an opportunity to showcase your products, build connections, learn what buyers are looking for, and explore new market opportunities.

Each month we ask our Team to share a few highlights of their regional food system work from their perspective. It’s hard to capture all of the meetings, Connections, farm visits, and meaningful conversations into one blog post, but a few highlights from June are below!

School food procurement is one of the most consistent and high-volume food purchasing relationships in any community. For rural Indiana districts like Richland-Bean Blossom, local sourcing decisions made inside one food service office can have immense impact on nearby farms.

FARMWISE Newsletter: May 2026

Each month we will recap just a few of the many activities of our Team across Indiana’s food system. From farm tours to our popular Connections, we stay busy and hit the ground every day to meet farmers, buyers, and food system supporters where they are.

At Shoals Community Schools, the agriculture education is immersive and integrated. This ecosystem of garden produce, livestock, students as caretakers, cafeteria and culinary class involvement, and not to mention the welding shop class providing equipment pieces, exposes all grade levels to the origin of food.

Value chain professionals sit at the intersection of agriculture, business, community, and human connection. The work requires far more than helping move food from farms to buyers. It takes trust, listening, strategy, persistence, and a deep commitment to serving people and communities.

FARMWISE Newsletter: April 2026