Jeff Endres

Jeff Endres  

Background: how you got involved with sustainability?

I have been farming all my life since high school – 35 + years. I’ve always worked closely with the land/cropping and conservation practices on the land. I got involved with sustainability because of this misinformation there was about farming and water quality. I wanted to connect with lawmakers and environmental folks to help educate and ended up forming a group to help promote and push innovation, Yahara Pride Farms (YPF).  

What was the driving force behind starting YPF?

We help tell the story of agriculture and help define where we are going to create that base line and show that ag is preforming higher than the public thought. We want to be ahead a standard set of rules.  

Why did you want to be a part of FSF and serve on the board?

I knew FSF was relatively new, but in tune with new projects and ideas. I would like to be more involved on the food chain side that helps align the good practices that the farmers are doing with the consumer.  

Why should others join FSF?

We are seeing watershed groups across the state implementing more conservation practices and taking the grass roots approach to issues. FSF is helping create the relationship between the food suppliers (top of food pyramid). They have a better understanding of what the farmers are doing to make a safe product for consumers. Together we can help get a better understanding of what the consumer is asking for and work toward educating them.