The Margaret Krome papers are arranged in three series: BIOGRAPHICAL, WORKING FILES, and SUBJECT FILES.
The BIOGRAPHICAL series consists of a folder with a University of Wisconsin state residency application.
The WORKING FILES series documents major projects on which Krome worked, including her role as Policy Program Director of the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, her involvement in the establishment of the Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, her work coordinating grassroots support for agriculture appropriations for the National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture, and several other projects with which she was involved. While not comprehensive, the papers offer representative documentation of Krome's extensive professional activities.
The Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS) files, 1987-2015, include background materials, proposal drafts and reviews, correspondence, meeting materials, budget negotiations, a strategic plan (2001), an annual report (1991), and files relating to UW-Extension's Nutrient and Pest Management program and UW sustainable agriculture research programs.
The Correspondence file includes a few miscellaneous incoming and outgoing letters.
The Dane County Sustainable Agriculture Subcommittee materials, 2009-2010, include meeting materials, correspondence about a radio interview, and news clippings on local food issues.
The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) files, 1986-1996, document Krome's advocacy for sustainable agriculture funding and service on a DATCP advisory committee through meeting agendas and minutes, proposal drafts, advisory committee materials, reports, and letters to state lawmakers requesting their support.
The Honest Talk about the Food System group materials relate to a planned test campaign in 1996 for the Madison, Wisconsin, consumer market by the Agricultural Council of America (ACA) to promote conventional agriculture and defend the safety of agricultural inputs such as pesticides. The Honest Talk about the Food System group marshalled a counter-campaign questioning the safety of agricultural pesticides and affirming the benefits of organic farming. These materials include meeting memos and public opinion research materials about pesticides.
The Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (MFAI) materials include a few documents relating to policy priorities, staffing, and fundraising (2011-2015), as well as for specific programs such as a report from a managed grazing project which Krome oversaw (2006); grant proposals, correspondence, and a project summary for the Healthy Meats! program (1998-1999); drafts and memos for the Integrated Farming Systems program (1997-1998); grant correspondence, reports, news clippings, and a directory for holistic resource management in Texas for the Nurturing the Grassroots project related to organizing for sustainable agriculture in Mississippi and Texas (1998-2004); three editions of a publication on federal programs for sustainable agriculture that Krome either edited or co-authored (2001, 2004, 2009); materials from a sustainable agriculture leadership institute (2002); and planning and financial documents from the Wisconsin Pasturelands meat marketing cooperative project (2000-2002).
The National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture (NCSA) materials include several folders of action alerts (1995-1997, 1999-2000) urging supporters to write or call their U.S. representatives and senators and listing key points about needed funding for sustainable agriculture programs. The folder for 1996 includes a press release about House cuts to a research program, an update on appropriations results after House-Senate negotiations, and a press release publicizing an event honoring Wisconsin Senator Herb Kohl's support for federal sustainable agriculture program funding. Researchers should note that NCSA and the Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (SAC) merged in 2009 and was renamed the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC). Individual folder titles were taken from the organization's name during the relevant periods. Included in the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) materials are charts of action alerts targets and an undated draft statement on racial equity.
The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) board materials include materials from two board meetings in 2012 and 2014.
The University of Wisconsin-Extension network proposal materials from 1993-1995 related to a UW-Extension coordinated farmer-to-farmer network to support sustainable agriculture production and marketing include draft proposal versions, memos, budget requests, reports, meeting minutes, notes, and interview information for network coordinator positions.
The Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (WISA) files include materials related to program information, the organization's re-visioning process in 2009-2010, and background materials on other sustainability centers in the United States.
The Wisconsin Rural Development Center (WRDC) files, 1987-1993, include letters to officials in the Clinton administration on agriculture issues, a position statement on proposed legislation, three copies of the newsletter for the Wisconsin Farmers' Research Network, an essay on WRDC and its involvement with sustainable agriculture, and Krome's report on Wisconsin farmers' barriers to reducing agricultural chemical use (also the subject of Krome's M.S. thesis in 1989), including a few farmer surveys.
The Workshop evaluations, undated but possibly from a 2004 MOSES Organic Farming Conference session, include feedback from several workshop participants for information Krome presented on using federal programs to support sustainable agriculture.
The SUBJECT FILES series includes materials on projects related to those on which Krome worked, such as conservation and the environment, pollution, pesticides, grazing, other sustainable agriculture organizations, food security, and local food initiatives.
