PROGRAM
FRIDAY, MARCH 9TH
PRE-CONFERENCE: FARM LAW 101
PRE-CONFERENCE: FARM LAW 101
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Developing a strong, legally resilient farm business is easier than you think. Farm Commons’ collaborative, easily accessible approach to learning farm law is perfect for innovative direct-to-consumer and sustainable farmers. Sustainable Farm Law 101 isn't a set of boring lectures filled with legal lingo. This workshop is led by a legal professional familiar with farming, and a few farmer co-facilitators, guaranteeing a combination of on-the-ground experience, user-friendly legal education, and lots of input from participants. This is an engaging, energetic, useful workshop that will inspire participants to take concrete action to build stronger, more resilient farms! LEARN MORE HERE
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SATURDAY, MARCH 10TH
5th ANNUAL FARMERS GUILD-RAISING
5th ANNUAL FARMERS GUILD-RAISING
UC DAVIS SCIENCES LECTURE HALL: Old Hutchinson Dr, Davis, CA
(5 minute walk from Student Farm & Bowley Center)
(5 minute walk from Student Farm & Bowley Center)
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2:30 - 3:45pm
4 - 5pm
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FILM SCREENING: The Evolution of Organic
KEYNOTE: THE LEGACY OF FARM-TO-TABLE
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AGRARIAN LOVERS BALL
STONEGATE COUNTRY CLUB: 919 Lake Blvd, Davis, CA
5 - 6pm Happy Hour
6 - 7pm Dinner
7 - 8 Awards Ceremony
8 - 10pm Dance Party
STONEGATE COUNTRY CLUB: 919 Lake Blvd, Davis, CA
5 - 6pm Happy Hour
6 - 7pm Dinner
7 - 8 Awards Ceremony
8 - 10pm Dance Party
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS:
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Keynote: Farmer Rich Collins & Bi-Rite Market's Sam Mogannam
Forty years ago, the words "sustainable", "local" and "organic" would've left folks scratching their heads. Today those words represent a movement. Join us in conversation with two pioneers from opposite sides of the farm-to-table exchange—Rich Collins, founder of CA Endive Farms and Sam Mogannam of SF’s Bi-Rite Market—as they look back on the early partnerships that ignited a cultural shift towards food justice and resilience: between family farms and neighborhood grocers, rural communities and the city, the soil and the plate. What did it take to arrive to this moment? What legacy will a new generation of farmers and local food advocates inherit? And what will it take to keep that movement growing strong? Food Safety: Does FSMA Apply to Your Farm?
Farms subject to FSMA will need to start complying in January 2018 to new Food Safety Modernization Act rules. Is your farm one of them? In this workshop we'll explore what makes a farm fully exempt from the law, partially exempt, or fully subject. Learn how to prepare for future inspections and get an overview of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs). Kali Feiereisel, MPH Food Safety Specialist, CAFF Community Support Agriculture Network
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is continually evolving in response to market trends. A facilitated conversation among farmer peers will explore how CSA farmers from different regions of California are addressing the opportunities and challenges of operating a CSA in today’s marketplace. Topics will include member acquisition and retention strategies; successful marketing; responsive versus adaptive CSA models; and more. Focused on rich, farmer-led conversations, this is sure to be an excellent peer- to peer-learning opportunity for both beginning and seasoned farmers. Michelle Wyler, Farm Direct Senior Program Manager, CAFF Climate Smart Agriculture: An Idea Whose Time Has Come
CAFF, The Farmers Guild and the CalCAN coalition have been on the vanguard of what has come to be called “climate smart agriculture” and “carbon farming.” Now, the state of California has the country’s first funded programs to make grants to farmers for transitioning to practices with climate benefits. In this workshop, hear the story of how these programs came to be and where they are headed. Hear from farmers who have received grants, and find out how you can get engaged to support their improvement and continued funding. Renata Brillinger, CalCAN Evolution of Organic: Film Screening
EVOLUTION of ORGANIC tells the story of organic agriculture, told by those who built the movement. A motley crew of back-to-the-landers, spiritual seekers and farmers’ sons and daughters reject chemical farming and set out to explore organic alternatives. It’s a heartfelt journey of change – from a small band of rebels to a cultural transformation in the way we grow and eat food. By now organic has gone mainstream, split into an industry oriented toward bringing organic to all people and a movement that has realized a vision of sustainable agriculture. It’s the most popular and successful outgrowth of the environmental impulse of the last fifty years. Getting Past the Handshake:
A Roundtable Discussion About Leasing Are you in the process of negotiating a lease? Are you running into road blocks coming to a mutual agreement? Do you have questions about what lease provisions would be most appropriate for your situation? Join California FarmLink and farmer(s) (insert farm name here--TBD) and contribute to a round table discussion about lease negotiations, lease provisions, what worked, what to avoid and how to work through it. Liya Schwartzman, California FarmLink Jeremy Mineau, Super Tuber Farm, Nevada County Farm Cooperatives
Want to start, expand, or pass on a farm? (That's about everyone, right?) Learn about the cooperative business model and how it applies to financing, labor, distribution, succession, and other vital aspects of farming. Luis Sierra, Farmer & California Center for Cooperative Development Farm-to-Institution 101
There is a large and growing institutional food market for local growers to connect with. However, there are also challenges in both making that connection and developing sales relationships with institutions. This workshop will provide growers an understanding into what strategies will serve them best in selling to schools and other institutional buyers. Topics will include the basics of navigating the institutional market, best practices in working with institutions, regulations to consider, successful business and marketing strategies, and local examples. Hope Sippola, Fiery Ginger Farm Thomas Nelson, Capay Valley Farm Shop Samantha Lubow, Cal Dining, UC Berkeley Li Schmidt, UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program Ben Thomas, Farm-to-Cafeteria Senior Program Manager, CAFF Justin Grossman, Farm-to-Market Specialist, CAFF Skiddish about Credit? You're Not Alone
Debt can be a scary thing, especially when your business is new, or you're seeking to take your farm to the next level. But debt doesn't have to be frightening, and when managed correctly, it can be a tool you can wield to spur farm business success. Learn how financing can help address an obstacle or opportunity that you are facing and lead to increased profitability, and how to determine if and when a loan is the right step. Catherine Van Dyke, Lending Associate for California FarmLink Exploring Soil Health at the Field Level: A Demonstration
How do you know if your soil is healthy? Join Sara Tiffany, Climate Smart Farming Specialist at CAFF and Jessica Chiartas of Soil Life & UC Davis as we dig into the signs and symptoms of soil health. Together, we'll explore a freshly excavated soil pit, conduct field demonstrations that highlight the benefits of soil health, and size up a series of management practices to see who's soils has the microbes it takes to break down a whole pair of underwear! Jessica Chiartas, Soil Life Sara Tiffany, Climate Smart Farming Specialist CAFF Farmland Monitoring: Mapping Tools for Land Access Campaigns
Land access for beginning farmers is a problem that pervades all aspects of the new entry farm experience. This workshop will demonstrate how online mapping tools can be used to engage with the land access barrier, providing a hands-on demonstration of the Farmland Monitoring Project (FMP), an interactive mapping project designed in collaboration with CA Farmlink and UC Berkeley to use public data of land ownership as a base to understand trends in land access. The workshop will discuss the structural challenges of land access, propose land access mapping as a way forward, and seek design feedback from participants. Adam Calo, UC Berkeley Careers in Sustainable Agriculture
Approximately 22 million Americans are involved in agriculture-related industries. Starting your own farm is just one of many exciting opportunities to help build a better food system. Whether you're getting ready to graduate or considering a career change, join us to learn about the many, diverse pathways in food- and agricutlure, all of which help unite the farm and table, steward our natural resource and build more abundant, healthy communities. Facilitator: Evan Wiig, CAFF & The Farmer Guild Jeff Borum, Soil Health Coordinator, East Stanislaus RCD Alexander Conrad, ConradAgrarConsulting Sean Feder, CCOF Organic Certification Services Jim Mills, Produce Express John C Campbell, College of Marin Billy Synk, Director of Pollination Programs for Project Apis Farm Marketing Roundtable
The Marketing Roundtable features 3-5 experienced farmers from around California who will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of particular markets. Our featured farmers will reveal lessons learned along the way and provide tips for farmers trying to expand their markets. Outlets included in this discussion will be retail, distributors, on-line sales, restaurants. CSA's and Farmers Markets. Emma Torbert, Cloverleaf Farm Justin Bloss, Vierra Farm Mike Madison, Yolo Press Paul Underhill, Terra Firma Justin Grossman, Farm to Market Specialist CAFF What do you have to lose? Whole Farm Revenue Protection
Come learn about Whole Farm Revenue Protection, a program for diversified farmers available through the USDA. Learn about reducing your risk with crop insurance, budgeting and crop insurance calculators. This interactive workshop will allow new farmers to think about what they stand to lose in the case of some catastrophe and how they might go about insuring their farm against losses. California Intsitite for Rural Studies National Sustainable Agriculture Assistance Program (NCAT) Agricultural Justice Project Annual Food & Ag Policy Forum
The success of your farm and of sustinable agriculture more generally depends not only on the boot-strapping perseverance of lone agrarians, but also on the context in which we farm. Regulations, subsidies, trade laws and other policies can either make or break family farms like ours. But can the voice of small-scale agrarians and local food communities be heard over the din of high-paid lobbyists and politicians far removed from the field? We believe so. But we need your help! Join us to express your concerns, ideas and questions related to state and national food and farming policies, crucial feedback that will help shape the political agenda of CAFF and the Farmers Guild in the year ahead as we take the fight to Sacramento and Washington DC! Dave Runsten, Policy Director & the CAFF Policy Committee Student Farm Tour, UC Davis Student Farm
The 20 acre UC Davis Student Farm was started in 1977 by a group of motivated students interested in exploring sustainable agriculture. Today, our programs include a certified organic market garden where we grow over 50+ crop varieties, K-5 educational tours, a flower CSA, and an organic seed breeding program. The first part of the tour will provide an overview of the Student Farm. During the last second half of our time together you can either participate in a flower farming workshop or an organic seed breeding workshop. Katharina Ullmann, UC Student Farm Director Healthy Soils Need Healthy Microbes,
Healthy Farms Need Healthy Customers Join the Agricultural Sustainability Institute (ASI) to learn about two important ways to bring your farm to life: building your soil microbial community, and building an agritourism business. This session will provide a snapshot of some of the work happening at the Agricultural Sustainability Institute on two very different but important considerations for farmers. In the first half of the session, we’ll dig into the buzz around soil health and discuss what role soil microorganisms play in making soil healthy. Get a first-hand view of what soil microbes look like, how they break down their food (i.e. soil organic matter), and how we measure soil microbial activity. This is an opportunity to look through the lens of a microscope at all the life beneath your feet, and how they contribute to growing your food. In the second half of the session, learn about the fundamental benefits and challenges of establishing an agritourism operation, and learn about UC resources that can help build your business. Daniel Rath, Graduate Student in Soil Microbiology Penny Leff, Agritourism Program Coordinator at UC SAREP 
REGISTER TODAY!
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