What Marbleseed does

Marbleseed is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 39-1824623) headquartered in Spring Valley, Wisconsin, that supports small and mid-scale regenerative and organic farmers across the Upper Midwest. Founded in 1990 as MOSES (Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service) and rebranded to Marbleseed in 2021, the organization has operated for over 30 years and reaches approximately 20,000 farmers through a portfolio of programs and resources: the annual Marbleseed Organic Farming Conference in La Crosse, Wisconsin (the longest-running organic farming conference in the United States); on-farm field days including the Diversified Organic Showcase at Gwenyn Hill Farm; the quarterly Organic Broadcaster publication with 9,000+ subscribers and 15,000 readers; the Organic Resource Directory; the Ask an Organic Specialist Q&A hotline; and farmer-led programs such as Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship, In Her Boots, Wisconsin Women in Conservation, and Mental Health Peer Support. The organization maintains partnerships with the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program, University of Wisconsin Extension, North Central Region SARE, Gwenyn Hill Farm, Ag Solidarity Network, and Acres USA.

The business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue stack spanning seven streams: conference ticket and workshop recording sales (e.g., Fearless Farm Finances at $19.95, full conference audio packages at $45-$100), Organic Broadcaster print and digital advertising ($225 eighth-page to $1,350 full-page, with 10% discount for four-issue prepayment), conference sponsorship and exhibitor revenue (reach stated at 45,000+ audience members), year-round Patron Sponsorships offering recurring recognition, individual donations (one-time, monthly, legacy, stock, and the Chris Blanchard Scholarship Fund), and an affiliate bookstore partnership with Acres USA. There is no proprietary technology platform; distribution runs through the marbleseed.org website, SalsaLabs event registration, a phone-based Organic Answer Line (888-906-6737 ext.1), and field-day programming. The organization holds the 2026 Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency and operates with a 1-10 person staff.

Name

Marbleseed

Legal name

Marbleseed

Website

https://marbleseed.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Marbleseed is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that educates and supports approximately 20,000 small and mid-scale regenerative and organic farmers across the Upper Midwest through the annual Organic Farming Conference, on-farm field days, the Organic Broadcaster publication, the Ask an Organic Specialist hotline, and farmer-led mentorship programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Education and Farmer Support Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)

Keywords

• Organic farming education
• Regenerative agriculture
• Farmer-led programs
• Agricultural conferences
• Farm business resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Spring Valley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Conference Revenue: Annual Marbleseed Organic Farming Conference ticket sales, workshop recordings, and conference merchandise. The conference is the largest organic farming conference in the United States, established in 1990.
2. Publications and Recordings Sales: Sale of Marbleseed publications including Fearless Farm Finances ($19.95) and conference workshop audio recordings ($5 individual, $45-100 full packages).
3. Advertising - Organic Broadcaster: Display advertising rates in the quarterly Organic Broadcaster publication with over 9,000 print and digital subscribers, reaching 15,000 readers. Rates range from $225 (eighth page) to $1,350 (full page).
4. Sponsorship and Exhibitor Revenue: Conference sponsorship and exhibitor revenue from the annual Organic Farming Conference. Sponsors receive visibility in print and digital promotional materials reaching 45,000+ audience members.
5. Corporate Partnership (Patron Sponsorship): Year-round Patron Sponsorships offering recognition, conference benefits, advertising in Organic Broadcaster, website logo placement, and audio advertisements on podcast episodes.
6. Donations and Charitable Contributions: One-time and monthly donations from individuals supporting organic farmer success. Also includes legacy giving, stock donations, scholarship fund donations, and the Chris Blanchard Scholarship Fund.
7. Bookstore Partnership: Online bookstore partnership with Acres USA, offering curated book selections with a portion of purchases supporting Marbleseed programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Marbleseed is a 501(c)(3) farmer-led nonprofit that educates, inspires, and empowers regenerative and organic farmers in the Upper Midwest through community events, an organic specialist Q&A hotline, publications, and farmer-led programs. Its flagship is the annual Marbleseed (formerly MOSES) Organic Farming Conference, the longest-running organic farming conference in the United States, complemented by the quarterly Organic Broadcaster publication, on-farm field days, an Organic Resource Directory, and conference audio recordings.

Product overview

Marbleseed is a farmer-led nonprofit organization (formerly MOSES) that provides a comprehensive ecosystem of resources, events, and programs for regenerative and organic farmers in the Upper Midwest. The organization's offerings center on the annual Marbleseed Organic Farming Conference (established 1990, the longest-running organic farming conference in the U.S.), the Ask an Organic Specialist Q&A service, the Organic Resource Directory database, quarterly Organic Broadcaster publication, conference audio recordings, and bookstore in partnership with Acres USA. Additional programs include Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship, In Her Boots, Wisconsin Women in Conservation, and on-farm field days. The organization reaches approximately 20,000 small and mid-scale regenerative and organic farmers across the upper Midwest.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Marbleseed Organic Farming Conference Annual three-day conference held in La Crosse, Wisconsin that provides farmer-to-farmer learning, workshops, an exhibition hall, and community connection for regenerative and organic farmers.
• Ask an Organic Specialist Q&A service that connects farmers with experienced organic farmers and farm inspectors who answer questions about organic farming practices and organic certification, delivered through a phone hotline (888-906-6737 ext.1) and [email protected] email.
• Organic Resource Directory Free online directory aggregating buyers, suppliers, certification agencies, educational resources, fact sheets, workbooks, guidebooks, and archived Ask a Specialist Q&A topics for organic and regenerative farmers.
• Marbleseed in the Field — Diversified Organic Showcase On-farm field day event series featuring full-day hands-on workshops, demonstrations, food trucks, and peer-to-peer learning, co-hosted with partner farms such as Gwenyn Hill Farm in Wisconsin.
• Organic Broadcaster Quarterly print and digital publication connecting regenerative and organic farmers throughout the Midwest with tools, resources, agricultural news, technical articles, and farmer stories, with over 9,000 subscribers and 15,000 readers.
• Conference Audio Recordings Audio recordings of workshops from the annual Marbleseed Organic Farming Conference, sold individually for $5 each or as full conference audio packages ($45 for 2024, $75 for 2023, $100 for 2019).
• Fearless Farm Finances Farm financial management publication sold for $19.95 per copy, providing instructions, tips, and tools for setting up and managing a farm's financial system with real-life examples from successful farmers.
• Marbleseed Bookstore Online bookstore operated in partnership with Acres USA (North America's oldest publisher on production-scale organic and sustainable farming), offering a curated selection of books year-round with a portion of purchases supporting Marbleseed programs.
• Farmer-to-Farmer Programs Suite of farmer-led programs for organic and regenerative farmers in the Upper Midwest, including Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship, In Her Boots, Wisconsin Women in Conservation, Farmer Advancement, and Mental Health Peer Support.
• Organic Certification Guidebook Comprehensive guidebook resource that helps producers navigate organic certification processes and requirements, available through the Marbleseed Resources library.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Gwenyn Hill FarmcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 September 2026Co-host of the Diversified Organic Showcase event on September 19, 2026. Gwenyn Hill Farm is a 430-acre diversified organic operation west of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that has been managed organically since 2016.
• Ag Solidarity NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAg Solidarity Network is referenced in Marbleseed's navigation as a partner organization. Marbleseed offers online community connection for farmers through Ag Solidarity Network.
• University of Wisconsin ExtensioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple UW-Extension specialists participate as presenters at Marbleseed events including Organic Transition Outreach Specialists, Diversified Vegetable Outreach, and Emerging Crops Outreach Program Coordinators.
• Acres USAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with Acres USA, North America's oldest publisher on production-scale organic and sustainable farming, to offer the Marbleseed Organic Farming Conference bookstore online year-round.
• USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWebinars and resources supported through the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program, a program of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service National Organic Program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Land Stewardship Project: Minnesota-based grassroots farmer-led nonprofit running field days, community programs, and policy work for regenerative farmers; directly overlaps Marbleseed's Upper Midwest organic/regenerative farmer-services footprint.
• Practical Farmers of Iowa: Iowa-based, farmer-led nonprofit that runs field days, an annual conference, mentorships, and educational programming for small and mid-scale row crop, livestock, and horticulture farmers; the closest direct geographic analog for Marbleseed's farmer-led services in the Upper Midwest.
• Rodale Institute: Long-established organic agriculture nonprofit operating research, farmer training, consulting, and educational programs, plus the longest-running organic field day in the US; strongly comparable organic-farmer education and outreach portfolio.
• Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture: Nonprofit that runs on-farm programming, workshops, and events for sustainable and regenerative farmers and eaters; comparable event-based education and outreach for the sustainable-agriculture community.
• Organic Farming Research Foundation: National nonprofit focused on organic farming with grantmaking, research, and farmer education programs; highly comparable mission, audience (organic farmers), and revenue mix (grants + donations) to Marbleseed.
• Quivira Coalition: New Mexico-based nonprofit promoting regenerative and land-stewardship ranching/farming through peer learning, workshops, field days, and mentorship; closely comparable education-and-community model with a different geography.

Emerging players

• Farm Commons: Nonprofit delivering legal and business education to sustainable farmers through workshops, publications, and webinars; comparable farmer-education publishing and programming model, with a narrower legal focus.
• Organic Seed Alliance: Nonprofit supporting organic seed systems through research, education, and policy; a more specialized peer that intersects Marbleseed's organic farmer education mandate within a narrower vertical (seed).

Broad incumbents

• Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE): USDA-supported nationwide program that funds research, education, and dissemination projects for sustainable agriculture; overlapping audience and program scope but at much larger scale and with federal backing.
• National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition: Federal policy and advocacy alliance whose members include many regional sustainable-agriculture nonprofits; comparable sustainable-agriculture mission, but the leading policy/advocacy group rather than a direct farmer-services provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/marbleseedorg
• Xx.com/marbleseedorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marbleseedorg

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Marbleseed