February 10, 2026 — The U.S. Midwest sits at a crossroads—home to some of the nation’s most productive farmland yet facing mounting challenges from soil degradation, declining rural economies, and conventional systems that too often prioritize volume over resilience.
Led by the Wallace Center at Winrock International and funded by a planning grant from the USDA’S Regional Food Systems Partnerships, this coalition of organizations (Artisan Grain Collective, Forever Green Initiative, Green Lands Blue Waters, Savanna Institute, Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative) came together to chart a new path forward: one rooted in regenerative agriculture and value chain coordination that brings Continuous Living Cover (CLC) across the landscape. This tightknit group of organizations had started building relationships with one another in 2022, working together to co-create their values and develop a vision for where they wanted to see change.
The Strategic Framework for Advancing Value Chain Coordination in the Midwest is the result of this group’s effort: a collaboratively-created blueprint aimed at strengthening regional value chains so that regenerative practices can thrive.
What Is Value Chain Coordination and Why It Matters
Value Chain Coordination (VCC) is a market–focused but relationship-driven approach to building strong local and regional food and agriculture systems. It emphasizes:
- Relational infrastructure—the trust, communication, and shared purpose that link farmers, processors, buyers, and communities.
- Collaborative ties that strengthen economic positions and market access for smaller and regenerative producers.
- Shared networks capable of supporting equitable, resilient, and place-based agriculture.
When paired with a focus on Continuous Living Cover—practices like perennial forages, cover crops, and agroforestry that keep living roots in the soil year-round—VCC becomes a powerful lever to transform both the land and the economy. These systems improve soil health, water quality, and climate resilience while creating diversified market opportunities for farmers.
The Strategy’s Core Focus Areas
The framework outlines three priority areas where collaborative energy and shared resources can make the biggest impact:
1. Shared Services for Keystone Businesses
Smaller and mission-aligned businesses—like food hubs, processors, cooperatives, and specialty regional enterprises—are critical to regenerative value chains. The strategy proposes offering shared technical and operational support, including:
- Branding and marketing assistance
- Financial and legal support
- Logistics and supply management
By pooling resources across organizations, these services help key players grow more effectively and equitably.
2. Market Intelligence Sharing
To build demand and coordinate supply more effectively, the strategy emphasizes shared data tools and collaborative platforms to:
- Exchange buyer insights
- Avoid duplication of efforts
- Improve regional buyer outreach
This kind of shared market intelligence helps align producers with demand and accelerates market-building for CLC-derived products.
3. Leadership Relief and Strategic Development
Too often, visionary leaders and smaller organizations burn out under the sheer load of operational responsibilities. The framework suggests creating structured fellowships and planning resources so leaders can step back, build strategy, and focus on long-term growth rather than daily firefighting.
These focus areas are knit together by the proposed Midwest Continuous Living Cover Working Group— a coalition of values-aligned partners committed to collective action, mutual support, and strategic alignment across the region.
Why Collaborative Value Chain Work Is Essential
This framework doesn’t just propose working alone—it demands collaboration.
Many regenerative initiatives across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Wisconsin are already underway, but they often lack the coordination and shared capacity to scale together. This fragmented landscape makes it harder for farmers to find reliable markets, secure fair prices, or attract investment—whether public, private, or philanthropic.
By aligning efforts through shared infrastructure, intelligence, and leadership development, organizations can:
- Scale the acreage under continuous living cover
- Expand diverse market opportunities for regenerative products
- Build a more resilient and equitable food system
- Share risk and resources rather than duplicate effort
Ultimately, coordinated value chain work ensures that regenerative agriculture doesn’t remain a niche aspiration but becomes a vibrant, thriving economic and ecological reality across the Midwest.
Interested in exploring this further? If you’re curious about how this strategic direction aligns with your ongoing work, we’d love to stay connected. This framework is intended to complement and support existing work underway in the Midwest. Your perspective can help us understand where it resonates, where it raises questions, and where there are opportunities to collaborate!
If you’d like to learn more or have questions, reach out to Project Manager Kelsey Vergin at wallaceinfo@winrock.org.