Past Events

Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems invites food systems leaders, policy and funding decision makers, and state agency leaders, and partners to attend this webinar highlighting the implications of the findings from the National Food Hub Survey, Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (U.S. and Michigan), and 10 Cents a Meal for Michigan’s Kids and Farms.

School food professionals have some of the lowest wages and highest vacancy rates in their districts, yet they determine whether scratch cooking becomes reality. For too long, these jobs have been written off as unskilled work instead of being recognized as the culinary careers they are. This webinar from Chef Ann Foundation explores what happens when we finally invest in the people, featuring professionals who are already proving what's possible.

Bringing together perspectives from across the food system, this conversation hosted by Food & Society will explore approaches that could shift power and opportunity across the food economy—from stronger labor standards and wage policies to emerging models such as employee ownership. Panelists will consider not only how food work can become more equitable, but also who benefits from the food economy—and who should.

American Farmland Trust's Women for the Land Program is hosting a hands-on workshop for farmers with value-added production goals to improve access to markets and opportunities to sell to institutions. Participants will explore ways to access stable markets, guidelines for selling to institutions, and hear from farmers who have diversified their customer base.

The Collective on Racial Equity, in partnership with the Food Systems Leadership Network, invites food system practitioners, farmers, organizers, educators, and community leaders to join a two-day virtual workshop exploring racial equity in the food system.

The National Farm Viability Conference is the foremost gathering for agricultural professionals from across the nation to engage in peer-to-peer learning and networking, with a focus on effective approaches in farm viability programming, building resilient local food systems, and supporting the profitability and growth of farms and food businesses from start-ups to multigenerational businesses.

Co-hosted by the National Black Food and Justice Alliance and the Detroit People's Food Co-op, Black-Led Day returns to its origins as a gathering for Black food cooperators to create space within a white-dominated food landscape. This year grounds itself in reclaiming cooperative ways of being and generating collective strategies to fill gaps and address challenges in Black cooperative development. 

This event, hosted by the Northeast TOPP program, supports current and aspiring organic farmers through hands-on workshops, practical technical assistance, and meaningful opportunities to connect with peers across the food and farming community. Whether you're just beginning your organic journey or looking to deepen your expertise, you'll gain real-world insights you can apply right away.

This session will explore two community-based Food is Medicine programs that connect local food systems with health. Just Roots, a community farm and food hub, is at the leading edge of getting local, nutrient-dense foods to people living with chronic illness. The Vermont Farmers Food Center, a multifaceted regional food hub, has operated its Food Farmacy produce prescription program for more than a decade. Together, we'll explore how these programs work, what they have learned, and the unique role community-based organizations can play in ensuring Food is Medicine not only expands access to healthy food, but also creates stronger connections to nutrient-dense, regeneratively grown, and locally produced food.

School food teams want to serve scratch-made meals, but they're stuck in kitchens built for reheating, not cooking. This webinar from the Chef Ann Foundation explores how districts are transforming their spaces and securing the funding to make it happen.

Join in the celebration of urban agriculture and the organizations providing direct access to communities in cities across Massachusetts. Urban farmers host activities that educate and celebrate food production in our cities.

This educator-focused webinar will walk you through the steps to planning, designing, and planting a native plant pollinator garden at your school.

Join Slow Food NYC for a discussion about “good food purchasing:” what it means, its potential impact on our food system, and an overview of active legislation in NYS and NYC that could make this policy a reality. Guest speakers Taylor Pate from Community Food Advocates and Dana Bourne from the NYC Mayor’s Office of Food Policy will provide background on these policies, how good food procurement is already being practiced in NYC, and how your support can make a difference.

The final session in the Care Farming Network's 3-part webinar series shows care farmers how to transform impact data into stronger programs, clearer communication, and long-term sustainability. Cost is $10; sessions are recorded

This webinar from the National Farm to School Network provides an overview of the different approaches states are using to develop and manage statewide solicitations for local food purchasing, including state agency-led and public-private partnership-led programs, and programs that leverage USDA distribution systems and online procurement platforms. 

CSPI hosts an eye-opening webinar on a looming threat to public health: federal preemption of state and local food policies. State and local governments are at the forefront of efforts to transform the food system through better labeling and enhanced safety. Major food and beverage companies are responding to this threat to their bottom line by turning to federal lawmakers to block state laws. Advocates and policymakers need to understand what's at stake — and how to fight back. 

The Kneading Conference brings together grainiacs and bread buffs from all over the country. Farmers, professional and home bakers, brewers, chefs, cooks, grain researchers, maltsters, food entrepreneurs, and wood-fired oven enthusiasts gather to educate one another about the art and science of growing and milling grains, baking artisan breads, and brewing delicious beer.

This second session in Care Farming Network's 3-part webinar series focuses on realistic, low-burden data collection approaches that fit the rhythm of a busy farm while supporting participants with diverse needs and abilities. Cost is $10; sessions are recorded.

This event brings together school nutrition directors, food producers, educators, and other farm to school stakeholders to explore school gardens, local procurement strategies that increase the use of local food in school meals, and hands-on education, while building network connections that strengthen farm to school partnerships across the state.

The first session in Care Farming Network's 3-part webinar series helps care farmers name and document their impact — from belonging and skill-building to well-being and community connection. Cost is $10; sessions are recorded.

One of a three-part event exploring innovation and technology across key areas of the regional blue economy: Aquaculture, Commercial Fishing, and Offshore Renewable Energy. 

This interactive learning session hosted by the National Farm to School Network will highlight how farm to school initiatives can cultivate youth engagement, leadership development, and meaningful career pathways in food, agriculture, and school nutrition. 

The National Farm to School Network features two of its Partner organizations conducting efforts to engage youth and forge career pathways in support of future generations of food system leaders. Attendees will hear from representatives from California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom and the Food and Nutrition Services team at San Luis Coastal Unified School District for an inspiring presentation on how farm to school initiatives can cultivate youth leadership, career exploration, and workforce development opportunities. 

The Maine School Garden Network and Maine Farm and Sea to Institution kick off their summer tour series at Falmouth Schools, celebrating school gardens in full bloom. Attendees can expect growing tips, peer idea-sharing, brick oven pizza, and a chance to connect with fellow garden coordinators.

Join students from across the country and Real Food Challenge staff working for Food Justice for this in-person training and an important opportunity to get deep into our work to shift college money away from corporations towards workers, growers, ecosystems, and our communities.

The European green crab (Carcinus maenas) is commonly considered one of the “world’s worst invasive species”. Fortunately, green crab is also a delicious, sustainable seafood that can be served soft-shell, fermented, shucked for roe, or transformed into stocks, sauces, and soups. This June 2026, join GreenCrab.org in celebrating Green Crab Week with restaurants, fish markets, harvesters, and organizations across the US. 

The federal government is rewriting the rules around applying for and receiving grants and other financial assistance from USDA and other agencies. The proposed changes will make the process more political, add paperwork burdens, and decrease reliability. We’ll walk through the most critical points for the farm and food system community.  Farm Commons will share its organizational perspective on how the rule changes shape our organization’s decision-making around federal grants. Join us to begin identifying the concerns, risks, and unanswered questions the proposed rule raises for your work.

This 2-part webinar highlights six Vermont initiatives that are redefining how food supports health across the state. Join us to explore how each effort is improving access to nutritious food and strengthening clinical-community connections.

The Institute for Nonprofit Practice warmly welcomes Shawn Dove for an inspirational, interactive masterclass on the craft of movement building and resource mobilization for the greater good. Look no further than this session for inspiration on optimizing teamwork to achieve your calling as a leader.

Join the authors of the report, Making Time To Eat: A Review of State Policies and Guidance on School Mealtime Duration, the results of research by the Center for Science in the Public Interest to establish the prevalence of state-level policies and guidance on sufficient time to eat in schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. 

This multi-day event, hosted by the Agriculture, Food & Human Values Society, the Association for the Study of Food and Society, and the committee at the University of Vermont, will feature sessions, field trips, and community-building across agroecology and ecological economics, plus a keynote panel with Vermont food system leaders.

Hosted annually by UMass Dining, the Chef Culinary Conference delivers industry-expert talks, culinary demonstrations, live workshops, and exclusive brand sneak peeks. 

Join NH Food Alliance to hear what's happened with NH's Local Food for Schools Incentive Pilot, launched in 2024 - what's working, what challenges are emerging, and what can we build on for the future? Part of the Network Café Series.

Many smaller meat and poultry processors view local schools as an opportunity to build sales while serving their community with healthy, locally processed protein. But, accessing Farm to School programs, USDA commodity distribution, and other institutional channels requires planning and perseverance. Flower Hill Institute will welcome three individuals with experience and expertise in institutional marketing during this one-hour online roundtable.

This new national Food is Medicine conference joins together 800 leaders across healthcare, research, policy, and community. 

Affordability continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing stakeholders across the food and agricultural supply chain. Farmers are grappling with rising input costs for essentials like fertilizer and fuel, while distributors, retailers, and consumers continue to feel the strain of persistent inflation and economic uncertainty. These pressures are reshaping purchasing decisions, consumption patterns, and confidence in the economy at every level. Join CFARE as a panel of experts explores how inflation, economic shocks, and shifting consumer behavior are impacting producers, businesses, and households alike.

This 2-part webinar highlights six Vermont initiatives that are redefining how food supports health across the state. Join us to explore how each effort is improving access to nutritious food and strengthening clinical-community connections.

The Spring Forum, hosted by RecyclingWorks builds on over a decade of successful events that bring together industry professionals to share ideas, resources, and practical solutions. This year we will focus on surplus food donation and resources for transitioning to reusable takeout containers.

Celebrating the innovation, leadership, and community‐driven spirit shaping school nutrition today, this conference explores how intentional leadership, culinary creativity, and whole‐school wellness come together to strengthen the school nutrition experience for every student.

Join the CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute for a timely conversation on how to improve the quality of school meals and advance health equity by reducing reliance on ultra-processed foods and expanding scratch cooking in public schools. 

Join the National Farm to School Network for a casual conversation with Renee Page, Executive Director of Healthy Communities of the Capital Area, home to Maine Farm & Sea to Institution, as she walks us through her journey to securing Maine's gubernatorial proclamation. Renee will share practical insights including how to craft compelling proclamation language, who to approach, and where to begin. Roughly half the time devoted to her story and the other half open for audience conversation and Q&A.

Panel of Maine's Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) program coordinators - what their roles look like, how they're making an impact. Part of "Beyond the Supply Chain" webinar series from the Maine Food Convergence Food Processing Infrastructure Work Group.

Join Center for Science in the Public Interest and Carceral Nutrition Project to discuss findings from their new report examining how privatized food service – particularly by Aramark, the dominant corporate actor in this industry – impacts the health and dignity of incarcerated people.
 

This free community event brings together educators, students, and community partners to show what farm-to-school looks like in action, from gardens to classrooms to cafeterias.

Get on board Project Oceonology's research vessel and head out to sea for a unique educational journey to discover the future of sustainable ocean farming! After the boat tour, take a look inside CT Sea Grant's mobile seaweed research laboratory, where scientists are innovating new techniques for sugar kelp seed production.

Join this vital gathering that brings together the heartbeat of our food system: farmers, food industry providers, health and human service professionals, community and faith-based groups, brain injury and trauma survivors, and our Youth Ambassadors—the next generation of growers. 

Are you an emerging food systems professional? Are you in career transition, seeking a job in community food work? Hear from Rachel Brice, Land For Good; Tommy Bass, Montana State University Extension; and Janel Hutchison, Food Finance Institute. Part of the series Finding Your Future in Food Systems - produced by college students for college students and other emerging professionals - which provides participants with connections and insights to help them identify next steps for their careers, told by speakers from a wide variety of sectors: policy & advocacy, market development, food access initiatives, value chain development, education, and urban and rural farming.

A convening on the research, policy, and practice for the field of medically tailored nutrition. Hosted by the AMPL Institute at Community Servings. In-person in Somerville, MA with a livestream option.

Vermont Specialty Food Association is hosting the first-ever VSFA Producer Expo — a new B2B trade show connecting Vermont producers with buyers, retailers, distributors, chefs, and industry partners.

What is LGBTQ+ food? What makes food and drink queer? This hybrid conference online and at McGill University in Montréal, brings together scholars, activists, artists, journalists, farmers, chefs, and other food industry professionals.

Join Matthew McKenzie, Professor of History at the University of Connecticut, whose work explores the deep cultural and economic ties between New England communities and the sea, for a compelling look at the evolution of working waterfronts in southeastern Connecticut. Drawing on centuries of maritime history and his research on fisheries and coastal life, McKenzie traces how marine environments have shaped—and been shaped by—human activity over time.

Join Mass Farm to School for a discussion on how to engage the school-wide community in summer garden care and explore best practices to ensure that your school garden remains active in the summer months. 

The Henry P. Kendall Foundation hosts this informational webinar to discuss the details and criteria of the 2026 New England Food Vision Prize, which will award up to $1.5M to collaborative farm to school initiatives and local sourcing efforts across the region.

Join Good Agriculture and Local Food Marketplace for an advanced, practical session on turning your financials and sales data into decisions you can act on. Designed for farms and food hubs managing growing complexity, this webinar will help you move beyond high-level revenue and start using your data to understand profitability, cash flow, and performance at a deeper level.

Join CSPI for a panel discussion on the role of labor in the food system, one of the most important industries in our economy. Representing different perspectives in the food system, each panelist brings expertise based on years of protecting workers' rights and fighting for social justice.

A free, drop-in celebration of the season. Join us for kelp tastings, interactive demos, local vendors, and a visit from the CT Sea Grant mobile seaweed lab. The whole family is invited!

A hands-on class featuring locally grown sugar kelp. Learn to make kelp pasta, scallops, hummus, and chimichurri.

Join Mass Farm to School for an interactive webinar exploring how your school garden can become a dynamic outdoor math classroom!

One of a three-part event exploring innovation and technology across key areas of the regional blue economy: Aquaculture, Commercial Fishing, and Offshore Renewable Energy. 

NOFA-VT hosts a webinar with Commons Land Community Farmland Trust, a circle of farmers, land stewards and organizers building a community and a Land Trust to support a Commons vision that provides healing for land and people. Commons Land focuses on addressing structural inequities in agriculture by ensuring that good farmland is available and affordable to farmers of all backgrounds, prioritizing Black, Indigenous, Latinx/e, Asian, queer, and low-income white emerging farmers who have traditionally been marginalized from owning their own farms. Part of NOFA-VT's webinar series exploring alternative land access models and business structures. 

Explore how Maine's food hubs strengthen our local food system. Hear from operators about their successes and challenges and how we can all help support their growth. Part of "Beyond the Supply Chain" webinar series from the Maine Food Convergence Food Processing Infrastructure Work Group.

The NH Food Alliance hosts this gathering each year to bring together individuals, businesses, and organizations from across sectors who are dedicated to growing an improved local food system that works for all in the Granite State. Farmers, fishermen, business owners, and food system professionals from across New Hampshire and New England will be gathering to dive deeply into breakout sessions, networking activities, and more to drive change across New Hampshire’s food system. 

New York Sea Grant brings together seafood professionals — including fishermen, aquaculturists, retailers, processors, chefs, and others from across the region — to strengthen communication and build productive relationships and collaborations throughout the state.

New York Sea Grant brings together seafood professionals — including fishermen, aquaculturists, retailers, processors, chefs, and others from across the region — to strengthen communication and build productive relationships and collaborations throughout the state.

Are you an emerging food systems professional? Are you in career transition, seeking a job in community food work? Hear from Jeanine Cava, New Jersey Food Democracy Collaborative; Clyds Manzano, Hawai'i Food + Policy; and Phil Jahnke Sauer of Iowa Valley RC & D. Part of the series Finding Your Future in Food Systems - produced by college students for college students and other emerging professionals - which provides participants with connections and insights to help them identify next steps for their careers, told by speakers from a wide variety of sectors: policy & advocacy, market development, food access initiatives, value chain development, education, and urban and rural farming.

Part of the Network Café Series from NH Food Alliance.

 Join the Urban Farming Institute and MDAR for a one-day, in-person convening focused on farmer-led resilience, youth leadership, and community-driven food systems across Massachusetts. 

Join ASPHN and North Carolina State University’s Center for Environmental Farming Systems to learn more about success and lessons learned with helping Family Child Care Educators access and procure local foods. We will host a panel with educators, organizers and food aggregators from across the US to learn from their experiences of getting local foods to little eaters in Family Child Care sites.

Bringing together Agnès Pinault (ICRC), Dr. Edwin Prophete (Health through Walls Haiti), Barbara Wakeen (Correctional Nutrition Consultants; Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics / NCCHC), and Daniel A. Rosen (Coalition for Carceral Nutrition), the discussion will explore practical, standards-based approaches to food systems in detention; addressing hunger, obesity, and accountability while offering actionable pathways for policy, practice, and oversight.

Learn how the New Jersey Department of Agriculture developed a first-of-its-kind, cost-neutral local food purchasing incentive within the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. Co-facilitated by National Farm to School Network, Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest New York, and Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems.

This 8th annual event brings together 300 farm to school advocates from diverse backgrounds such as food service, education, food distribution, farms, and advocacy, to advance a strong and vibrant local food system. Participants will learn new tools and develop new connections to expand food education and local food in school meals.

Join Food Tank for the First Annual Blue Foods Summit in Boston during the North American Seafood Expo. This one-day convening will celebrate blue foods, fisherfolk, and those at the center of aquatic food systems. 

Are you an emerging food systems professional? Are you in career transition, seeking a job in community food work? Hear from Monica Chen, New Roots Institute; Amirah Dales, Capital Area Food Bank; and Brooklyn Maloley, Grapevine Local Food Marketing. Part of the series Finding Your Future in Food Systems - produced by college students for college students and other emerging professionals - which provides participants with connections and insights to help them identify next steps for their careers, told by speakers from a wide variety of sectors: policy & advocacy, market development, food access initiatives, value chain development, education, and urban and rural farming.

In a largely rural state, Maine schools are a key community food resource providing nutrition to the most vulnerable in our communities - our children. But when Maine school cafeterias generate over 7 million pounds of food waste annually (NRCM 2019) and the largest waste is the nutritious fruits and veggies, we have a problem. Fortunately, some Maine school districts are working to stop the waste and unlock the full potential of school food systems to sustainably and nutritiously feed our children. The University of Maine’s Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions has been working with Maine school nutrition directors and their school communities on food waste prevention programs. Join this webinar to hear about their research and their success, and walk away with ideas on how you can reduce food waste in your school. Hosted by Farm to Institution New England.

NOFA-VT hosts a webinar with West Branch Commons, working to transform a 287-acre dairy farm into a community land trust that offers long-term, affordable land access to queer and trans, Black, Indigenous, and people of color (QTBIPOC) farmers via long-term ground leases. Part of NOFA-VT's webinar series exploring alternative land access models and business structures. 

Organized by the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC), the Summit brings together dairy farmers, processors, and stakeholders from across the region.

Understand what it takes to move seafood into institutional markets and explore how lessons from seafood apply across the food system. Part of "Beyond the Supply Chain" webinar series from the Maine Food Convergence Food Processing Infrastructure Work Group.

CT NOFA’s 44th annual Winter Conference connects 300+ farmers, home gardeners, and organic advocates from across the region.

Part of the Network Café Series from NH Food Alliance.

The Massachusetts Chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association hosts their annual Winter Conference around a theme inspired by the Massachusetts Healthy Soils Action Plan, which focuses on how we can effectively conserve, protect, restore, and properly manage our soil throughout the state to improve the vitality of our environments and the health and quality of life of our community members.

Co-hosted by New York State Education Department and Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest NY, will have sessions for all Farm to School stakeholders including farmers and producers, food service directors, educators, and school administrators. The workshops, panel discussions, presentations, and field trips are wide-ranging and suitable for stakeholders just starting out in their Farm to School journeys, and those who have been working in the field for many years. Includes a large trade show featuring NY products.

Join Slow Food USA's Food & Farm Policy team to learn about general updates on what happened in the food policy space last year, the state of our food system and what the policy landscape will be in 2026. 

In this live conversation, High Country Food Hub (North Carolina) shares a practical, behind-the-scenes look at how they work with producers. Hosted by Local Food Marketplace.

The NOFA-VT Winter Conference provides a valuable opportunity for farmers, gardeners, land stewards, educators, students, policymakers, and organizers in the food system to share ideas, resources, and skills. This year’s theme is Seeding the Future. 

This panel discussion will bring together chefs, culinary directors, and regional producers to share stories, strategies, and challenges of Bon Appétit’s local sourcing program in the Northeast. They'll highlight partners that help them source specific local products, such as dairy from High Lawn Farm and seafood from Red’s Best; as well as regional partners that help them increase access to minority- and women-owned businesses. Attendees will walk away with actionable insights to deepen their own local purchasing initiatives and cultivate meaningful and durable partnerships. Hosted by Farm to Institution New England.

Learn how cold storage capacity shapes the local food economy and what new models are emerging in Maine. Part of "Beyond the Supply Chain" webinar series from the Maine Food Convergence Food Processing Infrastructure Work Group.

This year’s theme, Rooted and Rising: Growing the Future of Care Farming, celebrates the growth and resilience of the care farming movement. Over three inspiring days, connect with farmers, educators, practitioners, and advocates from across the country at an inclusive, energizing event that deepens connections and cultivates a thriving national care farming community.

Part of the Network Café Series from NH Food Alliance.

Legal Food Hub runs this free webinar series to help inform farmers, food entrepreneurs, and food and farm organizations about important legal topics relevant to their businesses. 

Are you an emerging food systems professional? Are you in career transition, seeking a job in community food work? Hear from Anders Gurda, Freestone Media; Libby ​Mucciarone, Organic Trade Association; and Madison Letizia, Organic Farmers Association. Part of the series Finding Your Future in Food Systems - produced by college students for college students and other emerging professionals - which provides participants with connections and insights to help them identify next steps for their careers, told by speakers from a wide variety of sectors: policy & advocacy, market development, food access initiatives, value chain development, education, and urban and rural farming. 

Join Naturally New England in conversation with Teresa Kurtak from California-based Fifth Crow Farm to discover how moving your wholesale business online can save time, reduce errors, and make your operations run smoothly. You'll learn how they transitioned wholesale online, the biggest time-wasters in traditional wholesale workflows, how to customize your online system to match your farm’s needs, tips for working with larger buyers and moving weekly fresh product more efficiently, and how going digital can simplify wholesale, CSA, and retail sales simultaneously.

This free, multi-part webinar series builds solidarity and resilience across our food systems community to collectively navigate massive change and upheaval in our communities and our country. Co-hosted by the Food Systems Leadership Network and DAISA Enterprises.

This huge trade show from the Boston Local Food Program connects New England food producers with wholesale buyers in the beautiful Russell's Garden Center in Wayland, MA. 

This annual event connects local food producers with buyers for Rhode Island's preK-12 schools and colleges. 

Get inspired by Maine farmers, food producers, aggregators, and buyers on how they have incorporated farm to institution (FTI) work into their business. Spend most of the session making connections to buy and sell more local food. 

Join this virtual event to learn about the newly launched educational resource Abenaki Foodways Project, based in the authentic knowledge about Abenaki people, their tribal sovereignty, history, ways of agriculture, land stewardship, and food culture.

While schools and hospitals have made progress in sourcing local food, meals in prisons and jails remain among the least healthy and least connected to regional food systems. Yet Departments of Correction are among the largest food purchasers in many states, with potential to generate stable, values-based markets for regional producers. Join us to explore findings from "Nourishing Justice: A Feasibility Study for Farm to Corrections Work in New England," a two-year USDA-funded project led by FINE, Impact Justice, and partners. Presenters Britt Florio (FINE) and Leslie Soble (Impact Justice) interviewed staff from all six New England Departments of Correction, as well as food hubs and producers. This webinar will share key findings and recommendations for policy, purchasing, matchmaking, and career pathways to help bring nourishing, regionally grown food into correctional facilities. Hosted by Farm to Institution New England.

This convening on the URI campus is more than a meeting; it is a powerful act of coming together to “meet the moment” in building a resilient, equitable food future.

Currently, an estimated 90% of our food comes from outside New Hampshire and New England. The Local Food Counts Project, a project of the New England Food System Planners Partnership, is a collaborative effort to measure how much food is sourced locally by institutions and food businesses across New England. Hear from the Project’s coordinator, Leah Rovner, as she shares how NH's institutions and food businesses can get counted in 2026 and inform better data about what food is sourced locally. We’ll discuss how the Local Food Count Project aims to improve public policies, programs, and investments into our state’s and our region’s food system. Part of the Network Café Series from NH Food Alliance.

UConn Extension's Vegetable and Small Fruit Growers' Conference features learning sessions, networking opportunities, research poster presentations, and a trade show. Bring your questions, challenges, and success stories to share with our network of Extension Educators, experienced and beginning farmers, and agricultural service providers. New This Year: Farmer focus group discussions during lunch and afternoon breakout sessions to foster opportunities to share ideas, ask questions, and connect directly with peers and experts in the field.

Care farms are pioneers in integrating therapeutic farming practices with social care, providing innovative, holistic support to individuals with diverse needs. By integrating agricultural activities with therapeutic interventions, social support, skill development, and meaningful engagement with nature, care farms present a unique business model, and are often actively seeking to sell to institutions. In this webinar hosted by Farm to Institution New England and the Care Farming Network, hear from organizers and care farmers who are pioneering inclusive, supportive spaces on farms, where growers of all abilities, backgrounds, and life experiences are not only welcomed but given the opportunity to thrive.  They'll share about their unique models, how they got started, and their successes and challenges. Hosted by Farm to Institution New England.

Explore how farmers and processors turn "seconds" into viable products for schools and institutions. Part of "Beyond the Supply Chain" webinar series from the Maine Food Convergence Food Processing Infrastructure Work Group.

NH Food Alliance steps inside the world of local food processing in Maine. We will hear from two food processing businesses, Fork Food Lab in South Portland and Harvest Maine in Brunswick, and about other innovative projects happening across the state. Both businesses focus on processing local food into valued-added and shelf-stable products, but do so at varying scales and by offering different services to farmers, food producers, and businesses; we’ll learn about their business models and the challenges they had in getting started as inspiration to replicate similar businesses in the Granite State.

At this upcoming webinar, you will hear from leading organizations including Impact Justice, Correctional Association of NY, Farm to Institution New England, and Sweet Freedom Farm, working to reshape the food landscape within carceral facilities. Experts will present insights and data to help frame the issue, and then share innovative strategies, policy reforms, and community-led initiatives aimed at improving the quality and diversity of food served.

The Food Systems Leadership Network and DAISA Enterprises bring you "Rooted and Rising: Bold Tools for Food Systems Changemakers in Today's Climate." This free, multi-part webinar series builds solidarity and resilience across our food systems community to collectively navigate massive change and upheaval in our communities and our country. Shamar Hemphill, DAISA’s Vice President of Strategy, will share insights and strategies gathered over decades of community organizing experience. (Recording of Part 1.)

The 10th National Farm to Cafeteria Conference, hosted by the National Farm to School Network, is the premier event for anyone passionate about bringing local food to institutional settings and driving positive change in the food system. Whether you’re a food service professional, farmer, educator, policymaker, entrepreneur, or student, this conference offers invaluable opportunities to network, learn, and share knowledge with others who are shaping the future of food access and sustainability.

A gathering of farmers, fishermen, food system advocates, conservation, public health and housing advocates, people with lived experience with food insecurity, legislators, legislative staff, and state agency staff.

This free webinar will explore the USDA annual survey of household food security; how the nation’s largest food bank network uses that data to report on Map the Meal Gap nationally; share work the Greater Boston Food Bank has led in assessing food insecurity and the charitable food sector in Massachusetts; and highlight economic research that uses these data to inform federal policy.

Vermont Farm to Plate is excited to invite network members and non‑members who work across Vermont’s food system to the 15th annual gathering, under the theme "Keep Calm, and Collaborate On: Working Better Together as a Region in Uncertain Times"

Setting goals for local procurement in schools, colleges and universities, is often the “easy” first step. Without realistic targets, strategic planning, engagement from all team members, and clear measures of success, goals may not turn into action. Presenters Lexie Raczka, Sustainability Director for Boston University Dining Services, and Kerry Kokkinogenis, Local Food Program Manager at the Sustainable Business Network of MA, will share the challenges faced in getting local foods into institutions, and explore what it takes – beyond the best intentions. They will explore their hard-earned lessons learned through a combined 20+ years of experiences in connecting institutions with local food. Hosted by Farm to Institution New England.

Hear first-hand what it takes to move Maine food from farm to market, and the daily challenges and innovations behind the scenes. Part of "Beyond the Supply Chain" webinar series from the Maine Food Convergence Food Processing Infrastructure Work Group.

Join Local Food Marketplace and several guest speakers to learn more about Food as Medicine programs and how local farms and food hubs can get involved. 

Join to understand and develop crucial processing, aggregation, and distribution services that support our local food system. Hear from guest speaker Josh Marshall about existing value-added processing capacity in New Hampshire and two new operations that are in progress as recipients of the USDA’s Resilient Food System Infrastructure program. Following the presentation, participants will be asked to share about other existing middle of the food supply chain capacity in the state and what is needed to support New Hampshire farmers. Part of the 2025-2026 Network Café Series hosted by NH Food Alliance.

With moderator Nessa Richman, Rhode Island Food Policy Council; and panelists Ann-Kristin Koch, Doctoral Student and member of the Dortmund Food Policy Council (Germany), Margaret deVos, Southside Community Land Trust, and Annet van den Horn, Ahorn Projects, Project Office for Sustainability, Green and Food (Netherlands).

As the current government shutdown threatens to extend into a new month, it is critical that advocates and the public should understand what has happened so far and what may happen next in November. The funding for and access to critical benefits like Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are under threat, and the future of health insurance tax credits is uncertain. This webinar will outline what the public can expect next and what advocates can do to remain engaged in this critical fight.  

This interactive webinar from the Interaction Institute for Social change features special guests Ellen Kahler, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, and Nessa Richman, Rhode Island Food Policy Council, who will explore strategies to weave diverse cross-sector networks, track and share helpful user-friendly data, and design participatory processes to help people understand and advocate for policy.

Designed for Northeast service providers working with, or looking to support, farmers with succession planning, this webinar from Maine Farmland Trust features an expert panel, networking opportunities, and peer-to-peer learning to help you better serve farmers. 

This one-day gathering brings together leaders, practitioners, and advocates from across the local food Maine system—farmers, fishers, food producers, institutional buyers, educators, policymakers, and nonprofit organizations—all working to strengthen the Farm-to-Institution movement in Maine.

In this presentation by ISED explore the difference between narrative and storytelling and how to use both to strengthen your organization’s voice. Participants will learn how to craft narratives that reflect values, goals, and impacts, and how to navigate challenging topics. We’ll also discuss how group narrative development can foster shared talking points on pressing issues and how stories can be deployed across multiple channels—from fundraising briefs and grant applications to media pitches, legislator information sheets, and social media.

For a decade, the Food Law Student Leadership Summit has been the premier conference for law students with a shared passion for improving our food and agricultural systems. This year’s milestone Summit, Food and Democracy: From Policy to Plate, will zoom in on the intersection of food and democracy, and the panel series and reception on Friday evening will be open to the public.

The BUGs conference is dedicated to urban farming, food justice, and sustainable agriculture, and an opportunity to connect with a diverse network of industry experts, including urban farmers, community gardeners, and food justice advocates. Attendees will explore innovative practices in urban agriculture, share knowledge about sustainable food systems, and discuss strategies for promoting food justice in our communities. 

A networking event bringing together women in the fields of food and farming. Guest speaker Elle Simone Scott, SheChef Inc; with plenty of free time to meet, chat, exchange ideas and enjoy a light dinner.

Discuss successes and challenges on this tour of Greenfield Community College's small but thriving agricultural education program that utilizes on-campus gardens to teach and grow op-produce for the GCC food pantry.

The UMass Dining Sustainability Team is excited to kick off the fall 2025 semester with a special menu from that will showcase seasonal ingredients from our regional partners and a panel discussion of farmers, advocates, professors, and other food system professionals to share firsthand stories and perspectives on building a more innovative, equitable, and resilient food system. 

Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp organized the first Farm Aid concert in 1985 to raise awareness about the loss of family farms and to raise funds to keep farm families on the land. Farm Aid has raised nearly $80 million to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture. Farm Aid is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America.

Gather with fellow farm-based educators at this unique professional learning event, designed and delivered by FBEN program alumni. Over two and a half days, you’ll experience a tour at Massaro Community Farm (with many school field trip elements!), inquire into the importance of rewilding with the EcoType project, visit Common Ground Urban Farm in New Haven, take part in favorite farm-based education activities with experienced educators, and enjoy an unforgettable tidal foraging expedition and meal of undervalued, “invasive” plants with Miya’s Sushi.

Join the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems at the VT Law School at their webinar for procurement officers, government legal teams, food service directors, policy advocates, and institutional leaders to discuss food contracting strategies to increase the amount of locally grown food served in public institutions. CAFS research affiliate Amanda Karls and Deputy Director and Senior Researcher Lihlani Nelson (a FINE NAC member!) are joined by Brittany Peats of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry. 

The Big E, or the Eastern States Exposition, is a 17-day annual fair featuring agriculture, entertainment, and exhibits.

Join the NH Food Alliance team during the September Network Café for an overview of the structure of Strategic Plan implementation and to learn about the various roles everyone can and will play in the process. Following the presentation and Q&A, we will dive into a lively discussion about work that has already begun on Strategic Plan recommendations to help you consider how you might get involved.

Dive into Sea-to-School with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute and Maine Coast Fishermen's Association for an engaging tour of Portland's Working Waterfront. Susan Olcott (MCFA) and Sophie Scott (GMRI) will share stories from cafeterias around the state and show attendees what it takes to bring fish from the Gulf of Maine to student's trays. Email MEFTI coordinator Alida Peterson at a.peterson@hccame.org to sign up.

Learn about local seafood, fishing, and the environment, and how these intersect with the food you eat in this documentary and discussion with the cast and filmmakers of Women on the Water, a documentary of the stories of six NH women who have overcome personal and societal challenges to establish themselves in lobstering, oyster farming, tuna fishing, and seafood distribution on their own terms. 

With Congress expected to move quickly on a new version of the bill, this online listening session hosted by NOFA/Mass is a chance for farmers to speak directly about the importance of USDA programs for their operations, including how recent cuts to grant programs and the USDA workforce have impacted them. 

Join the University of Vermont Food System Research Center as part of the Processing Work Group Meeting, for the next phase of the ASPIRES project. Reflect on insights from last year’s Listening Tour and share your perspective on where food system research can make the biggest impact. Help guide strategies that respond to real community needs.

Celebrate Massachusetts Urban Agriculture Week by attending an event near you!

The Southcoast Food Policy Council is convening a critical discussion on how to prepare for disruptions in food relief programs in Southeastern Massachusetts — and how we can build a more resilient regional food system together.

Join this Lunch & Learn from the Marion Institute to learn how policy can help break down the barriers that keep too many aspiring farmers, especially Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), from accessing land, capital, and markets.

The Community Food Projects Community of Practice is a space for monthly discussions on a variety of community food systems-related topics - both around organizational development & management (like evaluation, community engagement, etc.) as well as programmatic / thematic areas (think cooperative development, community kitchens, etc.). Co-hosted by the Food Systems Leadership Network and the Institute for Social and Economic Development. 

Hosted by Maine Grains, The Kneading Conference brings together grainiacs and bread buffs from all over the country. Keynote by Marion Nestle. Farmers, professional and home bakers, brewers, chefs, cooks, grain researchers, maltsters, food entrepreneurs, and wood-fired oven enthusiasts gather to educate one another about the art and science of growing and milling grains, baking artisan breads, and brewing delicious beer. 

Enhance your food safety skills, gain practical knowledge in regulatory expectations, sanitation controls, hygienic zoning, and environmental sampling. Ideal for QA/QC, sanitation, production personnel, and regulatory professionals.  

This session is ideal for anyone interested in social change, equitable wellbeing, and new ways of building stronger communities and grounded in trust, alignment, and distributed action in the service of sustainability, equity, and justice. Presenters Noel Didla, Center for Mississippi Food Systems, and Keith Bergthold, Rural Communities Rising in Fresno County, California, explore strategies to weave stronger load-bearing and light-sharing networks, so that you and the communities you care about can move through these times with clarity and conviction.

Enhance your food safety skills in person at the University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI. This hybrid program includes self-paced online modules, a hands-on workshop, and virtual coaching sessions. Use promo code “SCPP25” before June 30th and receive $50 off.  

We are faced with multiple crises in the second half of the 2020s. These crises present opportunities to transform the food system toward greater equity, sustainability, and democracy. To get there, we need a more cohesive and strategic food movement. This conference, hosted by ISED Solutions, will provide a platform for sharing innovation and inspiration, strategizing and planning for action, and celebrating our wins.

This webinar hosted by C-FARE focuses on how to respond to the changing data landscape that is likely to affect food and agricultural research. As uncertainty grows about the availability of federally produced data, our community may need to build ways of identifying what other sources of data can be trusted for research purposes.  

Please join Bi-State Primary Care Association for an inspiring look at how small grants are driving big change across Vermont communities. This webinar will spotlight a range of innovative, community-rooted food access and health care projects funded through the Food Access in Health Care grant program. From medically tailored meals to nutrition education, food security screenings, and cross-sector partnerships, each project offers a unique approach to improving health through food. You'll hear directly from grantees about their work, challenges, and early outcomes — and learn how these efforts are advancing health in communities across the state.

The current funding environment is rapidly changing, with reduced funding for school garden programming. Join the School Garden Support Organization Network to connect, share your expertise, and exchange solutions.

Part of a monthly series from NOFA-VT, this session will be a conversation with La Finca Cooperative, a worker-owned cooperative grounded in BIPOC leadership and majority stakeholdership with a unique land access model.

Join the National Farm to School Network and the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems at Vermont Law and Graduate School for a deep dive into the newly released State Farm to School Policy Handbook: 2002–2023. This updated resource analyzes over 800 farm to school and early care and education (ECE) bills introduced across all 50 states, DC, and US territories—and, for the first time, comes with an interactive database to help you explore legislation by state, topic, and year.

The 2025 summit will bring together seafood professionals (fishermen, aquaculturists, retailers,
processors, chefs and more) and anglers fishing for food from across the regions to foster active
communications and build productive relationships and collaboration throughout the state. Upstate (March 3, Geneva, NY); and Downstate Summit (March 28, Riverhead, NY).

The Convergence is a space for members of Maine's food, land, climate, and social justice efforts to gather, explore collaborations, and celebrate together.

The webinar will celebrate the achievements, research, and collective learning from the Farm to School Coordinators Project, and spotlight new resources to help advocate for a farm to school coordinator position.

The NH Food System Statewide Gathering is an annual event hosted by the NH Food Alliance that brings together individuals, businesses, and organizations from across sectors who are dedicated to growing an improved local food system that works for all in the Granite State.

Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University and Food Tank will host a special Capitol Hill Luncheon with medical professionals, thought leaders, and policymakers, for dynamic conversations around integrating nutrition into healthcare. This live event is being livestreamed.

Join this practical, four-part training series designed to strengthen boards’ governance, increase member engagement, boost financial sustainability, and sharpen communication strategies so agricultural organizations can lead with confidence and impact. Wednesday evenings, 6:30 - 7:30 pm, on May 14, May 21, May 28, and June 4, 2025.

Real Food Challenge is back—and we are ready to meet today’s political moment with a renewed commitment to building student power and ushering in a period of food justice for all. We invite you to join our May 6 webinar to reinvigorate our demands for institutional investment in local food economies that are fair and sustainable. 

As farmers, advocates and rural communities PUSH BACK against corporate power, funding freezes and more, community organizing skills become more critical. Join us as we welcome longtime organizer and leader, George Goehl <https://www.georgegoehl.org/&gt;, with Fundamentals of Organizing, to intro
us to the basics or if you're an organizer already, sharpen your skills!

INFAS welcomes existing and prospective members to zoom to learn about recent work and to catch up with others passionate about creating environmentally sustainable and socially just U.S. food system.
 

The premier event celebrating the talent, resilience, and innovation in the food industry.  From renowned chefs and restaurateurs to food writers, food justice advocates, farmers, and food entrepreneurs, this Summit is the epicenter of culinary excellence, knowledge-sharing, and empowerment. 

The 3rd Annual Disability and Agriculture Conference is a crucial event that brings together leaders from diverse fields to address the unique challenges faced by individuals with disabilities. 

The Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development invites you to attend a webinar to learn about a Cooperative Extension community development train-the-trainer program that simultaneously addresses food waste, food insecurity and climate change. The program in 2024 alone resulted in 231,785 pounds of surplus food donated to feed people, and 87,196 pounds of wasted food diverted from the landfill.

The Northeast Farm to Institution Summit strengthens the regional food system by celebrating and supporting the role of institutions as anchors in the region. By bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders in a collaborative process, the Summit generates ideas and connections that advance the ability of the Northeast to support viable farm, food, and sea businesses and healthy, just communities. The Summit welcomes both newcomers and pioneers on the forefront of the farm to institution movement to share their work, make connections, generate energy, and co-create strategies for addressing the most pressing challenges for our regional food system. 

The mission of the conference is to bring together a group of active and passionate students to share ideas and resources around creating and maintaining student farms and initiatives to further sustainable agriculture, food justice, and other related matters.

Join Slow Food USA for a chance to learn about the current food and farm policy landscape. They will review challenges facing food and farm systems, discuss advocacy opportunities, share resources, and demonstrate what engagement with legislatures looks like in practice. There will be an opportunity for questions and conversation to talk through this time of uncertainty. Please register ahead of time and answer a brief survey so they can best tailor this workshop to the network’s needs.

The 2025 summit will bring together seafood professionals (fishermen, aquaculturists, retailers,
processors, chefs and more) and anglers fishing for food from across the regions to foster active
communications and build productive relationships and collaboration throughout the state. Upstate (March 3, Geneva, NY); and Midstate Summit (June 2, Hyde Park, NY).

In this training from ISED, explore the power of storytelling in community food projects. This session will equip you with skills to craft compelling narratives that integrate data and local context, enhancing your advocacy and community engagement efforts. Through interactive exercises, we will examine the dominant narratives that shape our food systems and develop new stories to drive impact and inspire change. 

The term Food as Medicine is everywhere, but what does it really mean? How do we move beyond the buzz and turn it into real solutions for public health and nutrition equity? Join the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center and the Center for Food as Medicine for this virtual panel.

There are many “right” ways to host a farm field trip, and each farm does it differently. This series of workshops offers windows into field trips on with different farm-based organizations including Shelburne Farms (Jan. 8), Grow Food Northampton (Feb. 4), Poughkeepsie Farm Project (Feb. 19), and Coastal Roots (March 12). 

Join veteran teacher Edith Pucci Couchman for a whirlwind tour of tactics and topics for restoring enjoyment, wonder, connection, health, and real, big-picture science to gardening education. Many of the activities she’ll present come from her new book Circling the Sun, Racing the Wind. From the NH Farm to School and the NH School & Youth Garden networks.

The Summit will bring together seafood professionals (fishermen, aquaculturists, retailers,
processors, chefs and more) and anglers fishing for food from across the regions to foster active
communications and build productive relationships and collaboration throughout the state. Downstate Summit (March 28, Riverhead, NY); and Midstate Summit (June 2, Hyde Park, NY).

CT NOFA is proud to present their 43rd Winter Conference, featuring a series of virtual workshops on February 25-27 in the lead up to a full day, in-person gathering and celebration on March 1, 2025 at Eastern Connecticut State University, in partnership with their Institute of Sustainability.

Join the School Garden Support Organization Network to explore the transformative power of inclusivity and representation in educational gardening programs. This session will dive into the importance of intentional representation, uncovering and addressing unexamined practices and celebrating the rich tapestry of cultural backgrounds within our school communities. From the NH Farm to School and the NH School & Youth Garden networks.

There are many “right” ways to host a farm field trip, and each farm does it differently. This series of workshops offers windows into field trips on with different farm-based organizations including Shelburne Farms (Jan. 8), Grow Food Northampton (Feb. 4), Poughkeepsie Farm Project (Feb. 19), and Coastal Roots (March 12). 

Each year, the NOFA-VT Winter Conference provides a valuable opportunity for farmers, homesteaders, gardeners, earth tenders, land managers, educators, students, policy-makers, and other food system activists to participate in our vibrant community event by sharing ideas, resources, and skills.

What if you had a Farm to School Action Plan and added capacity to carry out the action plan to help expand experiential food education and increase participation in more culturally important, scratch-cooked, locally-procured school meals? FoodCorps helps schools and districts do just that. Join Ryan Parker of FoodCorps to learn about their NH launch and how partnering with their organization can streamline bringing farm to school education to your school or community. From the NH Farm to School and the NH School & Youth Garden networks.

NOFA-NH’s 23rd Annual Winter Conference, "Sowing Hope, Cultivating Joy" is designed for farmers, gardeners, food system professionals, and organic advocates eager to delve into the power of hope and the joy of tending to our land and communities.

Do you have a vision for a unique investment or partnership that would get more NH-grown food into our schools and colleges? The New England Food Vision Prize, offered annually each spring by the Henry P. Kendall Foundation, awards grants up to $200,000 to projects aiming to increase the amount of local and regional food prepared and served on New England college and university campuses and within K-12 public school districts, helping to strengthen the region’s food system. Hear about the structure, eligibility, and criterion of the Prize, and brainstorm ideas for a proposal that could fund innovation in our food system.

Olivia Clark from Cornucopia Project and Sam Bator from Stonewall Farm are teaming up to share ways to engage students in gardening during the colder months. They will provide learnings about winter crop storage and preparation for the spring growing season. From the NH Farm to School and the NH School & Youth Garden networks.

The Value-Added Producer Grant program helps producers enter value-added activities to generate new products, create and expand marketing opportunities, and increase producer income. Learn more about how this opportunity can benefit the seafood sector. 

There are many “right” ways to host a farm field trip, and each farm does it differently. This series of workshops offers windows into field trips on with different farm-based organizations including Shelburne Farms (Jan. 8), Grow Food Northampton (Feb. 4), Poughkeepsie Farm Project (Feb. 19), and Coastal Roots (March 12). 

This second annual event is a collaborative effort brings together regional farmers and food producers for a day of community and learning around some of the most pressing issues facing farmers and our food system.

The 38th annual NOFA/Mass Winter Conference is a valuable opportunity for farmers, gardeners, homesteaders, educators, and environmentalists to share resources and ideas to grow our vibrant organic community. The conference hosts dozens of workshops and draws hundreds of attendees throughout the Northeast. The program will be fully in person.

Paul Karpawich, Program Director for Uplift NH, will host a presentation and discussion about driving environmental education and problem-based learning in school curriculum across New Hampshire. Paul will share his organization’s success in working with schools and students to launch and sustain food waste diversion and composting projects and offer networking space to replicate similar projects in your own school. From the NH Farm to School and the NH School & Youth Garden networks.

The RI Farm & Sea to School Network, in partnership with the RI Division of Agriculture, RI Department of Education, Farm Fresh Rhode Island, and Commerce RI, invites you to our annual event designed to connect local food producers with buyers for RI's K-12 schools, colleges, and Early Childhood Education providers.

Join the School Garden Support Organization Network for a workshop session to build a case for the importance of teaching water conservation through school gardens. As temperatures climb and both surface and groundwater supplies diminish, many communities are having to rethink their agricultural practices and consider the vulnerability of their food systems. From the NH Farm to School and the NH School & Youth Garden networks.

Learn how flex farms, a community-centered hydroponic growing system, is helping students in some New Hampshire schools learn how to grow their own food. Sam Malesa of Fork Farms, the producer of flex farms growing systems, will be joined by a New Hampshire school teacher to share about their work and the role this technology can play in food production and farm to school education in your district. From the NH Farm to School and the NH School & Youth Garden networks.

Connect with institutional buyers and local producers who are leading the way in farm-to-institution partnerships. The event will feature a panel discussion where buyers and producers share their experiences and insights on building successful partnerships, followed by a networking session facilitated by the Maine Farm & Sea to Institution Network and Maine DACF.

Join National Farm to School Network and Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems for a policy briefing on the state of farm to school and Early Care and Education local food purchasing incentives.

There are many “right” ways to host a farm field trip, and each farm does it differently. This series of workshops offers windows into field trips on with different farm-based organizations including Shelburne Farms (Jan. 8), Grow Food Northampton (Feb. 4), Poughkeepsie Farm Project (Feb. 19), and Coastal Roots (March 12). 

Join us at our annual UConn Extension Vegetable and Small Fruit Growers Conference for an educational day of learning, regulations, and updates on the latest trends in vegetable and small fruit production.

In preparation for the 2025 legislative session, join us to hear from NH's most well-informed food policy minds at the 2025 NH Agricultural Policy Forum. Each speaker will provide insights on the state level legislation being considered this session, as well as what individuals, communities, organizations, and businesses can do to get involved in the legislative process and support positive change in our food system. Co-hosted by the Monadnock Farm & Community Coalition and the NH Food Alliance.

The New England Vegetable and Fruit Conference is one of the premier educational conferences available in our region for vegetable and fruit farmers. The conference is organized by Extension programs in New England and NY, plus the New England Vegetable & Berry Grower’s Association and the Massachusetts Fruit Growers Association. The conference and trade show cater to commercial farmers who grow for direct to consumer and wholesale customers and include farms large to small. Sign up to attend with a small UConn Extension cohort at: https://forms.office.com/r/cbkheBcA1A .

We expect around 250 partners, people with lived experiences, and leaders from the Massachusetts food system to participate in this dynamic one-day event. At the Forum, partners across the local food system learn, share, and network. The day will include breakout sessions that will consider intersections between the food system and public health, regional planning, climate change, and education as well as sessions on food waste, community engagement, and agriculture. Attendees will also enjoy locally-sourced meals and ample time to network. 

90% of the seafood landed in New Hampshire is exported, leaving fish counters across the state stocked with seafood from around the globe. During the December Network Café, we’ll dive into this complicated and ironic system and hear from a local food business owner who is rewriting the supply chain script for local seafood in New Hampshire. Katelyn Porter, of the NH Food Alliance, will ground us with seafood supply chains 101, followed by Denise Hunt, of Coastline Seafood, who will bring it to life by sharing about their work shortening the links from boat dock to loading dock. Network Café attendees will hear about the challenges and successes in local seafood sourcing and will have an opportunity to network around more collaborations and solutions to keep more local seafood in the Granite State.

Join Local Catch Network for a 1-hour webinar for members of the Local Catch Network and the broader public on the topic of seafood mislabeling. The webinar will specifically focus on ways that the federal government, scientists, and the fishing industry are working to address seafood fraud and mislabeling. The webinar will feature two examples of how entities are addressing the issue in Seattle and Louisiana and include a presentation by the Federal Trade Commission. The webinar aims to offer more than just a summary of the “problem,” offering insights and tools that individuals and organizations can use to be part of a system of change. 

Join the New York Health Foundation (NYHealth) for a discussion on the state of food and nutrition in New York’s prison system. Food quality and access play a crucial role in health outcomes for incarcerated people. A new report by the Correctional Association of New York, supported by NYHealth, highlights challenges and presents opportunities to improve food systems in prisons.

Sydney Giacalone's research studies multigenerational farmers and ranchers across the U.S. who are transitioning away from conventional practices towards environmentally and social repairing approaches. This experience often involves questioning past education and internalized ideologies, learning to collaborate with nonhuman life to repair degraded ecologies, making intentional breaks from family and institutions, and joining networks to align with other people and causes. In the current US climate, these activities are often contentious within their rural communities and are intertwined with debates around the environment, land, gender, race, and class. As farmers’ transitions disrupt hierarchies foundational to the American family farm, how are familial, community, and ecological relationships broken, remade, or formed anew? This lecture will consider specifically how farmers are questioning and molding rural environments through these reparative efforts: what does American ruralness mean, who does it include, and why is it a landscape worth (or worthy of) changing? 

The Inaugural NY Farm to School Summit has sessions for all Farm to School stakeholders including farmers and producers, food service directors, educators, school administrators, and more. The workshops, panel discussions, presentations, and optional field trips are wide-ranging and suitable for stakeholders just starting out in their Farm to School journeys, and those who have been working in the field for many years.

Bringing together farmers, educators, and community members passionate about connecting local food and education to inspire, inform, and connect you to each other and the work of the RI Farm and Sea to School Network. Hear the innovative ways schools are incorporating fresh, locally sourced food into school meals and engaging students in food literacy. Share your experiences, challenges, and success stories with like-minded peers over locally sourced eats!

Since 2010, the Slow Money Movement has been connecting thousands of folks around the country who are “bringing some of our money back down to earth”—investing in things that we understand, near where we live, starting with food. More than $100 million in low interest and 0% loans has gone to over 1000 small organic farms and local food enterprises, via volunteer-led activities in dozens of communities. On November 13-14, this conversation comes to Providence, Rhode Island. A Call to Farms is a public conversation about food, money, community and peace. The event will feature a number of slow money friends from around the country as well as farmers, food entrepreneurs and other food system stakeholders in Providence. 

The AgSummit provides a unique networking opportunity for agricultural marketing practitioners to form new partnerships and learn new business strategies that can improve the performance of their farms and businesses.

Join the Maine School Garden Network at the Exhibition Hall on the MOFGA fairgrounds for Harvest Homecoming—an afternoon and evening of engaging workshops, networking, and a shared potluck meal. There is no cost to attend.

The final edition of Berkeley Food Institute’s Lunch & Learn Webinars on California’s Farm to School Program. We share results from California’s Farm to School Program Evaluation. The evaluation team will share perspectives from Farm to School grantees about their experience with the application process and program implementation.  We will be joined by the Farm to School Program Lead for the California Department of Food & Agriculture, Nick Anicich, who will share what changes his team made to the grant application process based on these learnings.

Traditional grantmaking can be characterized as short-term, driven by funders' visions, and grounded in opaque and complicated processes. Some funders have adopted a more equitable and engaged approach in their giving, which starts with working with and listening to the communities they serve, simplifying processes that meet the grantee's needs, and accounting for the time and long-term resources needed to build trust that leads to change. We invite you to join this conversation with funders taking a different approach to their grantmaking, with Brenda Solórzano, formerly with the Headwaters Foundation (currently at The California Endowment); Jane Schmitz, From Now On Fund; Jed Oppenheim, Foundation Program Director; and facilitated by Noel Didla, Deep South Solidarity Fund and the Center for Mississippi Food Systems.

Are you an entrepreneur developing new and exciting food products? Do you have questions about ensuring the safety of your product? This virtual, live, and interactive course will address the key attributes of formulating a product from concept to commercialization. The course is designed specifically to address product development and food safety issues faced by small food businesses. Throughout the course, we will introduce important considerations when developing a new food product, food science basics, share key elements required for product labeling, and provide an overview of key regulatory requirements for small and emerging food businesses, such as entrepreneurs and local food processors. This course consists of four, 3-hour live Zoom sessions.

Slow Fish 2024 is a collaborative gathering of seafood harvesters, fishmongers, chefs, educators, researchers and advocates working to create more direct supply chains based on Slow Fish values of providing good, clean and fair seafood to their communities. The event is a co-production of Slow Fish North America, Slow Food USA and our host community, Slow Food Charleston.

Black Urban Growers (BUGs) and our partners are pleased to present the 12th Annual Black Farmers & Urban Gardeners (BUGs) Conference, convening urban and rural farmers, chefs, food product makers, students, herbalists, nutritionists, consumers, policymakers, educators, activists, and organizations from across the country!

This month's Community Food Projects CoP will focus on building relationships within this commuinty. Join for some fun and facilitated networking among folks doing great work to build community food systems across the country. Facilitated by Any Fisher & Emma Bliss (ISED Solutions) and Susan Lightfoot Schempf (Wallace Center).

Hosted by the Michigan State University Center for Regional Food Systems, this webinar will introduce recent developments in the Statewide and Regional Food System Plans National Community of Practice—a national, multi-state network that brings together leaders from ongoing and emerging food system planning initiatives across the U.S.

The second edition of Berkeley Food Institute’s Lunch & Learn Webinars on California’s Farm to School Program. This webinar will focus on early findings exploring how K-12 schools and Early Care and Education (ECE) Centers are using their grant funds to purchase from local and organic farmers.

This is the premiere event for sustainability in higher education. The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) welcomes faculty, staff, students, and all types of change agents to gather for compelling presentations and discussions on accelerating sustainability in higher education. #AASHE2024 is your opportunity to collaborate with colleagues who understand the intricacies of the challenges you face in advancing sustainability at your institution. 

Join NH Food Access Coalition and partners in public health, nonprofits, farmers, schools, government, and community members across the state to celebrate the success of advancing nutrition equity in 2023/2024, learn best practices, and take action to continue this important work in 2025 to improve nutrition and health equity and eliminate hunger in New Hampshire.

Do you want to partner with a farmer and explore your land's potential? Join Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP) and Land for Good to discuss the challenges farmers face in accessing affordable farmland and the importance of leased land. We'll cover various types of farming operations, from hay production to small-scale vegetable farming, and guide you on assessing your land’s suitability for farming. Learn what farmers need, how to find the right one, and how to create a successful lease. Bring your questions for our panel of landowners sharing real-world experiences with a variety of tenure models and successfully working with farmers.

Are you a retail/grocery buyer, category manager, or foodservice distributor in the food and beverage industry? Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind B2B trade show and awards ceremony, celebrating Maine's iconic and emerging food producers! Meet: Maine's renowned food producers; Taste: Innovative, exciting products; Discover: New opportunities to grow your business. Please note that this is an industry-only B2B event.

The first of Berkeley Food Institute’s three webinars highlighting the first evaluation of California’s Farm to School Program. The team will share results from the evaluation and provide an early snapshot of progress and barriers to success.

National Farm to School Network is excited to once again hold space for our farm to school and ECE community this October—the Movement Meeting will be an opportunity to come together to connect, learn, and inspire one another.
 

During our October Network Café, Seth Wilner, Field Specialist in Agricultural Business Management at UNH Extension, and Josh Marshall, Assistant Commissioner of the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food will share opportunities available to New Hampshire’s farm and food businesses to increase profitability and move towards more sustainable and collaborative business models under the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program. 

Agile in Nonprofits Online Summit is designed to showcase the innovative ways nonprofit organizations are implementing Agile methodologies. Unlike traditional summits focused on how-to presentations from Agile trainers, this event highlights the real-world experiences of nonprofit professionals from organizations of various sizes, ages, and missions. 

Join the Center for Good Food Purchasing and a panel of experts to explore the impact and potential of good food and quality jobs related to food service in schools across the United States.This webinar will feature conversation geared toward those with interest in food systems, school meal programs, education, valued workforces, local economic development, and food policy.

Rally is the exciting annual gathering of inspired and passionate land conservation practitioners from around the world who are dedicated to conserving cherished places in our communities. The Land Trust Alliance is proud to host its 37th year of Rally: The National Land Conservation Conference in Providence, RI.  Serving as the premier training and networking conference, Rally offers learning sessions focused on land conservation topics, networking events, exhibits, plenary sessions and an awards presentation celebrating conservation leadership.

The University of Vermont is a collaborative partner on the first joint food systems research center with the USDA Agricultural Research Service.  As a leader in food systems research, UVM hosts a food systems research summit, to bring together UVM, USDA, and other partners and researchers.

Calling all of New England's masterful food makers – chefs, fishermen, farmers, and food artisans! Join culinary craftsman for the 2024 Boston Local Food Festival on Sunday, September 15th! We will savor the flavors of Massachusetts and beyond. From chef demos to a Family Fun Zone and a thrilling seafood throw-down, there's something for everyone. Early Bird vendor discount ends May 31. Save the date and get ready to savor the flavors of our region! Rain date: September 22nd.

In this event from Edible Communities, join Barton Seaver, Representative Chellie Pingree and other influential voices this fall as we engage in essential conversations about water’s impact on our food systems. FINE's Tania Taranovski joins a panel called "From Field and Sea to Shelf" with Lisa Scali, Ocean's Balance; Jen Faigel, Commonwealth Kitchen; Ray Simoglou, Summit Spring Water; Joe Olinto, One Mighty Mill. Moderated by Kimberly Allardyce, Naturally New England).

"Labor and Employment" with Rachel Armstrong. Part of the Local Catch Network's 2024 summer webinar series and Seafood Accelerator and Innovation Lab (SAIL) Catalyst program. This series focuses on some of the fundamental activities and systems that community-based seafood businesses can put in place as they grow toward long-term stability. 

In the lead up to the release of the 2024 USDA-NIFA Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program RFA, ISED and the Food Systems Leadership Network are co-facilitating a two-part webinar series to help potential applicants. In Part 2, "Tips, Tricks, and Hacks for Successful Application," get into the nitty gritty of the proposal development and application process. Walk through application components, from addressing community needs to budget narrative. 

Webinar from Studio Magic Hour for food system designers, innovators, and changemakers facing equity roadblocks. Implementing equity-driven mindsets and practices isn’t just up to one person or one team. And that's because food systems change is inherently collaborative work. Whether you are a full-time employee of a large organization, a part-time team member, or an independent consultant, each of us works within an organization and/or in partnership with multiple entities. And those organizations can either support us in implementing equity-driven mindsets and practices — or they can create friction. So it’s not enough to feel equipped with mindsets and practices. If you are able to easily implement those because the conditions are supportive within your organization at that time, that’s fantastic. And it’s essential to also have a toolkit for navigating organizational barriers where they exist.

The Local Catch Network (LCN), based in the School of Marine Sciences at the University of Maine, is facilitating the fourth annual #FindYourSeafoodWeek (#FYSW) to connect community members directly with fishing families and seafood harvesters and to raise awareness of community-based fisheries across the United States and Canada. Find Your Seafood Week is a social media campaign that runs from September 8-14 and increases the visibility of domestic seafood harvesters and businesses that participate in direct marketing — in other words, selling their catch directly to consumers, rather than relying on complex and often murky supply chains. The Local Catch Network invites community members to join the “boat-to-fork” movement by using the Seafood Finder to learn more about community-based fishing businesses, the locations they operate, the number of fishermen they partner with, and the types of catch they offer during #FindYourSeafoodWeek and beyond. Spread the word with their Campaign Toolkit.

Get ready to embark on a captivating journey into the world of oysters! Meet Corey from Duck Island Shellfish, a proud member of the Wampanoag tribe, as he shares his personal story and experiences as a third generation oyster farmer. Corey weaves his indigenous heritage into sustainable farming practices, using traditional ecological knowledge passed down through generations. Joining Corey are Josh McLawhorn (Director) and Gabriela Rodeiro (Co-Editor) of the Emmy Award-winning documentary "UNFILTERED: The Truth About Oysters." This groundbreaking film unveils the intricate connections between the environment and the oyster industry, providing a unique perspective on these extraordinary shellfish and our local shoreline ecology. Corey's inspiring journey, complemented by themes from "UNFILTERED," highlights the resilience and innovation required to thrive in oyster farming amidst climate challenges. The evening will culminate in a delightful (and free) oyster tasting, where you will have a chance to chat with these esteemed professionals.

"Contracts and Partnerships" with Vanessa Norman. Part of the Local Catch Network's 2024 summer webinar series and Seafood Accelerator and Innovation Lab (SAIL) Catalyst program. This series focuses on some of the fundamental activities and systems that community-based seafood businesses can put in place as they grow toward long-term stability. 

In the lead up to the release of the 2024 USDA-NIFA Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program RFA, ISED and the Food Systems Leadership Network are co-facilitating a two-part webinar series to help potential applicants. In Part 1, "To Apply or Not to Apply - It's a Serious Question!" learn about the program to determine if this is the right fit for you. We'll provide examples of the types of projects that can be funded and will be joined by grantees. Guest speakers include Winona Brynum (Detroit Food Policy Council), Amanda Toerdal (Kawerak, Inc.), and Bianca Bockman (RiseBoro Community Partnership). Part 2 is September 11, 2 - 3:15 pm EST.

"Access to Capital" with Noah Strouse. Part of the Local Catch Network's 2024 summer webinar series and Seafood Accelerator and Innovation Lab (SAIL) Catalyst program. This series focuses on some of the fundamental activities and systems that community-based seafood businesses can put in place as they grow toward long-term stability. 

Part of the "Plants & Pints Gardening Workshop Series" from New Hampshire Ag in the Classroom. Specifically for teachers and volunteers during the summer, utilizing the teaching gardens in the Russell Shea Growers Community Garden off of Birch Street in Concord, NH. The workshops will look at a number of hurdles found while creating, maintaining, and enhancing school gardens. Professional Development hours will be available.

FINE is a member of the Northeast Regional Food Business Center’s Community Advisory Council and is available to support your proposal. We are here to answer questions and brainstorm ideas. Register for FINE’s Office Hours August 8, 2024 at Noon ET; or reach out directly to Hannah Leighton and Peter Allison.

We are excited to invite you to celebrate the life and legacy of Lyman Epps and his family and land partners, Black farmers who participated in a voting rights and abolitionist landholding experiment in the mid-1800’s as a means to gain the vote for Black men and enfranchise community members marginalized and oppressed by enslavement, land theft, and land-based violence. Mr. Epps’ relationship with abolitionists Frederick Douglass, John Brown, and Gerrit Smith supported his and other farmer-abolitionists in their explorations in landholding and in their approaches to community agriculture in the Adirondacks. Their collaboration led to innovative forays into early cross-racial land management paradigms developed by Black, Indigenous, and White farmers in the Adirondacks in the mid-1800’s. Join members of Khuba International’s Quarter Acre for the People project from Aug 2 to 5, 2024 on a trip to Lyman Epps land and John Brown’s home and burial site, and the burial sites of the Black resisters in the Harpers Ferry uprising, in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. The visit features a long-table dinner hosted in collaboration with non-profit organization, John Brown Lives! and Chef Lewis Sheridan Hughes, to support the initiative in preserving the history of Lyman Epps, Frederick Douglass, John Brown, and Gerrit Smith as they innovated early American advocacy for collective Black land stewardship. Register by July 26, 2024.

We the Land! is intended to call in and connect our mycelial network of Indigenous, Black, and Brown land, food, and climate justice activists, as well as healers, makers, and ceremonial holders. We the Land! is rooted in NEFOC’s vision to advance land and food sovereignty in the Northeast region through permanent and secure land tenure for PoC farmers and land stewards in a sacred manner that honors our ancestors’ dreams ~ for regenerative farming, human habitat, ceremony, native species ecosystem restoration, and cultural preservation. 

We the Land! is an invitation to our community to join us for a weekend of knowledge exchange, grassroots organizing, celebration, and ceremony and marks the Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust’s first in-person gathering since 2019. 

Advisory Committee on Minority Farmers 

Day 1:

Jul 23, 2024 at 9:00 am - 12:00 pm, Eastern Time 

Day 2:

Jul 24, 2024 at 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Eastern Time 

Day 3:

Jul 25, 2024 at 9:00 am - 5:00 pm, Eastern Time 

Part of the "Plants & Pints Gardening Workshop Series" from New Hampshire Ag in the Classroom. Specifically for teachers and volunteers during the summer, utilizing the teaching gardens in the Russell Shea Growers Community Garden off of Birch Street in Concord, NH. The workshops will look at a number of hurdles found while creating, maintaining, and enhancing school gardens. Professional Development hours will be available.

Learn how you can increase food access by transforming dining hall leftovers into single-serve, frozen meals for your campus or community food pantry in this one-hour webinar from FINE, Food for Free, and Harvard University Dining Services. Molly Hansen from Food For Free and Crista Martin from Harvard University Dining Services share how their organizations’ partnership created a program that produces thousands of single-serve meals annually.

Part of the "Plants & Pints Gardening Workshop Series" from New Hampshire Ag in the Classroom. Specifically for teachers and volunteers during the summer, utilizing the teaching gardens in the Russell Shea Growers Community Garden off of Birch Street in Concord, NH. The workshops will look at a number of hurdles found while creating, maintaining, and enhancing school gardens. Professional Development hours will be available.

The National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) of USDA highlights the many promises of AI and digitization in Agriculture. Systems for crop and soil monitoring are leveraging machine learning, remote sensing, satellite imagery, drones, and precision technologies for informed production and management. Decision support tools and models are increasingly used in the assessment and development of new management practices and processes leading to substantial improvements in soil health (e.g., microbiome, water, nutrients, carbon, chemicals of environmental concern) and improved ecosystem services from agricultural production. Applications of AI are expanding in development of new models to assist farm, forest, and ranch managers in decision-making with appropriate scale management strategies and technologies to enhance economic efficiency and sustainability. But as with the diffusion and implementation of all new technologies, adoption of those used in agriculture must be conducted responsibility and trust built with users and society. This webinar is hosted by the Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics, moderated by Jane Kolodinsky, and features panelists Dr. Madhu Khanna, Carrie Alexander, and David Warren.

The 2024 National Agriculture in the Classroom Conference "Agriculture Elevated" is the premier professional development event for Pre-K through 12th grade teachers, volunteers, and professionals in agricultural literacy. Taking place in beautiful Salt Lake City, UT, this event will inspire attendees to teach through a lens of agriculture!

A roundtable conversation about Farmers of Color, Queerness, and the intersectionalities in Agriculture and the overall food system, hosted by NESAWG - Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group. This conversation with open audience participation will spotlight the experiences and perspectives of Farmers of Color and members of the LGBTQ+ community, exploring how their identities intersect with the intricate fabric of agriculture and the broader food system. Through thoughtful dialogue and shared insights, we aim to foster a deeper understanding of the diverse voices shaping our agricultural landscape and the importance of inclusivity in building resilient and equitable food systems for All!

USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Patrick Leahy Farm to School Team (USDA Farm to School Team) will host a webinar for farm to school partners, including Child Nutrition Program operators, on the expanded geographic preference option in the final rule, Child Nutrition Programs: Meal Patterns Consistent With the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The final rule includes a small yet significant expansion of the geographic preference provision. Beginning July 1, 2024, the provision will permit CNP operators to use local as a specification when procuring unprocessed agricultural products. The USDA Farm to School Team will provide an overview to help farm to school partners share and learn about the expanded geographic preference option.

The 2024 summit will gather business leaders, scientists, chefs, and other food systems experts who will spark conversations about sustainability and personal wellness, and will arm you with strategies to accelerate the changes our industry, and planet, need to survive. 

Are you looking for ways to sell your products to larger wholesale buyers? Unsure of the next steps to expand your business? Looking for ways to find new sales channels? In this webinar, Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts sits down with the team at Local Line to learn more about how their online platform can help you scale your wholesale orders. Local Line is the end-to-end local food platform that connects producers and buyers.

NH Food Bank is hosting their quarterly SNAP Outreach awareness workshop via zoom for those who directly interact with potential SNAP applicants. Walk away with a broader understanding of SNAP and an increased ability to talk about SNAP with your clients who are on a limited income and who may be eligible for SNAP benefits. This SNAP overview will help you speak more confidently about the program, reduce stigma, prevent confusion, and increase confidence in application follow through.

The Forum from Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) is a pivotal space for discussions that will shape the future of sustainability education in higher education. What and how do we teach students given the urgency of the times? How do we “fall-forward” on issues related to sustainability teaching and learning in higher education? Are higher education institutions simply reverting to how things were done pre-pandemic or can we use this opportunity to truly redesign systems? 

Millions of consumers and advocates for a better food system are demanding greater availability of sustainably caught fish and other aquatic life. It is common today to find ocean fish, freshwater fish and shellfish bearing sustainability certifications and descriptors such as "wild caught" and "line caught." Yet despite advances, most fish that people eat is not produced sustainably, and mass fishing practices create risks to ecologic balance and even the survival of species. What can we, as concerned individuals, advocates, chefs and consumers do to accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices? Join guests Chef Hajime Sato (Sozai restaurant near Detroit) and Niaz Dorry (Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance). 

The National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference, sponsored by the Food Research & Action Center, and in cooperation with the National CACFP Forum, will be held June 3-5, 2024 in Washington, D.C. Hundreds of anti-hunger advocates will join from across the country to attend content-rich sessions, learn legislative best practices, explore innovative advocacy methods, and form personal connections to help better fight hunger in their communities. 

Hosted annually by UMass Dining, the Chef Culinary Conference delivers industry-expert talks, culinary demonstrations, live workshops, and exclusive brand sneak peeks. Join us June 2-7 as leaders discuss food through nutrition and sustainability while creating the future of culinary.

Food Connects and the Vermont Farm to School & Early Childhood Network invite you to gather in your region to build connections with fellow farm to school practitioners and enthusiasts, find support for your efforts, share best practices, and access resources. Join for an exciting get-together focused on strengthening the farm to school movement in southern Vermont. Learn from your peers, explore food preservation and composting techniques, and get inspired by success stories like the Windham Northeast Supervisory Union's independent meal program and Leland and Gray Union Middle and High School's Journey Away Program. Supper and snacks will be provided! All are welcome—this event is for current farm to school enthusiasts and all who are interested in learning more about farm to school programming in our region: school nutrition staff, teachers, Farm to School coordinators, school administrators, farmers, and families are invited!

Join the National Agricultural Library (NAL) for “Locating Black Stories at the National Agricultural Library” on May 22, 2024, 10:00–11:30 AM EDT. In person attendance is encouraged, but there is a virtual option. Inaugural NAL Scholar in Residence Dr. Bobby J. Smith II will talk about his experience doing archival research at NAL to recover stories around Black people's historical relationship to agriculture via the USDA. Dr. Lopez Matthews, state archivist and public records administrator for the District of Columbia, will provide commentary.

This year's conference from Healing By Growing Farms, themed, "My Voice, My Narrative" promises to be an impactful one with the goal of reaching participants from across the Northeast and beyond. Our theme focuses on the intersection of mental health, suicide prevention, united voices, disability and land access for marginalized communities. We aim to connect historically disadvantaged new growers with faith-based organizations that have unused land they can donate to survivors to turn them into foodscapes and healing gardens. This initiative will empower individuals with ALL abilities to heal through agriculture and grow food for themselves and those in need. Free to attend; registration required.

A day-long conference tailored for school garden enthusiasts with an optional second day of activities! Accommodations available.

The NH Food System Statewide Gathering is an annual event hosted by the NH Food Alliance that brings together individuals, businesses, and organizations from across sectors who are dedicated to growing an improved local food system that works for all in the Granite State: people, businesses, communities, and the environment.

Over the past 6 years, a network of Farm to School and other food systems advocates in New England and New York have been collaborating deeply to create a policy platform and skill set that is now bearing fruit in powerful ways across the region. Recently, three states have passed Universal School Meals policies, five states have passed Farm to School and Early Childhood grant programs, and four states passed Local Food Purchasing Incentive programs. Join us to hear the story of how these policies came to be, the regional collaboration that supports their development, and how these policies are working together to increase food access, local purchasing, equity, and food education. With guest presenters: Dawn Crayco, FoodCorps; Renee Page, Healthy Communities of the Capital Area; and Betsy Rosenbluth, Vermont FEED.

Experts, farmers and educators will share success stories, innovations, or opportunities in Farm to ECE. Part of the Farm to ECE 2024 webinar series from the Association of the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN).

This informational webinar details this year's New England Food Vision Prize application process. From Henry P. Kendall Foundation and Farm to Institution New England. Bring your ideas and questions for your funding proposal! Details about the Prize: http://kendall.org/fvp-2024

Massachusetts Pollinator Network Monthly meeting “Developing Pollinator Curriculum for Schools,” with Jocelyn Demuth of Checkerspot Farm.

Join the Corbin Hill Food Project for a virtual conversation in Our Food Is Medicine webinar series: "Who Holds Power in the Business Case for Food as Medicine?” on Monday, April 29 at 2-3:30 EST. Panelists will examine how the current Food is Medicine landscape is being shaped by those in power and its potential community, agriculture, healthcare, economic, and policy implications. Envision with us a different FAM reality shaped by a community and grassroots lens where all our communities can be healthier, wealthier, and thrive. 

The Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) would like to encourage all Tribal leaders and Indian Country stakeholders to register and attend the sessions to ensure Tribal perspectives are represented and addressed. This year's consultation and listening sessions will be held virtually during the week of April 22, 2024 from 2:00 - 5:30 pm (EST), with the first hour reserved for tribal-only caucus.

On April 25th at 10:00 am ET, the National Agricultural Library (NAL) will host a Heirs' Property Update to discuss emerging funding, programs, and grassroots organizations working on this issue over the past several years. The update will feature Savi Horne, Executive Director of the North Carolina Association of Black Lawyers Land Loss Prevention Project and member of the USDA Equity Commission Agriculture Subcommittee, Francine Miller, Senior Staff Attorney from The Center For Agriculture and Food Systems at Vermont Law and Graduate School, and Ebony Woodruff, Director of the Southern University Law Center Agricultural Law Institute for Underserved and Underrepresented Communities. This program is an update to the 2021 Land Matters: Understanding Heirs' Property event that offered an overview of the issue from a legal and landowner perspective.

This national webinar marks the beginning of an effort to diversify the food and ag system leaders pipeline, exploring the question, “What does and what should food systems leadership look like?” In recent years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has significantly increased its investment in food supply chain infrastructure development, most recently establishing Regional Food Business Centers. This interactive webinar will be hosted in collaboration with Coming Together for Racial Understanding and will share frameworks and tools for engaging in difficult conversations, such as transforming debate to dialogue, understanding power dynamics and its role in trust-building, and levels of oppression and change. A dynamic panel of presenters includes Livia Marqués, Co-Founder and Coordinator of Justice Through Food; Jerry Ann Hebron, Executive Director of Oakland Avenue Urban Farm; and Alexis Racelis, Director of the Agroecology and Resilient Food Systems Program at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.

The Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) would like to encourage all Tribal leaders and Indian Country stakeholders to register and attend the sessions to ensure Tribal perspectives are represented and addressed. This year's consultation and listening sessions will be held virtually during the week of April 22, 2024 from 2:00 - 5:30 pm (EST), with the first hour reserved for tribal-only caucus.

The Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) would like to encourage all Tribal leaders and Indian Country stakeholders to register and attend the sessions to ensure Tribal perspectives are represented and addressed. This year's consultation and listening sessions will be held virtually during the week of April 22, 2024 from 2:00 - 5:30 pm (EST), with the first hour reserved for tribal-only caucus.

The Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) would like to encourage all Tribal leaders and Indian Country stakeholders to register and attend the sessions to ensure Tribal perspectives are represented and addressed. This year's consultation and listening sessions will be held virtually during the week of April 22, 2024 from 2:00 - 5:30 pm (EST), with the first hour reserved for tribal-only caucus.

Local Food Marketplace and Forage have teamed up to support Online EBT on the Local Food Marketplace platform. We'll conduct a live demo, answer all of your questions about Online EBT, explain the timeline and next steps and more. Presenters also include Activate Food Arizona. Learn more about Online SNAP through LFM: https://home.localfoodmarketplace.com/onlinesnap/

The Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) would like to encourage all Tribal leaders and Indian Country stakeholders to register and attend the sessions to ensure Tribal perspectives are represented and addressed. This year's consultation and listening sessions will be held virtually during the week of April 22, 2024 from 2:00 - 5:30 pm (EST), with the first hour reserved for tribal-only caucus.

Join this webinar to learn how the Halal School Meals Network is working with community members, schools, and other partners to bring halal meals to students in Cumberland County, Maine. Speakers Rose Barboza, Firdaws Hakizimana, and Zoe Grodsky will share the process and lessons learned from the network’s efforts to ensure that Muslim students who observe halal have equitable access to Maine’s universal school meals through the implementation of a certified halal program. They will discuss community education and outreach, halal foodservice training and oversight, and how they are developing community trust and support. You will leave this webinar with a greater understanding of the role of culturally connected foods in institutions and ideas for community-centered farm to institution.

Extension Specialist James Pyecroft and Extension Cooperative Development Specialist Kelly Maynard will share best practices in partnership conversations from Wisconsin cooperative businesses.

In February 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) announced the results of the 2022 Census of Agriculture, spanning more than 6 million data points about America’s farms and ranches and the people who operate them down to the county level. Agricultural Census data provide information about  demographics, economics, land use and activities on U.S. farms and ranches and are used in analyses by Federal agencies and researchers across the United States.  This webinar from C-FARE will provide an overview of the 2022 Census of Agriculture and present two studies that have used the data in research of interest to the Food, Agriculture and Resource Economics community. Hear from Bryan Combs, Chief of Staff, Office of the Administrator - USDA – NASS; Ani Katchova, Professor and Farm Income Enhancement Chair – The Ohio State University; and Anil Giri, Research Agricultural Economist – USDA - ERS.

Hosted by Shelburne Farms and the Farm-Based Education Network, this free anti-racism training is based on shared learning and is grounded in the principles of reparations, healing, imagination, and movement. The goal is for people to leave the training not only having conceptually understood, but emotionally, kinesthetically, and tactically engaged with our framework for racial justice. The series takes place on April 11, 12, 17 and 19 from 1 - 4:00PM EST.  Register by 3/22 to secure your spot.

Experts, farmers and educators will share success stories, innovations, or opportunities in Farm to ECE. Part of the Farm to ECE 2024 webinar series from the Association of the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN).

What would it take for 30% of the food consumed in New England to be regionally produced by 2030? The NH Food Alliance network addresses this question during their 2023-2024 Network Café Series through A Regional Approach to Food System Resilience, a report of foundational food system data from the New England State Food System Planners Partnership. During each Network Café, join one of the report's lead researchers to dig into the data and answer questions.

Sept 8, 2023: A Regional Approach to Food System Resilience 
Oct 6, 2023: Estimating Resilient Eating Patterns
Nov 3, 2023: Estimating Production for Regional Self Reliance
Dec 1: Economic Impact of New England’s Food System
Jan 5, 2024: Understanding Market Channels and Food Expenditures
Feb 2, 2024: Looking to our Neighbors: State Plans as Models for New Hampshire 
March 1, 2024: What's Next for New Hampshire? Looking forward as a network, part 1 of 2
April 5, 2024: What's Next for New Hampshire? Looking forward as a network, part 2 of 2

Join Katelyn Porter, the Value Chain Coordinator at the NH Food Alliance and coordinator of the NH Food Hub Network, to learn about food hubs in New Hampshire and the services they provide the farms they work with. Katelyn will cover a bit about the process of selling through, and building a successful relationship with, a food hub and the customers they market to. Hear from peer farmers who currently sell products through a food hub to learn about their experiences and advice. Lastly, she’ll help answer questions about the Strengthening Organic Enforcement Act (SOE)— what it means for producers and the implications it may have selling through a food hub in New Hampshire. This event is in partnership with NOFA-NH and the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). Part of a three-part series on Diversifying Your Market with Institutional Sales: Webinar Training Series for Producers from NH Farm to School, National Center for Appropriate Technology, and the NH Food Alliance.

Dairy farmers, processors, service providers, policy makers, and industry stakeholders will come together from across the Northeast for this regional event, run by the Northeast Dairy Innovation Business Center. From farm innovation to processing innovation to workforce development, we’ll dig into the challenges and opportunities in dairy. You’ll leave with new ideas to put into action, peer-to-peer connections, and strategies to build a more resilient dairy sector.

The seven chapters of the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) are excited to offer a new online symposium experience coming this spring 2024. On March 29th & 30th, join NOFA online to hear from speakers across the northeast to discuss important topics in agriculture and our food system. Come together for this unique opportunity to connect as a region with other organic farmers, home growers, advocates, non-profit professionals, politicians and more.

Join Jesse Wright, a UNH Extension Field Specialist in Agriculture Business Management, will be leading this session to help farmers and food producers figure out if the institutional market is right for their business. Part of a three-part series on Diversifying Your Market with Institutional Sales: Webinar Training Series for Producers from NH Farm to School, National Center for Appropriate Technology, and the NH Food Alliance.

The Northeast USDA Regional Food Business Center kicks off their 2024 webinar series with two panel discussions on Northeast regional supply chain needs, along with key opportunities and resources for innovation, economic development and information-sharing among producer and technical assistance provider communities. The event will highlight how they are aligning their funding priorities and programmatic activities, and the launch of two funding streams for technical assistance providers and producers. Panelists will include: Dr. Brian Schilling – Director, Rutgers Cooperative Extension; Leah Rovner – Project Director, New England Feeding New England; Claire Hawkins – Director, Natural Resource Markets & Economic Development, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry; Laura Ginsburg – Center Lead, Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center; Amanda Pitman – Program Manager, Cornell Center for Regional Economic Advancement

Mass Farm to School will hold its 7th statewide conference, this year with the theme Rooted in Resilience: Centering Climate & Community. Workshops and discussion groups will focus on climate change in the farm to school movement, bringing together farm to school advocates - food services professionals, students, educators, policy makers, public health advocates, community organizers, and more. Attendees will learn about policy efforts and community organizing, farm to school curriculum, local procurement, sustaining farm to school programs, school gardens, and more. Field trips will take place the day before the conference on March 21. Early bird registration ends Feb 9, 2024.

Join Future Chefs for our annual Small Plates dinner! Young people from FC Delivers will showcase their skills and passion through an evening of dishes inspired by their own cultures. Tasting tables will feature a blend of unique flavors featuring recipes developed by our young people. The evening will take place in two shifts: 5:30pm - 7:00pm and 7:00pm - 8:30pm. 

MenuTrinfo and Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) are coming together to bring you the first ever Food Allergy Safety Summit…for Hospitality! Formerly separate events, the MenuTrinfo FASI (Food Allergy Symposium for Industry) and the FARE Food Service Summit, this joint event will bring together thought leaders across the industry to share best practices in food allergy safety. The Food Allergy Safety Summit (FASS) aims to provide Food Service Operators and Manufacturers a forum to listen to experts, ask questions, discuss best practices and discover solutions.

Topics covered in this webinar will include: federal meal programs, selling to food service management companies, current legislation, and cooperative agreements in New Hampshire, and communication with institutional food buyers. This session will also feature a panel of food service directors, so come with questions! Part of a three-part series on Diversifying Your Market with Institutional Sales: Webinar Training Series for Producers from NH Farm to School, National Center for Appropriate Technology, and the NH Food Alliance.

Square foot gardening is an easier alternative to traditional row gardening and perfectly suited for a school setting and with less digging, less weeding, and a bigger harvest per square foot of space, this method also doubles as a math lesson. Join Hannah MacBride, a Master Gardener in Merrimack County, to learn about this method and how to implement it. Part of the 2024 webinar series from NH Farm to School and the NH School & Youth Garden networks for educators from across New England covering a variety of farm to school and school garden topics.

Celebrate the start of the gardening season! The 48th Annual Gardeners’ Gathering hosted by The Trustees brings Boston-area growers of all kinds together for a free day full of informative workshops, engaging exhibitors, networking, and inspiration. In honor of the 50th anniversary of Mel King’s Massachusetts Gardening and Farm Act, the Gathering will focus on celebrating our invaluable legacy gardeners, taking a look back on the incredible community growing work in Boston over the last half a century.

Join AASHE to start to develop an understanding of how and where your campus generates food waste and then how you can use that to lay out a framework to create a comprehensive food waste management plan.

Experts, farmers and educators will share success stories, innovations, or opportunities in Farm to ECE. Part of the Farm to ECE 2024 webinar series from the Association of the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN).

Experts, farmers and educators will share success stories, innovations, or opportunities in Farm to ECE. From the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN).

Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA)’s Field Notes is a live storytelling event celebrating the many ways local food and farming leave their mark on our lives and in our communities. This will be their fifth show, and this year’s theme is “In the Weeds.” Food is a part of everyone’s life. This show is for everyone who grows, cooks, or eats food!

This event is a rallying point for those who believe in the power of urban farming to change our world, offering a rich program of workshops, discussions, and networking designed to elevate your urban farming journey. Hosted by the Urban Farming Institute in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.

As a small business owner, you want to develop and protect your brand, but you don’t yet have the funds to file for trademark protection. Attorney Christina Licursi will cover steps you can take to have some level of protection from the beginning as well as when to take the plunge and file for protection. With Christina Licursi, Wolf Greenfield. Part of Legal Food Hub's 2024 Winter Webinar Series.

2024 NY Seafood Summit Events take place across New York State and can be attended in person or virtually, networking opportunities and tastings will be available to in person participants.

Join Shea Higley of FACS and Mike Smith of Mascenic High School to make salsa and converse about incorporating cross curricular learning and teaching between science and food in the classroom. Part of the 2024 webinar series from NH Farm to School and the NH School & Youth Garden networks for educators from across New England covering a variety of farm to school and school garden topics.

Join Slow Food USA for a two-day retreat into the world of seeds! This virtual gathering will feature discussions, presentations and opportunities to connect with others about soil, human and planetary health. The theme of the 2024 Slow Seed Summit is Ground Yourself: Seeds and Systems Change for Soil, Human and Planetary Health. Keynote presenter Rupa Marya, co-author of Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Injustice, will set the stage with her keynote address: "Seeding the Radical Imagination for Whole Systems Health." 

What would it take for 30% of the food consumed in New England to be regionally produced by 2030? The NH Food Alliance network addresses this question during their 2023-2024 Network Café Series through A Regional Approach to Food System Resilience, a report of foundational food system data from the New England State Food System Planners Partnership. During each Network Café, join one of the report's lead researchers to dig into the data and answer questions.

Sept 8, 2023: A Regional Approach to Food System Resilience 
Oct 6, 2023: Estimating Resilient Eating Patterns
Nov 3, 2023: Estimating Production for Regional Self Reliance
Dec 1: Economic Impact of New England’s Food System
Jan 5, 2024: Understanding Market Channels and Food Expenditures
Feb 2, 2024: Looking to our Neighbors: State Plans as Models for New Hampshire 
March 1, 2024: What's Next for New Hampshire? Looking forward as a network, part 1 of 2
April 5, 2024: What's Next for New Hampshire? Looking forward as a network, part 2 of 2

Explore innovative initiatives by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in collaboration with the Nutrition Policy Institute and Impact Justice, including a 'Harvest of the Month' program to increase access to fresh, locally-grown fresh fruits and vegetables and trauma-informed nutrition workshops. Uncover the impact of the University of California’s Master Gardener's projects on rehabilitation and workforce development. 

Easements on a piece of property significantly influence how land can be used. Attorneys Andrew Marchev, Christina Reiter, and Veronica Gassert will present the different types of easements and common conditions found in each. With Andrew Marchev, Christina Reiter, and Veronica Gassert; Three Rivers Law. Part of Legal Food Hub's 2024 Winter Webinar Series.

The annual Food Justice Summit is a groundbreaking event that brings together leaders from across the food system and all walks of life to discuss pressing topics related to equitable food systems. Its purpose is to empower people to become advocates for food justice and to create lasting, positive change in their communities.  Organizers of this year's event are seeking keynote speaker, presenter, and interactive workshop proposals  around the theme of partnership that are sure to leave participants feeling inspired and empowered. Email info@adkfoodsystem.org with questions.

Join the Black Church Food Security Network for a four-week political education virtual course preparing you to jumpstart your fight for food justice.

2024 NY Seafood Summit Events take place across New York State and can be attended in person or virtually, networking opportunities and tastings will be available to in person participants. 

This all-day workshop hosted by Red Tomato and Land for Good will familiarize farms with the personnel, legal, financial and management problems that can be addressed through farm succession planning; and prepare farms to assess their own situation and begin the process. 

The dynamic Russell's Garden Center will once again be a cornerstone for the greater Boston food community. 150 food producers and buyers will gather to connect, share resources, and foster the growth of our New England food system.

Part of a webinars offered by the UConn Extension Farm Risk Management program.

Many in the New England region and beyond continue to reckon with the tragic history of what has been done to Indigenous peoples through the process of colonization and economic greed. Amidst genocide and cultural devastation, many tribes have been remarkably resilient and continue to hold on to their traditional teachings to guide them through unspeakable atrocities. With the #LandBack movement gaining momentum and growing support for tribal food sovereignty, FSNE recognizes that there is much to learn from Indigenous neighbors and partners, especially when it comes to being in “right relationship” with the planet and one another. During this session, FSNE is honored to welcome two Indigenous guests who have generously agreed to share how one might honor the spirit of longstanding treaties and respectfully engage with “all our kin.” Guests include Gae Ho Hwako Norma Jacobs, elder of the Wolf Clan of the Cayuga Nation, Longhouse Faithkeeper and author of Odagahodhes ; Erica Wood, Alaskan Native Iñupiaq plant ecologist and environmental/food justice advocate.

Understanding guidelines for classifying employees (intern, part-time, seasonal, full-time, etc.) is important for remaining in compliance with labor laws. Join Attorney Sean Fontes to learn about employee rights, benefits, minimum wage, pay equity, and overtime for different employee types. This session will be informational for employers at all stages of hiring but especially for first-time employers. With Attorney Sean Fontes, Partridge Snow & Hahn. Part of Legal Food Hub's 2024 Winter Webinar Series.

Transforming the food charity ministry into the church food justice ministry. Join the Black Church Food Security Network for a four-week political education virtual course preparing you to jumpstart your fight for food justice.

A Q&A presentation with Amy Robbins and Mike Smith, a 6th grade science teacher and NH Agriculture in the Classroom coordinator, on how to use agricultural education to benefit student engagement and learning. Part of the 2024 webinar series from NH Farm to School and the NH School & Youth Garden networks for educators from across New England covering a variety of farm to school and school garden topics.

Each year, the NOFA-VT Winter Conference provides a valuable opportunity for farmers, homesteaders, gardeners, earth tenders, land managers, educators, students, policy-makers, and other food system activists to participate in our vibrant community event by sharing ideas, resources, and skills. The 2024 NOFA-VT Winter Conference will be held on Saturday, February 17, and Sunday, February 18 at the University of Vermont in Burlington.

2024 NY Seafood Summit Events take place across New York State and can be attended in person or virtually, networking opportunities and tastings will be available to in person participants. 

Political polarization and culture wars seem to dominate the headlines these days. While there are questions about how widespread this may actually be in food and other systems, media (and social media) can drive behavior in such a way that people stop questioning their assumptions or engaging with others who have different views. This is where things can get dangerous – people lose the “middle ground” where they can actually meet, negotiate and be collectively creative. In this session participants will interact with our special guests and one another to explore practices of “fierce love and civility” across differences and how these might help create the better world that is needed and possible. Guests include Amri Johnson of Inclusion Wins, DEI strategist and author of Reconstructing Inclusion; Joe Weston of The Weston Network, international trainer, peace activist and author of Fierce Civility.

This event is an essential meeting point for anyone interested Rhode Island's food & beverage industry!

Cooperatives as a business structure help maximize resources and distribute profits equally among members. They can also foster a strong community since members work and vote alongside each other. Join this session to learn about the different types of cooperatives and what to consider before filing. With Attorney Erika Dunyak, Vermont Law and Graduate School. Part of Legal Food Hub's 2024 Winter Webinar Series.

Dismantling the idea that food banks can save us and get to the root cause of what keeps us hungry and sick. Join the Black Church Food Security Network for a four-week political education virtual course preparing you to jumpstart your fight for food justice.

Experts, farmers and educators will share success stories, innovations, or opportunities in Farm to ECE. Part of the Farm to ECE 2024 webinar series from the Association of the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN).

Join Ted Kendziora for planning to get kids outdoors, including design, curriculum, student buy-in and more. Part of the 2024 webinar series from NH Farm to School and the NH School & Youth Garden networks for educators from across New England covering a variety of farm to school and school garden topics.

Experts, farmers and educators will share success stories, innovations, or opportunities in Farm to ECE. From the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN).

The NH Food Alliance, New Hampshire Listens, and the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services are co-hosting a listening session to gather input from New Hampshire’s agricultural sector to be included in an update of the state’s Climate Action Plan. The input you provide will not only influence New Hampshire’s priorities for climate action, it will inform and unlock funding opportunities made available for New Hampshire farmers and food producers to kickstart and further their work in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The future of food ripples beyond the production of sustenance - our food system is an intricate web of biological, physical, social, emotional, technological, and spiritual relationships. Developing a sustainable and equitable food system requires us to investigate these complex relationships and how they connect and tether our environment, economy, and communities. NOFA-NH’s 22nd annual Winter Conference will explore the ecosystem of food and invite participants to build skills that cultivate abundant businesses, communities, homes, and systems.

In partnership with the Northeast Healthy Soil Network, Food Solutions New England is hosting a policy solutions webinar as part of their Campaign for Climate Resilience. A year following substantial investments by the Biden-Harris Administration in the USDA, coupled with the passage of the Growing Climate Solutions Act in December 2022, the USDA is making strategic investments to de-risk the transition to climate-smart agriculture for corporations and remove barriers to market-driven solutions such as carbon-markets. This webinar will explore the trajectory and impact of USDA investments in Conservation and Climate-Smart programs on climate resilience and farm viability in New England. The exploration aims to discern whether these investments are propelling the region toward a transformative shift in the food system or merely fortifying existing models and systems.

The fourth installment of the 4-part Farm Succession Planning webinar series from Land for Good. For transitioning farmers and junior generation farmers to learn the basics of farm succession planning, how to get started, and where to find support with resources, tips, financial and legal considerations, and more. Farmers from across New England are welcome to attend; as well as all generations, and unrelated successors who may play a role in the farm’s future.

Are you a small or mid-scale farmer interested in working with others to distribute and market your products? Are you interested in how such models can support your enterprise? Join guest presenter Kate Donald from Three River Farmers Alliance in this workshop, part of a free virtual series of peer-to-peer learning featuring local farmers and market coordinators who share their experiences with inventory and pricing, aggregation and distribution, marketing, and organizational structure. Register for one or all of the workshops in this series from the Food Systems Lab at the University of New Hampshire. Other dates: Jan 22; Feb 1, 2024; details at https://extension.unh.edu/event/2024/01/collaborative-aggregation-marke…

Join the Black Church Food Security Network for a four-week political education virtual course preparing you to jumpstart your fight for food justice.

Will include information on farm insurance, health insurance and retirement programs. Part of a webinars offered by the UConn Extension Farm Risk Management program.

In partnership with MA Farm Bureau, NOFA/RI, Pocasset Pokanoket Land Trust, Plymouth County Extension, Buy Fresh Buy Local Cape Cod, Cluck & Trowel Farm, OASIS On Ballou, and Bristol Aggie, we'll come together for a day full of engaging workshops, hands-on demonstrations, trade show exhibits, a tasty local lunch, and tons of valuable networking time. We'll also offer agricultural programming for kids.

What would it take for 30% of the food consumed in New England to be regionally produced by 2030? The NH Food Alliance network addresses this question during their 2023-2024 Network Café Series through A Regional Approach to Food System Resilience, a report of foundational food system data from the New England State Food System Planners Partnership. During each Network Café, join one of the report's lead researchers to dig into the data and answer questions.

Sept 8, 2023: A Regional Approach to Food System Resilience 
Oct 6, 2023: Estimating Resilient Eating Patterns
Nov 3, 2023: Estimating Production for Regional Self Reliance
Dec 1: Economic Impact of New England’s Food System
Jan 5, 2024: Understanding Market Channels and Food Expenditures
Feb 2, 2024: Looking to our Neighbors: State Plans as Models for New Hampshire 
March 1, 2024: What's Next for New Hampshire? Looking forward as a network, part 1 of 2
April 5, 2024: What's Next for New Hampshire? Looking forward as a network, part 2 of 2

Are you a small or mid-scale farmer interested in working with others to distribute and market your products? Are you interested in how such models can support your enterprise? Join guest presenter Greg Georgaklis from Farmers to You in this workshop, part of a free virtual series of peer-to-peer learning featuring local farmers and market coordinators who share their experiences with inventory and pricing, aggregation and distribution, marketing, and organizational structure. Register for one or all of the workshops in this series from the Food Systems Lab at the University of New Hampshire. Other dates: Jan 22; Feb 7, 2024; details at https://extension.unh.edu/event/2024/01/collaborative-aggregation-marke…

The RI Farm to School Network, in partnership with the RI Division of Agriculture, RI Department of Education, Farm Fresh Rhode Island, and Commerce RI, invites you to a new event designed to connect local food producers with buyers for RI's K-12 schools and colleges. Join at Farm Fresh Rhode Island or an afternoon of networking, learning, and building relationships. This free event is open to all farmers, fishers, local food producers, and k-12 and college foodservice interested in expanding their connection to local food and local school markets.

The NH Harvest of the Month program has been updated to offer more variety of foods each month and to incorporate cultural diversity. Join Stacey Purslow from the NH Farm to School program to learn about the new resources for schools and institutions. Part of the 2024 webinar series from NH Farm to School and the NH School & Youth Garden networks for educators from across New England covering a variety of farm to school and school garden topics.

The third installment of the 4-part Farm Succession Planning webinar series from Land for Good. For transitioning farmers and junior generation farmers to learn the basics of farm succession planning, how to get started, and where to find support with resources, tips, financial and legal considerations, and more. Farmers from across New England are welcome to attend; as well as all generations, and unrelated successors who may play a role in the farm’s future.

Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, learn about New Entry, industry experts, and pave the way for your own venture in farming.

This webinar will be presented by the Agriculture and Land Based Training Association (ALBA). Come learn how to assist farmers with food safety regulations based on ALBA's 10+ years of experience supporting farmers.

The second installment of the 4-part Farm Succession Planning webinar series from Land for Good. For transitioning farmers and junior generation farmers to learn the basics of farm succession planning, how to get started, and where to find support with resources, tips, financial and legal considerations, and more. Farmers from across New England are welcome to attend; as well as all generations, and unrelated successors who may play a role in the farm’s future.

The Maine Farm & Sea to School Institute brings school teams together to build relationships, skills, and a collaborative action plan for programming. Team members leave ready to support one another and implement an action plan across their school or district—building shared leadership for the long haul. With the support of a Coach, teams spend the Institute year connecting Classroom, Cafeteria, and Community. Think the Institute could be a good fit for your school community? Come learn more at our informational webinar! 

Join New Entry Sustainable Farming Project for an informative session, engaging discussions, and networking opportunities with USDA representatives and fellow farmers. Together, let's explore how USDA Safety Net Resources can contribute to the success of our farming community.

Are you a small or mid-scale farmer interested in working with others to distribute and market your products? Are you interested in how such models can support your enterprise? Join guest presenter David Trumble from Local Harvest in this workshop, part of a free virtual series of peer-to-peer learning featuring local farmers and market coordinators who share their experiences with inventory and pricing, aggregation and distribution, marketing, and organizational structure. Register for one or all of the workshops in this series from the Food Systems Lab at the University of New Hampshire. Other dates: Feb 1, Feb 7, 2024; details at https://extension.unh.edu/event/2024/01/collaborative-aggregation-marke…

This training focuses on selling locally-produced or harvested foods to New Hampshire institutions, including schools, hospitals, and universities. From NH Farm to School, the NH Food Alliance, and the National Center for Appropriate Technology.

For more than four decades, the NOFA-NY Winter Conference has convened farmers, food system professionals, educators, advocates, researchers, homesteaders, and gardeners who are passionate about building a better food system. Mutual support and the generous exchange of knowledge is a hallmark of the NOFA-NY community as we remain true to our vision of a just and resilient farming system grounded in a diverse community now and for future generations. 

Join the USDA Center for Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships for a webinar celebrating the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and student activism on college campuses. The program highlights stories and best practices of student anti-hunger organizations and partners as they address on campus food insecurity through innovative partnerships. 

Looking for ways to rekindle the sparks you generated at the 2023 F2iSummit back in April? Are you curious to learn more about the impact of this networking event and the progress attendees have made since? At this webinar, FINE’s Director of Strategic Impact Hannah Leighton reflects on that extraordinary network event. We’ll also highlight one example of regional farm to institution work that happened since then. Katelyn Porter, NH Food Alliance Value Chain Coordinator, will join us to talk about how the F2iSummit launched a new wave of collaboration among New England food hubs and food processors. You will learn about their progress and connect it to your own farm to institution work. Come hear what made the F2iSummit so special—where 612 people came together from 334 organizations!— and share your ideas for the next one. Part of FINE's CommUNITY Powers the Food System Webinar Series.

The University of Rhode Island is hosting the eighth annual Rhode Island Food System Summit. Join government, academic, business, and community partners as we discuss how we can employ innovative practices within our food system to support greater environmental stewardship. This year’s virtual event will feature speakers including Janet Coit, the assistant administrator for fisheries at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (and former director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management); Julianne Stelmaszyk, director of food strategy for Rhode Island at the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation; and Beth Alaimo and Sara Wuerstle from Ocean Hour Farm, a farm in Newport that serves as a living example of sustainable agriculture and land stewardship.

The first installment of the 4-part Farm Succession Planning webinar series from Land for Good. For transitioning farmers and junior generation farmers to learn the basics of farm succession planning, how to get started, and where to find support with resources, tips, financial and legal considerations, and more. Farmers from across New England are welcome to attend; as well as all generations, and unrelated successors who may play a role in the farm’s future.

The NOFA/Mass Winter Conference 2024 will be in person only, with access to workshop recordings after the conference. This year brings a democratic focus on innovative workshops and organizing spaces. Opportunities await, with the chance to meet and reacquaint yourself with neighbors near and far. 

Join New Entry’s FIELD Network for our monthly networking Session. This month's topic is: Markets Markets! Farms are businesses and they rely on a solid customer base and markets that pay fair wages. This session will be led by representatives from Big River Farms and New Roots KC. We will discuss with your peers the following questions: What marketing strategies and supports have we tried with our farmers? What markets work better, what markets provide more challenges? How are the farmers organizing around market engagement? How do we support farmer livelihoods and promote food justice and accessibility?

USDA's 12 Regional Food Business Centers will support a more resilient, diverse, and competitive food system by providing localized assistance to access local and regional supply chains, including linking producers to wholesalers and distributors. They will also provide technical assistance needed to access new markets, access to federal, state, and local resources, and will assist small- and mid-sized producers in overcoming barriers to market access, with a focus on underserved farmers, ranchers, and food businesses. This webinar from CFARE provides an overview of the Centers and features three Center Directors in the West, Delta, and Intertribal Food Business Centers. This webinar will be moderated by Jane Kolodinsky, C-FARE Board Member and professor at the University of Vermont and will feature panelists Lilian Brislen, Local and Regional Foods Division of the Agricultural Marketing Service; Dawn Thilmany, Northwest and Rocky Mountain USDA Regional Food Center; Rockiell Woods, Delta USDA Regional Food Business Center; and Johanna Herron, National Intertribal Food Business Center.

With several local food purchasing incentives accessible to schools and a growing interest to increase their local procurement, there has never been a better time for farmers to get connected to the educational institutions in their area. Join MFSN, Maine Department of Education Child Nutrition, Full Plates Full Potential, and a panel of local farmers and school nutrition directors for a session all about effective strategies for entering the K-12 market!

Join Richard Hodges of ReTreeUs to learn about best practices for growing fruit trees in school gardens and how to plant abundant educational gardens without giving up your summer. Part of the 2024 webinar series from NH Farm to School and the NH School & Youth Garden networks for educators from across New England covering a variety of farm to school and school garden topics.

Experts, farmers and educators will share success stories, innovations, or opportunities in Farm to ECE. This farm to early care and education (ECE) webinar will feature Melanie Wong from Farm to CACFP Educators. From the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN).

What would it take for 30% of the food consumed in New England to be regionally produced by 2030? The NH Food Alliance network addresses this question during their 2023-2024 Network Café Series through A Regional Approach to Food System Resilience, a report of foundational food system data from the New England State Food System Planners Partnership. During each Network Café, join one of the report's lead researchers to dig into the data and answer questions.

Sept 8, 2023: A Regional Approach to Food System Resilience 
Oct 6, 2023: Estimating Resilient Eating Patterns
Nov 3, 2023: Estimating Production for Regional Self Reliance
Dec 1: Economic Impact of New England’s Food System
Jan 5, 2024: Understanding Market Channels and Food Expenditures
Feb 2, 2024: Looking to our Neighbors: State Plans as Models for New Hampshire 
March 1, 2024: What's Next for New Hampshire? Looking forward as a network, part 1 of 2
April 5, 2024: What's Next for New Hampshire? Looking forward as a network, part 2 of 2

The fishermen and women who completed the New England Young Fishermen's Alliance's Deckhand to Captain training will share their stories with the NH Food Alliance Network— how they started in the seafood industry, what drives them to protect their livelihoods, the challenges they face, and opportunities they hope to embrace as they transition from the deck to the captain's wheelhouse.

Join National Farm to School Network and Betsy Rosenbluth, Jennifer Cirillo, and Qing Ren of Shelburne Farms in discussing the impacts of the Farm to School Institute, lessons learned, and recent state-led adaptations.

In preparation for the 2023 legislative session, hear from New Hampshire’s most well-informed food policy minds. Each speaker will provide insights on the state level legislation being considered this session, as well as insight into what individuals, communities, organizations, and businesses can do to get involved in the legislative process and support positive change in our food system. From Monadnock Farm & Community Coalition, the NH Food Alliance, and the Carsey School of Public Policy at UNH.

This training focuses on selling locally-produced or harvested foods to New Hampshire institutions, including schools, hospitals, and universities. From NH Farm to School, the NH Food Alliance, and the National Center for Appropriate Technology.

Experts, farmers and educators will share success stories, innovations, or opportunities in Farm to ECE. This farm to early care and education (ECE) webinar features National Farm to School Network’s Lacy Stephens. From the Association of State Public Health Nutritionists (ASPHN).

It’s more satisfying and profitable to keep your current customers happy than to chase after new customers. This free interactive online workshop hosted by Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP) will demonstrate 5 strategies for boosting customer loyalty and driving repeat sales, including providing stellar customer service, implementing  loyalty programs, increasing sales per customer, clarifying your brand, and creating compelling communications. You’ll see examples of what successful farmers are doing to keep loyal customers and share stories about what’s working for your farm. You’ll leave with new ideas for cultivating a customer base that keeps coming back for more. The presenter, Myrna Greenfield, is a farm and food marketing consultant at Good Egg Marketing and a frequent speaker at conferences and events. She’s the author of the book, Marketing Your Farm: A practical guide to attracting loyal customers and increasing sales.

This annual conference continues to redefine and rebuild sovereign Tribal food systems. The organization’s founding members convened the first IAC conference in 1987, with 87 Tribal Nations attending as charter members. IAC’s organizational structure supports a comprehensive approach to removing systemic inequities and barriers by focusing on advocating for the policy priorities identified by our members, advising the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) on programmatic implementation while supporting Tribes and Tribal producers in their agriculture endeavors. 

This one-day event will be held on Friday, Dec. 8 at Holy Cross in Worcester. We look forward to strengthening the statewide food community, discussing important food topics, and developing skills so we can all advocate for a stronger, more equitable MA food system. Registration details to follow.

Join this webinar to learn about and how to apply to USDA's Discrimination Financial Assistance Program, which provides financial assistance for farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who experienced discrimination by USDA in USDA’s farm lending prior to 2021.

Organized by American Farmland Trust and Land For Good, this in-person workshop will be a deep dive into everything you need to know about leasing farmland in Berkshire County, MA. 

What would it take for 30% of the food consumed in New England to be regionally produced by 2030? The NH Food Alliance network addresses this question during their 2023-2024 Network Café Series through A Regional Approach to Food System Resilience, a report of foundational food system data from the New England State Food System Planners Partnership. During each Network Café, join one of the report's lead researchers to dig into the data and answer questions.

Sept 8, 2023: A Regional Approach to Food System Resilience 
Oct 6, 2023: Estimating Resilient Eating Patterns
Nov 3, 2023: Estimating Production for Regional Self Reliance
Dec 1: Economic Impact of New England’s Food System
Jan 5, 2024: Understanding Market Channels and Food Expenditures
Feb 2, 2024: Looking to our Neighbors: State Plans as Models for New Hampshire 
March 1, 2024: What's Next for New Hampshire? Looking forward as a network, part 1 of 2
April 5, 2024: What's Next for New Hampshire? Looking forward as a network, part 2 of 2

In this webinar, program leaders from across USDA NIFA will provide quick descriptions about their programs and showcase successful climate change-focused proposals in research, education and Extension - working towards resilience, adaptation and mitigation. 

In this webinar from VT FEED, third and fourth grade teacher Vanessa Stern shares what farm to school looks like at Grafton Elementary (VT) and how they're creating change, both big and small. Find inspiration, community, and lessons. Q+A to follow.

The theme of this year's gathering is "Transformative Change". There is a growing sense in Vermont and the Farm to Plate Network that now is the time to "be brave" in how we work together to address some of the most pressing issues facing our state, region, and world. Business as usual no longer feels up to the task of addressing issues like climate change, economic inequality, industry and market consolidation, food insecurity, and racial inequity. To emerge out of the next decade with climate resilience and environmental sustainability, shared economic prosperity, food security, and racial equity, together we need to cultivate new mindsets, culture, institutions, business models, and behaviors that can transform the structure, function, and purpose of our food system. Over two days, we will engage in transformational thinking and practice to better understand how we can create and support the conditions for transformational change. Through personal stories and breakout sessions spanning all aspects of the food system, we’ll learn about the successes and struggles of those in Vermont’s food system who are already involved in transformational work.

Join the Center for Food As Medicine & Hunter College to explore the incredible power of food and dietary supplements in treating diseases. Discover how nutrition can be a powerful tool to heal the body and prevent illness. This summit brings together renowned experts in the field of food as medicine, who will share their knowledge and insights on the best dietary practices for various health conditions. From cancer to diabetes, heart disease to autoimmune disorders, learn how to harness the healing potential of food. Panels include: Food and Dietary Supplements treatment for Depression; What is Food as Medicine?; Strategies for Food as Medicine Policy; Food and Cancer: Separating Fact from Fiction: Culinary Medicine Training For Healthcare Providers

At this VT FEED webinar, high school teachers Andrew Margon and Yuka Bell share what farm to school looks like at the High School for Environmental Studies (NYC) and how they're creating change, both big and small. Find inspiration, community, and lessons. Q+A to follow.

The National Agricultural Marketing Summit (AgSummit) provides a unique networking opportunity for agricultural marketing practitioners to form new partnerships and learn new business strategies that can improve the performance of their farms and businesses. The AgSummit will feature resources to assist market managers, direct marketing farmers and food businesses, agribusinesses with value-added products, practitioners, and technical assistance providers in understanding and enhancing marketing strategies.

From VT FEED, discover how school nutrition professionals across the country are spearheading innovative farm to school programs. Gain practical insights into sourcing, menu planning, and engaging with local farmers to enhance the nutritional quality of school meals.

A networking event for food system supporters & industry professionals, hosted by NH Hunger Solutions. This day is designed to provide networking opportunities, build relationships, and work collaboratively toward a resilient food and agriculture system for our North Country region, including all partners around New Hampshire and beyond. 

Boston Farms and Grow Boston introduce you to one of the easiest crops to grow: GARLIC! They'll teach a brief workshop on how to grow your own garlic at home, in the ground or in containers. This garlicky celebration will end with a massive giveaway of loads of garlic, compost, and straw to help you start your garlic planting off right. Join 11am-2pm at Tommy’s Rock Farm, 1 Akron Street in Roxbury, MA.

Join us for a transformative journey as we unveil a trailblazing program to empower higher education sustainability professionals. Engage in this immersive learning experience while gaining innovative strategies to transform your institution effectively. Discover key opportunities, accelerate sustainability efforts, and forge connections with like-minded leaders. 

Cooking in the classroom is an empowering and exciting way to help children learn about food & nutrition, but many early childhood educators avoid it because they do not know where to begin or how to make it safe for their students. Join Massachusetts Farm to School and a Worcester Head Start dietician and classroom teacher to learn how to run a successful program in your school.

Join NH Farm to School Program Coordinator Stacey Purslow for a webinar to introduce the new New Hampshire Harvest of the Month program materials during Farm to School Month. Stacey will share about the updates, as well as some best practices in using the materials in the classroom, in youth programming, and at home.

The October C-FARE webinar highlights two “almost direct to consumer” food distribution models. Our four panelists representing government (USDA) and research (University) discuss policy and marketplace impacts of Farm to School and Food Hubs. Both of these models of food system intermediaries reach across the food system from farm production through distribution to the consumer, whether that be an institution or an individual. These distribution models have been of interest to USDA research and programming for many years.

Moderated by Jane Kolodinsky, University of Vermont, this webinar will be feature panelists Noel Bielaczyc, Michigan State University; Alessandro Bonanno, Colorado State University; Cristina Connolly, California Polytechnic State University; and Abby Long, USDA Agricultural Marketing Service.

Since 2010, BUGs has been creating a space for black urban and rural farmers, chefs, foodies, food product makers, food business owners, nutritionists, herbalists, food justice activists, educators, policy makers and everyday citizens to come together and share innovative ideas, projects, and best practices for reclaiming and reshaping our food system.

How can we excite and engage our students in our initiatives? And keep them engaged? Can college and school dining areas help us reach our climate and sustainability goals? These are the kinds of questions dining directors, educators, and sustainability and nutrition staff in higher ed and K12 schools continue to grapple with. Come hear how one university is effectively tackling these challenges through new initiatives, Kathy Wicks and Monica Guzmik, who lead sustainability efforts within UMass Amherst Dining Services, will share components to one of UMass Dining’s premier sustainability educational campaigns. Student engagement was at the heart of how it was conceived, developed, implemented, grown over time, and the success metrics. The webinar will also focus in on the related and recently launched Carbon Footprint Rating System. The session will wrap up with a group sharing about current experiences, best practices, and challenges with new initiatives and student engagement.

Tufts University launches this first-of-its-kind Institute, which will bring together research, training, patient services, policy development, and community engagement around Food is Medicine. The Food is Medicine Institute at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University will build upon and advance this leadership with additional university and external investments. Led by its inaugural Director Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, the Institute will serve as a catalyst to drive change, improve health, reduce health disparities, and create a more equitable and resilient healthcare system that recognizes the power of nourishing food. Its efforts will be centered in health equity to work collaboratively with and improve the lives of traditionally marginalized, vulnerable populations. 

The Ceres Food Film Festival is an annual international film festival dedicated to increasing awareness of food-related issues around the world. Our recipe of serving stories and digestible conversations between the audiences and filmmakers make for an interactive platform to advocate with flavorful knowledge, dignity and hope.

Join Massachusetts Farm to School and Farm to School champions State Representative Smitty Pignatelli and Senator Jo Comerford, who will discuss the efforts underway to make the pilot farm to school grant program permanent. Hear from current grantees about the incredible impact this grant program has had on the students, teachers, and families in their schools.

Learn more about how to comply with federal & state procurement regulations as it pertains to local food sourcing. From Massachusetts Farm to School.

What would it take for 30% of the food consumed in New England to be regionally produced by 2030? The NH Food Alliance network addresses this question during their 2023-2024 Network Café Series through A Regional Approach to Food System Resilience, a report of foundational food system data from the New England State Food System Planners Partnership. During each Network Café, join one of the report's lead researchers to dig into the data and answer questions.

Sept 8, 2023: A Regional Approach to Food System Resilience 
Oct 6, 2023: Estimating Resilient Eating Patterns
Nov 3, 2023: Estimating Production for Regional Self Reliance
Dec 1: Economic Impact of New England’s Food System
Jan 5, 2024: Understanding Market Channels and Food Expenditures
Feb 2, 2024: Looking to our Neighbors: State Plans as Models for New Hampshire 
March 1, 2024: What's Next for New Hampshire? Looking forward as a network, part 1 of 2
April 5, 2024: What's Next for New Hampshire? Looking forward as a network, part 2 of 2

Taste the bold new flavors of Boston at the most innovative, inclusive, and flavorful food show the city has to offer! From dumplings and arepas to sweet treats like gourmet cupcakes and artisan chocolate, we've truly got it all. The best part? While you're indulging, you'll also have the chance to meet and support the creative, passionate, and inspiring owners behind it all. Featuring a three-hour Industry Trade Show followed by a Public Food Festival. 

School composting programs can take many paths: from separating food waste from trash in the cafeteria, classroom worm bins, to garden yard scraps collection and recycling. Learn about composting options for schools and how to successfully get scraps from the cafeteria to the school garden.

What can foodservice directors and purchasing managers do to reduce PFAS (aka “forever chemicals”) from their kitchens and dining rooms? Hear about recent efforts at Smith College to use PFAS-free takeaway containers, with Andy Cox, Executive Director of Auxiliary Services. Then dive deeper into foodware chemicals with Sue Chiang, Food Program Director at Center for Environmental Health, who will share about GreenScreen Certified™ products and other resources to help foodservice operators make the best choices. Bring your questions! You’ll leave this webinar with ideas to implement changes in your cafeteria or dining hall.

In preparation for Farm to School Month in October, learn how to effectively reach out and connect with your school community to strengthen bonds between farms, students, and families and to celebrate the farm to school movement in Massachusetts.

This dynamic 60-minute public webinar from the National Farm to School Network will discuss the intersection of the USDA Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program (LFS) and State-Level Local Food Purchasing Incentives (LFPIs). This webinar will be divided into three sections, each featuring panelists representing states across the nation.

Join FINE researcher Hannah Leighton, New England Farm to Early Childhood Project lead Dana Stevens, and project community of practice members for this free webinar. Presenters will give an overview of the New England Farm to Early Childhood Project, take a deeper dive into the recommendations and opportunities identified in a recently published ecosystem assessment, and lead a group strategizing session about how to move this work forward in New England. View the recently released “Farm to Early Childhood in New England: an Ecosystem Assessment.

Join Local Food Marketplace to discuss the role of farm to school sales in the local food landscape. We'll discuss why farmers and food producers should sell to schools, how to land your first school sale, and strategies for recurring sales. We'll be joined Michelle Perkins from Kitchen Sync Strategies, an expert in local food sales. We'll also speak with Becca Perrin of Green Mountain Farm to School—an organization brining local foods to school districts in Northern Vermont. Since 2009, Local Food Marketplace has offered comprehensive sales and distribution software for farms, food hubs & markets. 

What would it take for 30% of the food consumed in New England to be regionally produced by 2030? The NH Food Alliance network addresses this question during their 2023-2024 Network Café Series through A Regional Approach to Food System Resilience, a report of foundational food system data from the New England State Food System Planners Partnership. During each Network Café, join one of the report's lead researchers to dig into the data and answer questions.

Sept 8, 2023: A Regional Approach to Food System Resilience 
Oct 6, 2023: Estimating Resilient Eating Patterns
Nov 3, 2023: Estimating Production for Regional Self Reliance
Dec 1: Economic Impact of New England’s Food System
Jan 5, 2024: Understanding Market Channels and Food Expenditures
Feb 2, 2024: Looking to our Neighbors: State Plans as Models for New Hampshire 
March 1, 2024: What's Next for New Hampshire? Looking forward as a network, part 1 of 2
April 5, 2024: What's Next for New Hampshire? Looking forward as a network, part 2 of 2

Join this two-part webinar series that explores ten different local food purchasing incentives across the nation. In recent years, there has been significant growth in support for local food purchasing incentives (LFPIs). More than a dozen states have established programs that provide direct reimbursement to child nutrition programs in schools and early care and education (ECE) settings to offset the costs of buying local foods. Additional states are in the process of introducing LFPI bills and advocating for broader adoption of these programs. Speakers will share their experiences with their respective established programs, pilot initiatives, or introduced LFPI bills. These webinars aim to provide insights into each program's history, design, impact, and more. The first in the series is on August 9, focusing on CA, CT, ME, NH, and NY.

Join this two-part webinar series that explores ten different local food purchasing incentives across the nation. In recent years, there has been significant growth in support for local food purchasing incentives (LFPIs). More than a dozen states have established programs that provide direct reimbursement to child nutrition programs in schools and early care and education (ECE) settings to offset the costs of buying local foods. Additional states are in the process of introducing LFPI bills and advocating for broader adoption of these programs. Speakers will share their experiences with their respective established programs, pilot initiatives, or introduced LFPI bills. These webinars aim to provide insights into each program's history, design, impact, and more. The second in the series is on August 14, focusing on CO, YT, MI, VT, and PA.

The NOFA Summer Conference is the annual summer gathering of the Northeast Organic Farming Association

NOFA is a non-profit organization of over 5,000 small-scale farmers, gardeners, consumers and food system reformers. We promote healthy food, organic regenerative farming practices, and climate disruption solutions through soil management strategies

The 49th annual NOFA Summer Conference begins online
Monday, July 24 - Thursday July 27, with evening speakers and workshops.

On Friday July 28 and Saturday July 29, gather in person and online
at Worcester State University, Worcester, MA for knowledge sharing and celebration through: 

• Workshops and discussions (including in Spanish)
• Racial equity caucus groups
• Children’s programming
• Local food & drinks
• A fair!

Sliding scale tickets available.

The NOFA Summer Conference is the annual summer gathering of the Northeast Organic Farming Association

NOFA is a non-profit organization of over 5,000 small-scale farmers, gardeners, consumers and food system reformers. We promote healthy food, organic regenerative farming practices, and climate disruption solutions through soil management strategies

The 49th annual NOFA Summer Conference begins online
Monday, July 24 - Thursday July 27, with evening speakers and workshops.

On Friday July 28 and Saturday July 29, gather in person and online
at Worcester State University, Worcester, MA for knowledge sharing and celebration through: 

• Workshops and discussions (including in Spanish)
• Racial equity caucus groups
• Children’s programming
• Local food & drinks
• A fair!

Sliding scale tickets available.

Join the National Farm to School Network to stay updated on universal meals policies in the US and gain insights from advocates in California, Colorado, Maine, and Vermont. As part of the Who's At the Table? School Meals Campaign, NFSN has been highlighting states that have successfully adopted universal meals. One important finding from this project emphasizes the interdependence between farm to school initiatives, values-based purchasing, and successful universal meals campaigns. In this webinar, we will analyze the similarities and differences in advocacy, policy design, and implementation approaches among states. After a brief presentation, a panel of coalition members who contributed to the case studies will share their own advocacy experiences, valuable lessons learned, and potential for replication. 

*La traducción en español estará disponible​​. 
*Interpretation in Spanish will be available. 

This event is exclusively for Higher Education sustainability professionals, ensuring a smaller and more focused community of like-minded individuals. The conference will include a relaxed environment to network with your peers, and will also offer pre- and post-conference activities. We hope that this conference will enable us to reinvigorate our drive as sustainability professionals, share strategies for robust student engagement, and stay informed on topics such as campus electrification, offshore wind developments in New England, IRA opportunities, and career development as a sustainability professional.

Food Funded East is an entrepreneur & investor gathering to catalyze the flow of capital to BIPOC food & farm businesses. After having become a popular community anchor event in the Bay Area, FOOD FUNDED is now ready for its East Coast debut. Set to become a regular series in which food entrepreneurs and investors come together to build connections and catalyze the flow of funding in our food system, through educational workshops and live investment presentations. Apply to present at https://foodfunded.us/apply.

This workshop from the Food Ed Hub at Tisch Food Center series explores authentic, intentional, and pedagogical methods for bringing indigeneity into the classroom. June 15, June 22, and June 30: register for all 3, but each can be joined as a standalone.

What does it take to build a food hub network? Dive into this emerging model for local food with Farm Fare and Local Food Marketplace. Hear about lessons learned from Puget Sound Food Hub and Mission West Community Development Partners--two partners of the NWFHN. In this webinar you'll gain insights into the steps toward growing your own food hub network.

Maine Nutrition Council and Falmouth School District are partnering for the 2023 Maine Nutrition Council Annual Conference. Join us for this hands-on educational event which includes themes of holistic and herbal medicine, sustainable agriculture, homesteading, benefits of eating locally and in-season, and farm to institution. This event awards 6 CPE/CEU credits and contact hours. Register by June 9, 2023.

This workshop from the Food Ed Hub at Tisch Food Center series explores authentic, intentional, and pedagogical methods for bringing indigeneity into the classroom. June 15, June 22, and June 30: register for all 3, but each can be joined as a standalone. 

Are you working to support meat supply chains in your region? Interested in learning from other efforts happening across the U.S.? Join this webinar to learn about the recently formed National Meat Summits Steering Committee, which works to build connections, increase knowledge, grow collective skills and advance market opportunities for local and regional meat supply chains. The webinar will also provide lessons learned from the 2023 Mountain Meat Summit and International Livestock Forum and information about the upcoming regional meat summits (Carolinas and Mountain) and future opportunities for collaboration.

This workshop from the Food Ed Hub at Tisch Food Center series explores authentic, intentional, and pedagogical methods for bringing indigeneity into the classroom. June 15, June 22, and June 30: register for all 3, but each can be joined as a standalone. 

The National Farm to School Network is excited to partner with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to convene the Racial Equity Learning Lab (the “Lab”). The Lab will be a collaborative space, designed for small groups to foster an intensive learning and co-creation experience. Cohort members will be immersed in a racial equity-based curriculum, called the “Lab Roadmap.” This will be the first of three webinars.

Hosted annually by UMass Dining, the Chef Culinary Conference delivers industry-expert talks, culinary demonstrations, live workshops, and exclusive brand sneak peeks. Join June 11-16 as leaders discuss food through nutrition and sustainability while creating the future of culinary. This year is a continued focus on plant-forward cuisine and shaping the campus dining segment with healthy food and lifestyle options. Inspiration will come from ‘Mediterranean to Okinawa and Beyond,’ full of culturally-driven and globally-inspired recipes and practices.

This course introduces food safety and important considerations when developing a new food product. This virtual, live, and interactive course will address the key attributes of formulating a product from concept to commercialization. You will learn about the food science basics, key elements required for product labeling, and an overview of key regulatory requirements for small and emerging food businesses, such as entrepreneurs and local food processors. After completing the course, you will receive the certificate of completion.  This course consists of 3 parts: (1) one self-paced online course with homework followed by (2) a 4-hour live Zoom session and (3) office hours that dive deeper into relevant topics.

How we talk about food insecurity impacts how people understand its causes an dsolutions. In this workshop, participants will learn which message strategies work to improve the public's understanding of hunger and food insecurity. Participate in person at the NH Hunder Solutions office in Concord, NH, or join virtually via Zoom.

With Dr. Lynn Davey, President of Davey Strategies; and NH Hunger Solutions.

(May 18 Virtual; May 25 In-Person at Winthrop, ME). Forging Connection for Collective Action. In 2023 this collaborative network continues the work of building and supporting a Maine food system that is equitable, just, and regenerative.

This is the 2nd of a two part webinar series focusing on school district-wide school garden programs led by school district staff and the unique opportunities and challenges they face.

This webinar will focus on engaging your school district community, including topics such as setting up peer learning communities for teachers across a district and community partnerships with examples from three districts across the country of different sizes. It will run for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Presenters will include:
-Jennifer Mutch, Science Coordinator at Santa Clara County Office of Education in Santa Clara, CA
-Rebekka Henriksen, Farm to School Projects Manager at Schenectady City School District in Schenectady, NY
-Kaitlyn Scheuerman, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist at Waukee Community School District in Waukee, IA

This webinar features the topics and participants of the 2022 SGSO Leadership Institute, hosted by Life Lab in partnership with the SGSO Network.

This month, learn about Aboriginal Sovereignty & European colonization in what is now known as the state of Rhode Island: Narragansett Aboriginal history; the impact of colonization on land, food, people, and education; and the necessary change for the survival of the next Seven Generations. Presenter Randy R. Noka is a Member and Tribal Elder of the Narragansett Indian Tribe. Former Narragansett Tribal Council Member and Tribal Ambassador. Former Executive Officer for the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), for the United South & Eastern Tribes (USET) and for the Native American Fish & Wildlife Society. Board Member of Native Green. Civil rights and minority advocate.

Part of the 2023 NESAWG Sankofa Series, lifting voices of color, focusing on history and roots, celebrating identities and cultures, and learning from movements of resilience and change. 

Join Mass Farm to School for an in-person event at the New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center. Participants will experience a Boat to Table talk from a local fisherman, have time to explore the interactive exhibits, and enjoy a guided walking tour of the active waterfront. End with lunch on your own at the Whale's Tail (an outdoor clam shack) or The Black Whale (a higher end restaurant) both located on the pier.

Farm to school projects have widely been supported by policymakers with funding provided at state and federal levels. Still, many of the economic outcomes of this inflow of policy and funding remain unclear. In 2018, New York State announced the 30% NY Initiative that substantially increases school lunch reimbursements if school food authorities purchase at least 30% of their lunch ingredients as New York food products. With detailed food purchasing data from Buffalo Public Schools, the second-largest school district in the state, and the largest school food authority to qualify for enhanced reimbursement, we estimate the gross and net economic impacts of the policy through a customized input-output model. Join the webinar to hear results from the study, which was led by Professor Todd Schmit, Cornell Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, and supported by Shayna Krasnoff, M.S., ’22, and Cheryl Bilinski, Cornell Cooperative Extension Harvest NY.

The team at the Henry P. Kendall Foundation wants to ensure you have your questions answered prior to the upcoming 2023 New England Food Vision Prize deadlines. Join this informative webinar, which will feature an opportunity to ask your questions, learn about criteria and eligibility, and review the application timeline.  This session will be recorded and posted on their 2023 Prize page for those who are unable to attend.  

(May 18 Virtual; May 25 In-Person at Winthrop, ME). Forging Connection for Collective Action. In 2023 this collaborative network continues the work of building and supporting a Maine food system that is equitable, just, and regenerative.

Over the last ten years, community organizers and grassroots organizations have moved $540 million away from bad corporate actors and towards farmers and businesses that value working people, our environment, and animal welfare - while getting quality, nutritious food into schools and other public food programs - where kids and families need it most. The HEAL Food Alliance and Food Chain Workers Alliance are thrilled to share their learnings from this work. 

Invited speakers include 

• Helga Garcia Garza, Executive Director, Agri-Cultura Network
• Axel Fuentes, Executive Director, Rural Community Workers Alliance
• Ribka Getachew, Director of New York Good Food Purchasing Policy Campaign, Community Food Advocates in NYC 
• Winston Moore, Principal Investigator for the report and Good Food Communities Researcher
• Marlie Wilson from the Chicago Food Policy Action Council will moderate the webinar. 

On May 11, 2023, food system professionals from across the Granite State will gather in Plymouth, New Hampshire to build skills, collaborate, learn, and, most importantly, celebrate the amazing work being done in support of our food system. 

We will spend our time together at the historic Barn on the Pemi diving into a variety of food system issues through breakout sessions, networking activities, a locally-sourced lunch, and end-of-gathering celebration.  The NH Food System Statewide Gathering is an annual event hosted by the NH Food Alliance that brings together individuals, businesses, and organizations from across sectors who are dedicated to growing a thriving and fair local food system that works for all in the Granite State: people, businesses, communities, and the environment.

Join Mass Farm to School for a hands on workshop on school garden food safety at Waltham Fields Community Farm. This session will dig into materials that Massachusetts Farm to School and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) created to establish a standard framework and assessment for maintaining food safety in the school garden. Participants will have the opportunity to put these tools into action at the farm’s learning garden and will leave with the confidence to safely serve school garden produce in school meals. [Rain Date: May 11th]

For over thirty years, The Food Project has operated at the intersection of youth development, sustainable agriculture and community-building. Through their Institute training events, they share methods and models, history, and the learning they've done to create nationally recognized youth development and farming programs. The Institute aims to create a tight-knit learning community over the three days. They immerse the group in as many facets of The Food Project as possible, visiting sites in three cities and towns where The Food Project works in both urban and suburban settings, and offering a full day of immersion into the organization’s youth programs. Participants will have the opportunity to meet numerous organization staff members (across all program areas) and youth participants. 

The Boston Hot Sauce Festival is a two-day celebration that features some of the best hot sauces in the Northeast and held at The Garage B of the Charles River Speedway, 525 Western Avenue, Allston, MA at one of the coolest newer venues in Boston. Tickets are $10 each and there are 4 sessions. This spicy celebration will take place in four sessions and features more than two dozen hot sauce purveyors, spicy hot sauce challenges, amazing food, entertainment, and  accompanied by featured cocktails and beer that are perfect complements for one of Boston’s hottest events. 

(Two virtual days April 18 & 19; two in-person days in Providence, RI April 27 & 28). This biennial event strengthens the regional food system by celebrating and supporting the role of institutions as anchors in the region. By bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders in a collaborative process, the Summit generates ideas and connections that advance the ability of the Northeast to support viable farm, food, and sea businesses and healthy, just communities. 

Did you know that Massachusetts has the most valuable fishing port in the whole country? Do you know what a cod looks like? Dive in (or dip a toe!) for a “Massachusetts Seafood 101” presentation by the Division of Marine Fisheries followed by first-hand experiences from your own local fishermen. This webinar will skim all aspects of Massachusetts' historic seafood system – environment, health, management, practice, etc. – and educational materials will be provided by email afterwards. Presenter: Wendy Mainardi, Seafood Marketing Coordinator, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries

"Cook A Fish, Give A Fish" is a series of online cooking class, where you will learn to cook delicious local seafood dishes alongside some of the finest chefs from Rhode Island to Long Island and beyond. In this unique class, fisheries experts from Eating With The Ecosystem and Cornell Cooperative Extension's Marine Program will teach you everything you want to know about the fish, the fishermen and the many benefits of choosing local seafood while expert chefs teach you how to turn fresh fish straight from the sea into fabulous meals you can share with your friends and family! The best part is that 100% of the ticket price goes towards providing local seafood for families in need (25 meals per ticket)!

From Local Food Marketing - Learn more about email campaigns that can help you sell more farm share subscriptions. What you’ll learn:

• Email campaigns for targeting CSA channels.
• Tips for effective email design
• Advice from Rosebird Gardens on their experience using email to sell farm shares.
• Design tips and marketing strategies from Anne Larson of Grapevine Local food Marketing

Join Massachusetts Farm to School in various locations around MA for a meet up in a school garden. Participants will have an opportunity to learn about how school gardens can be used to engage students, increase community interest and investment.

Dates & Locations

April 4, 10:00AM | Lowell (with Mill City Grows) | Register here.

April 13, 4:00PM | New Bedford (with New Bedford Public Schools) | Register here.

April 13, 3:15PM | Leeds (with School Sprouts) | Register here.

April 25, 3:30PM | Springfield (with Springfield Public Schools) | Register here.

Hosted by Duke University's FoodLab. Opening presentation by Chris Gobler of SOMAS explaining the science and progress so far (similar presentation to Gobler’s annual “State of the Bays” address). Indigenous Presentation by Shinnecock Kelp Farmers explains the 10,000 year local history of using kelp as fertilizer. Patty Gentry of Early Girl Farm speaks about the flavor profile of vegetables grown with kelp added to the soil. Sue Wicks and organizers from Lazy Point Farms present an overview of 6 new kelp farms on the east end and explain plans for expansion. The Montauk Seaweed Supply Company presents explanation of New York State’s first small business to manufacture kelp and seaweed products for the public marketplace, video presentation, free samples for all guests. Edwina von Gal of the Perfect Earth Project presents on the rapidly expanding community of east end horticulturists and landscapers now using locally produced kelp products to complete the full Sea to Soil circle at high profile properties.

Eat & drink amazing culinary creations at many of the best restaurants in New England. Brought to you by the Sugar Kelp Cooperative. So many events, including a "Roots and Shoots Vegan Dinner" (East Lyme, CT), the conference of the Northeast Algal Society (Mystic, CT); kelp cooking classes; and more. Full listings at https://newenglandkelp.com/&nbsp;

(Two virtual days April 18 & 19; two in-person days in Providence, RI April 27 & 28). This biennial event strengthens the regional food system by celebrating and supporting the role of institutions as anchors in the region. By bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders in a collaborative process, the Summit generates ideas and connections that advance the ability of the Northeast to support viable farm, food, and sea businesses and healthy, just communities. 

The University of Maine brings together Maine's food waste stakeholders – residents, farms, non-profits, businesses, feeding partners, community leaders, and government – to build a Maine food system where food is highly valued, put to best use, and never wasted.

Join Massachusetts Farm to School in various locations around MA for a meet up in a school garden. Participants will have an opportunity to learn about how school gardens can be used to engage students, increase community interest and investment.

Dates & Locations

April 4, 10:00AM | Lowell (with Mill City Grows) | Register here.

April 13, 4:00PM | New Bedford (with New Bedford Public Schools) | Register here.

April 13, 3:15PM | Leeds (with School Sprouts) | Register here.

April 25, 3:30PM | Springfield (with Springfield Public Schools) | Register here.

Join Massachusetts Farm to School in various locations around MA for a meet up in a school garden. Participants will have an opportunity to learn about how school gardens can be used to engage students, increase community interest and investment.

Dates & Locations

April 4, 10:00AM | Lowell (with Mill City Grows) | Register here.

April 13, 4:00PM | New Bedford (with New Bedford Public Schools) | Register here.

April 13, 3:15PM | Leeds (with School Sprouts) | Register here.

April 25, 3:30PM | Springfield (with Springfield Public Schools) | Register here.

Join the FIELD Network (organized by New Entry Sustainable Farming Project) and Fairshare CSA Coalition on Friday, April 7th at 1pm EST to connect with staff of land-based farm incubator and apprenticeship training programs!  Share challenges faced by land-based training programs supporting a diversity of beginning farmers and brainstorm ideas, solutions, and shared resources.  Network in breakout groups to mix and mingle with other incubator farm program staff and apprenticeship staff across the country to do some networking, connecting, and sharing of project updates! 

Part of the 2022-23 NH Food Alliance Network Café Series.

Would you like to lead more Farm to School activities in your school environment but have no access to a kitchen? This workshop will explore how to create a "kitchen tool lending library" program for classes, clubs, and enrichment programs to share across a school community. Kitchen lending libraries allow educators to integrate more cooking and gardening experiences across the school. In this workshop, you will see an example of how a kitchen is set up and used in a classroom cooking lab, suggestions for equipment, and the classroom set up and routines surrounding a cooking lab. With Presenters: Anna Cynar, Innovation Academy Charter School

Part of the NH Farm to School Network's 2023 Webinar Series

Join Massachusetts Farm to School in various locations around MA for a meet up in a school garden. Participants will have an opportunity to learn about how school gardens can be used to engage students, increase community interest and investment.

Dates & Locations

April 4, 10:00AM | Lowell (with Mill City Grows) | Register here.

April 13, 4:00PM | New Bedford (with New Bedford Public Schools) | Register here.

April 13, 3:15PM | Leeds (with School Sprouts) | Register here.

April 25, 3:30PM | Springfield (with Springfield Public Schools) | Register here.

Traumatic Brain Injury Awareness Month: You Only Have 1 Brain!

Recognizing Abilities, Creating Opportunities for All

Presented by Healing By Growing Farms Founder Dr. Ivette Ruiz

Date: Friday, March 31, 2023

Time: 1pm - 2pm EST

Location: Virtual Presentation via Google Meets

Cost: FREE

To register, please email healingbygrowing@gmail.com with your full name, organization name, email address, phone number and number of attendees.

Are you applying for a local or regional food systems grant and looking to incorporate up-to-date local food systems data in your application? In this webinar, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service will explore and demo a new tool called the Food and Agriculture Mapper and Explorer (FAME), which brings together data from dozens of publicly available datasets to make it easy for food systems practitioners to search and visualize information about U.S. local and regional food systems.

FAME is an open-access resource with the goals of supporting the utilization of data in program development, evaluation, and decision making and improving access to data. Using an equity focused lens, this resource includes indicators covering topics including labor, community resources, nutrition security and food access, business development, and local food sales and works to improve access to more comprehensive data on local and regional food systems. Join this webinar to learn how to best make use of this resource and to learn more about the state of local food systems in a given area. There will be a live question and answer session at the end.

Learn the three essential components of marketing your farm, with a focus on agritourism. Myrna Greenfield is the “Top Egg” at Good Egg Marketing and the author of Marketing Your Farm: A practical guide to attracting loyal customers and increasing sales. Ellen Parlee is the co-owner of Parlee Farms in Tyngsboro, Massachusetts, which offers pick-your-own fruit and flowers, along with a farmstand, bakery, ice cream stand, animal petting area, and a food trailer. Ryan Wilson is the co-owner of DeMeritt Hill Farm in Lee, New Hampshire, which offers pick-your-own apples/peaches/blueberries/Xmas trees, hayrides, school tours, special events, Cross Country running, and hiking trails and has a full commercial kitchen. The farm plays host to Torey Roderick Performance Horses and every October, the world-famous Haunted Overload.

Student farmers across programs and universities gather to present about their own programs and learn about others to collectively grow and improve campus food systems.

Are you working on or interested in values-based institutional food procurement? The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is, too! Join Jessika Brenin and Mark Fine from MAPC, Simca Horwiz from Massachusetts Farm to School, and Betsy Skoda from Healthcare Without Harm to reflect on values-based food procurement in municipal, school, and healthcare settings, to find partners in this work, and to jumpstart action.

[Monthly on Wednesdays March 22  - November 15 with a summer break]

For people who want to discover how whiteness has shaped them and practice new cognitive, emotional, and bodily/somatic patterns. Why this series? Land stewardship in the US has a deep history of racism, and yet land offers resources for resilience and healing from racism. As farm and food system workers and educators connected to land, we have a unique responsibility and opportunity to deeply engage in this healing work. Through this series, you're invited to take a step back from analysis and cognitive learning to shift personal patterns in your body and heart. Facilitators will share practices to help us focus on abundance, resilience, interdependence, and humility: qualities we need to build authentic, trusting relationships with people of all identities. Hosted by the Farm-Based Education Network in partnership with the School Garden Support Organization Network, your peers in the workshop will be farmers, staff at food, farm, and agriculture organizations and farm-based educators. Register by 3/20/23.

Join Massachusetts Farm to School at Pause and Pivot Farm in Williamsburg, MA where hosts, Miana Hoyt Dawson and Terry Dawson, will show their hydroponic systems. Participants will learn how a small hydroponic growing system works, and will also get to go inside the Freight Farm where greens are grown year round for market. There will be an opportunity to ask questions and have a tasting of hydroponic greens.

Join CADE as we invite Food as Medicine Coordinator, Kate Miller Corcoran of Food & Health Network and 607 CSA’s Wholesale and Program Manager Cheryl Landsman to explore market opportunities in food access programs. This conversation will help us define food as medicine and explore the role farmers can play in supporting initiatives, while reaching untapped markets. Hear farm and food business experiences on navigating these programs and understand the potential of sales generation that can be secured while maintaining food justice and access values. 

Part of the NH Farm to School Network's 2023 Webinar Series

How can hydroponics work in the school cafeteria? In this workshop from Massachusetts Farm to School, participants will learn how hydroponics can be used in the School Cafeteria to grow food and engage students. You will learn the whole process from starting the hydros to cleaning them at the end of the school year. Jane will share some tricks she’s learned along the way since 2015. The possibilities are endless and the best part is…you don’t need a green thumb! 

Presenter: Jane Rice, Cook Manager, Foxborough Public Schools

(Session 3 of a 3-Part Series from Food Systems Leadership Network) Using the Message Box tool introduced in Session 1, participants will work with a Spitfire coach and peers to workshop tailored messages and gain support on how/when to deploy their messaging effectively. In small groups, participants will craft language and messaging for two different audiences specific to the Farm Bill. As a group, we will share back our work and receive live feedback and suggestions from Spitfire coaches. This session will help participants practice using the Messaging Box and equip them with ideas and tips for applying it to your own work.

Join together at UMass - Amherst to network with your peers, cheer on the Chefs competing in the Culinary Challenge, see what’s new at Showcase and learn something new from our presenters.

Part of the Growing School Gardens Summit Webinar Series from the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation and the School Garden Support Organization Network.

Join a group of seafood professionals with vested interest in New York’s seafood industry to foster active communications and build productive relationships and collaboration throughout the state.

How can hydroponics work in the classroom setting? In this workshop from Massachusetts Farm to School, participants will learn how to build (and teach students to build) a simple, low-cost hydroponic growing system that can be set up in any school classroom. The workshop will explore how to build the system and how to empower and organize students to maintain, run and grow food in the classroom. Presenters: Miana Hoyt Dawson, Pause and Pivot Farm

Join a group of seafood professionals with vested interest in New York’s seafood industry to foster active communications and build productive relationships and collaboration throughout the state.

Join a group of seafood professionals with vested interest in New York’s seafood industry to foster active communications and build productive relationships and collaboration throughout the state.

NOAA Fisheries recently released a draft National Seafood Strategy. The agency is soliciting written input until March 16, 2023. To ensure that the agency hears from small-scale and community-based fishing entities, the Local Catch Network is hosting a Listening Session on March 6, 2023 at 4 PM ET for NOAA Fisheries. 

Please join the University of California, Merced on Monday, 3/6 at 3 PM PDT for an Ask Me Anything with Sophie Egan. Biography: Sophie Egan, MPH is Director of the Stanford Food Institute and Sustainable Food Systems at R&DE Stanford Dining, where she is Co-Director of the Menus of Change University Research Collaborative. 

Part of the NH Food Alliance Network Café Series.

(Session 2 of a 3-Session Series from Food Systems Leadership Network) Partner organizations walk through how they leveraged key communications tools like the Message Box and deployed messaging that advanced key policies. They will share challenges and tips for telling your stories in accessible and compelling ways, and answer questions about developing your own messaging campaigns. 

This B2B networking event is a great opportunity for food entrepreneurs and wholesale buyers to connect, explore new sales arrangements, and strengthen the New England food system. Early registration discounts for exhibitors and attendees until Dec 18.

A day of engaging virtual workshops for farmers, foodies, and agricultural advocates. Keynote by chef, advocate, organizer and educator Neftali Duran.

Did you know that Districts across CT are poised to receive federal dollars that can only be spent on fresh and minimally processed local product? This free, day-long workshop will bring together farmers and public-school food service directors to learn, connect and share best practices, success stories and frustrations.

(Session 1 of a 3-Session Series from Food Systems Leadership Network) Spitfire Strategies will help participants learn how to build strategies for creating productive, lasting relationships with policymakers on the upcoming Farm Bill – based on the participants’ existing skill-level and expertise in advocacy. Participants will get a preview of Spitfire’s Message Box tool and how to create messages that channel  the core values, concerns and challenges of priority audiences. The Message Box will help participants create compelling messages that focus on their unique policy platforms and build champions among their priority legislators. 

Dream Into Being is an invitation to pause, collectively dream the agricultural future we long for, and learn together about seeds to plant today to grow the fruits of tomorrow

Part of the NH Farm to School Network's 2023 Webinar Series

Part of the Growing School Gardens Summit Webinar Series from the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation and the School Garden Support Organization Network.

Part of the NH Farm to School Network's 2023 Webinar Series

Gather with farmers, service providers and community supporters at this daylong event to discuss and increase disability awareness while being equipped with skills and resources to become allies in advocating for accessibility in agriculture.

Part of the NH Food Alliance Network Café Series.

This webinar will cover benchmarks and decision making tools to understand if your business is wholesale ready. One of many webinars offered by CADE.

Part of the NH Farm to School Network's 2023 Webinar Series