[Ctyfc] Scholarships and volunteer opportunities for the Southern Family Farmers & Food Systems Conference

[Judith]

Today's the last day for early registration rates for the Southern Family
Farmers & Food Systems Conference (previously the Farm and Food Leadership
Conference).

You can also apply for a scholarship to cover the registration fee (link is
below), or sign  up to be a volunteer & pay just $30/day for this great
event!



*August 8-10, 2021*

Texas State University | San Marcos



Come gather in-person with our amazing community of farmers, ranchers,
allied organizations, homesteaders, gardeners, chefs, and advocates of
local and regional foods at this year's Southern Family Farmers & Food
Systems Conference!



*Sunday, Aug. 8, *is devoted to in-depth workshops, while *Monday and
Tuesday* present a wide range of topics with six concurrent tracks covering
livestock, crops, policy and social issues, technology,
finance/business/marketing, research, and topics for homesteaders and
startups.



*REGISTER TODAY* <https://secure.everyaction.com/3MV21EsmokCxer14-_udqg2>



*KEYNOTE SPEAKERS*



*Will Harris*

Will is recognized as a worldwide leader in humane animal husbandry and
environmental sustainability. He is a fourth-generation cattleman, who
tends the same Bluffton, Ga., land that his great-grandfather settled in
1866. In the mid-1990s, Will became disenchanted with industrialized
methods of ranching and (with much success) returned White Oak Pastures to
the type of regenerative farming his great-grandfather had used.



*Lyla June Johnston*

Lyla June is an Indigenous public speaker, artist, scholar, and community
organizer. Her messages focus on Indigenous rights, supporting youth,
traditional land stewardship practices, and healing inter-generational and
inter-cultural trauma. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree at the
University of Alaska, Fairbanks in Indigenous Studies with a focus on
Indigenous Food Systems Revitalization.



*Learn About All Our Speakers
<http://farmandranchfreedom.org/sfffs-conference/2021-conference-speakers/>*



*A Sampling of Monday & Tuesday Sessions*



*Livestock Track Includes:*

·  Livestock nutrition

·  Sustainability in dairy management

·  Goat & sheep management

·  Best breeds for heat tolerance



*Crops Track Includes:*

·  Equipment for small acreage crop growing

·  Silvopasture

·  Orchard and fruit production

·  Specialty row crops

*Policy/Social/Economic Issues Track Includes:*

·  Who controls our food: The issues with consolidation

·  The carbon market debate

·  Power dynamics & systemic injustice in our food system

·  Texas and Federal legislative updates

*Finance/Business/Marketing Track Includes:*

·  Selling to a wholesale distributor

·  Lessons learned in 36 years of market farming

·  Become a social media marketing wizard

·  The value of "organic" and other certifications

*Sunday, August 8*

Come a day early and attend one or more of these in-depth workshops:



*1. Boosting Resilience (and Preventing Failure) for Your Farm (Full-Day)*

The morning will cover whole enterprise planning and goal setting, and the
interface between the farm and home. That includes the impact of family
dynamics as well as planning for a variety of crises, whether they be
weather- or market-related. We’ll also touch on resilience “backups”
through USDA programs, from crop insurance to disaster relief.  The
afternoon will offer your choice of one-on-one consultations or attending
the marketing or co-op workshop.



*2. Designing Food Safety Into the Farm (Morning/Half-Day)*

This half-day workshop will present ways you can set up your wash-and-pack
area for optimal flow and produce safety as well as offer tips and best
practices for worker training and management in the wash-and-pack space.



*3. Small Farm Marketing Strategies & Tools (Afternoon/Half-Day)*

New and beginning farmers will gain knowledge to determine which marketing
strategies will work best for their farm and seasoned farmers will leave
with new information about the latest local food marketing strategies.



*4. Starting & Running a Successful Co-Op (Afternoon/Half-Day)*

Co-op development experts and co-op founders from across Texas will explore
the many ways that cooperation can build strong, resilient farmer and
rancher networks as well as a committed, reliable customer base.



*SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE*

Small Producers Initiative, thanks to a grant from USDA, has a number of
scholarships available to attend the Monday and Tuesday sessions. Farmers
and ranchers from historically underserved groups are strongly encouraged
to apply.



*Apply for a Scholarship
<https://secure.everyaction.com/Ym61OAXPQk6aco9Smdo-6w2>*





*If you are interested in being a Sponsor or Exhibitor, please **download
our Sponsorship/Exhibitor Packet*
<http://farmandranchfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Sponsorship-Exhibitor-Packet-2021.pdf>*
for
details.*
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