Within the months following our 2023 Convention, we have now weighed suggestions and the worth of this occasion within the scope of our strategic work and determined to shift to an every-other-year schedule. 

GEORGIA ORGANICS CONFERENCE & EXPO IS NOW BI-ANNUAL 

As a statewide group and chief within the Southeastern agriculture and group meals house, we acknowledge that we should diversify how we collect—regionally, statewide, and regionally—and be sure that we’re extremely collaborative and foster most influence after we do collect. Change may be arduous, however to remain related, Convention should evolve. 

The post-pandemic world and elevated wants for local weather responsiveness and meals fairness motion immediate us to reevaluate how and the place we spend our time as a company. The choice to shift Convention to a bi-annual schedule will give Georgia Organics’ workers the capability to plan and execute these significant gatherings. And in Convention “off-years,” the crew will stay targeted on our elevated direct providers work with farmers and group companions throughout the state. Discover this work and the pillars of our Strategic Plan in our current Impression Report at georgiaorganics.org/influence.  

We are going to launch this bi-annual schedule in a giant approach: the 2025 Convention & Expo shall be a partner-led, regional Convention serving farmers and sustainable ag leaders throughout the Southeast. 

We won’t maintain a Convention & Expo in 2024. 

GEORGIA ORGANICS’ CONFERENCE IN 2025 WILL BE A REGIONAL EVENT  

The 2025 Regional Convention will mirror the deepening, collaborative nature of our work. We’d like collective knowledge and collective influence at this pivotal second.  

The present wants of farmers and native meals communities, plus the challenges of local weather change far exceed the state of Georgia. We’re asking how can we activate each hyperlocal and statewide networks for a extra sturdy net and thriving Georgia meals system? 

We’re at present working in partnership with organizations and native leaders in 12 sister states within the South to construct a regional community. Within the quick time period, the community will present strategic route and enter in creating the 2025 Regional Convention themes, observe matters, and different core components. In the long run, we hope that the community will proceed to develop and serve the distinctive wants of our area and our farmers. 

One factor is obvious in these conversations: That is an occasion centered on sustainable, natural, and regenerative farmers. We are also aligned on the themes of pleasure, range, and renewal for this thrilling re-seeding of a regional convention. We goal for this occasion to chart the trail laid by the much-missed Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SSAWG) regional convention. 

Georgia Organics President & CEO Alice Rolls, who’s spearheading the Regional Convention community, notes of the choice to host our first bi-annual Convention as a regional occasion: “the environmental, coverage, and useful resource challenges in sustainable agriculture present us that we have to be extra refined in strategy, transferring past state strains. That is about regional knowledge-sharing of agriculture and group meals work.” She provides, “our goal is to carry up the farmers in our group and attend to our neighbors, create a welcoming, inclusive, productive house.” 

HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED 

We now have numerous work forward, not solely in Georgia Organics ongoing direct service work and group assist to Georgia natural farmers, however in order that we produce a 2025 Regional Convention that drives influence past Georgia. 

We’re at present looking for further affiliate and steering companions for the 2025 Regional Convention and encourage members of native farming and sustainable ag coverage communities to achieve out to us at alice [at] georgiaorganics [dot] org. Nearer to the regional occasion, we’ll challenge requires volunteers by way of our electronic mail publication, The Dust. 

Between now and 2025, we’ll prioritize in-person gatherings throughout the state for farmers, together with the continuation of our Farmer Discipline Days, farmer pleased hours, and extra. Our time and efforts stay invested in farmer prosperity-driving work by the direct providers of our Farmer Providers program. Discover this work at farmerservices.georgiaorganics.org and join Grower Information at bit.ly/growernews.