About the Emerging Farmers Conference
The annual Emerging Farmers Conference (formerly the Immigrant & Minority Farmers Conference) serves to advance the success and sustainability of farmers who traditionally face barriers to the education and resources necessary to build profitable agricultural businesses, including immigrant farmers and farmers of color.
This innovative conference focuses primarily on the needs and interests of these farmers, and supports their contributions to local economic development and building healthy communities. It does so by connecting farmers, farm advocates, educators, professionals, experts, and agency officials.
The Emerging Farmers Conference (EFC) is FREE for all farmers and language interpretation is available in Spanish, Hmong, Karen, Bhutanese, Vietnamese, and Somali. Interpretation is based on registration. (We do our best to accommodate all farmers, but cannot guarantee interpretation for last-minute registrations.)
The EFC is a program of Big River Farms. It is planned and hosted by a collaborative of farmers and volunteers, government, nonprofit, and University of Minnesota personnel.
Purpose
Resources
Farmers obtain a deeper understanding of resources available to them and methods by which they can access those resources to support and grow their farming businesses. For example, farmers will be provided with financial plans, soil maps, and contact information for organizations who provide land leasing and purchase information.
Connections
Valuable connections are made between local farmers, vendors, organizations, and community groups which support emerging farmer populations and strengthen all components of the local food system.
Knowledge
Farmers gain specific, hands-on knowledge which is directly applicable to their farm businesses and will increase the success of their farm operations. For example, farmers will leave with a deeper understanding of weed management or production techniques for specialty crops. Organizations and community stakeholders gain exposure to a deeper understanding of the contributions immigrant and minority farmers make to the local food system, and the importance of supporting sustainable agricultural practices in their communities.
Empowerment
Conference participants are empowered to enact change in their local communities, specifically in the areas of racial equity and sustainable agriculture as they relate to the local food system. For example, participants will have the opportunity to connect with other farmers in our collaborative problem solving workshop. This facilitated discussion aims to foster relationships between farmers, allows them a space to talk about common challenges, and find solutions to those challenges.
Farmer Advisory Committee
The Farmer Advisory Committee informs the Emerging Farmers Conference planning process of farmer needs. These members meet monthly to advise on content and outreach. Are you a farmer who is interested in joining the Farmer Advisory Committee for future conferences and events? Big River Farms bigriverfarms@thefoodgroupmn.org
Jane Windsperger
Kristin Thompson
Mallory Mitchell
Marisa Benasutti
Naima Dhore
Nura Ahmed
Tiffany LaShae
Planning Committee
The Emerging Farmers Conference is a collaborative event organized by local, state, and federal organizations, led by Big River Farms (a program of The Food Group).
Aaron Blyth, Latino Economic Development Center
Bekah Kropp, The Food Group
Ellyn Oelfke, Farm Service Agency
Eric Wilson, EricW Creative
Erika Resendiz Alonso, Fond du Lac
Katie Feterl, Sustainable Farming Association
KaZoua Berry, The Food Group
Laura Mirafuentes, The Food Group
Lillian Otieno, Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Lucia Possehl, Sharing Our Roots
Lucinda Winter, Sustainable Farming Association
Marisa Benasutti, Augsburg College
Michael Chaney, Midwest Farmers of Color Collective
Nan Roberts, Independent Contractor
Natalie Hoidal, UMN Extension
Nikki Crowe, Fond du Lac
Pilar Ingram, Land Stewardship Project
Sara George, Renewing The Countryside
Sara Woutat, Renewing The Countryside
Sina Pleggenkuhle, Minnesota Farmers Market Association
Sophia Lenarz-Coy, The Food Group
Summer Badawi, The Food Group
Zoe Hollomon, Midwest Farmers of Color Collective