Bread & Justice: Mad Agriculture Journal Issue 12 Launch Party

Mad! Agriculture, Mo Cheeks, Emily Haga, and Giant Jones Brewery invite you to an evening of celebrating regenerative agriculture, independent seed production, and beer as a vehicle for change, as Mad! Agriculture launches Issue 12 of their biannual Journal.

Join us for an inspiring and delicious evening in Madison, Wisconsin, as we gather around the visionaries shaping the future of farming, food + beverage, and social impact. This event shines a spotlight on the changemakers redefining agriculture—from a sourdough baker as a medium for justice, a seed breeder looking to history to inform the future, and brewers dedicated to regional sourcing.

Interactive Bread Tasting: Enjoy freshly baked sourdough from Bread & Justice, crafted with organic, locally sourced flour from Meadowlark Community Mill. Discover the story behind Mo’s bread and how his sourdough supports a resilient food system.

Thursday, January 30

6:00-8:30 Party & Panel Discussion: Giant Jones Brewing

This event features two contributors from the Mad Ag Journal Issue 12:

Mo Cheeks, the founder of Bread & Justice, a cottage bakery in Madison, Wisconsin, where each loaf is a catalyst for change. Learn how one baker transformed sourdough into a movement, raising thousands of dollars for social justice causes while building a community of "bread friends" committed to equity, sustainability, and resilience.

Emily Haga, seed breeder and former Executive Director of Seed Savers Exchange. In her work, she asks profound questions: How has our relationship with plants and the land evolved—or eroded—over time? What lessons can we glean from the seeds we’ve saved, the ones we’ve lost, and the stories they carry? In her Journal 12 story, For the Love of Plants, Emily reflects on the groundbreaking legacy of Nikolai Vavilov’s theory of crop origins, urging us to reimagine it not just as centers of diversity but as centers of coevolution, where plants and people have shaped each other across time and place. Her insights into seed conservation, plant breeding, and the cultural heritage intertwined with biodiversity offer a hopeful perspective amid global environmental and social challenges.

Full list of voices featured in the reception panel include:

Jonnah Perkins, facilitator: Director of Media, Mad! Agriculture, Editor-in-Chief, Mad Agriculture Journal

Mo Cheeks: Baker and Journal 12 contributor: Bread & Justice

Emily Haga: Seed breeder and Journal 12 contributor: For the Love of Plants

Jessica Jones: Co-Owner, Giant Jones Brewing

Omar de Kok-Mercado: Mad Agriculture Midwest Regional Lead

Alyssa Hartman: Executive Director, Artisan Grain Collaborative

All guests who sign up through eventbrite will receive a copy of Mad Agriculture Journal Issue 12

Mad! Agriculture is a 501c3 nonprofit that works from heart to head, poetry to science, financing to markets, and soil to shelf. We meet farmers where they’re at in their journey as they transition to regenerative agricultural models.

Host or Publisher Mad Agriculture