Georgia Organics is pleased to announce that our long-beloved Conference & Expo is growing and adapting for more meaningful impact.
For well over 20 years, Georgia Organics’ Conference & Expo has birthed incredible partnerships and collaboration in the Georgia farming and organic agriculture space.
With the post-pandemic return of Conference this February 2023 in Perry, GA, we were amazed by the turnout and positive feedback. It reminded us of the deep value of this gathering.
It’s a crucial space for hardworking farmers and food leaders across the state to gather, collaborate, and refuel. It directly speaks to our Strategic Plan values of Farmer Prosperity and Community & Collective Impact.
2023 Georgia Organics Conference & Expo, all photography: Jenna Shea Photojournalism
In the months following our 2023 Conference, we have weighed feedback and the value of this event in the scope of our strategic work and decided to shift to an every-other-year schedule.
GEORGIA ORGANICS CONFERENCE & EXPO IS NOW BI-ANNUAL
As a statewide organization and leader in the Southeastern agriculture and community food space, we acknowledge that we must diversify how we gather—regionally, statewide, and locally—and ensure that we’re highly collaborative and foster maximum impact when we do gather. Change can be hard, but to stay relevant, Conference must evolve.
The post-pandemic world and increased needs for climate responsiveness and food equity action prompt us to reevaluate how and where we spend our time as an organization. The decision to shift Conference to a bi-annual schedule will give Georgia Organics’ staff the capacity to plan and execute these meaningful gatherings. And in Conference “off-years,” the team will remain focused on our increased direct services work with farmers and community partners across the state. Explore this work and the pillars of our Strategic Plan in our recent Impact Report at georgiaorganics.org/impact.
We will launch this bi-annual schedule in a big way: the 2025 Conference & Expo will be a partner-led, regional Conference serving farmers and sustainable ag leaders across the Southeast.
We will not hold a Conference & Expo in 2024.
GEORGIA ORGANICS’ CONFERENCE IN 2025 WILL BE A REGIONAL EVENT
The 2025 Regional Conference will reflect the deepening, collaborative nature of our work. We need collective wisdom and collective impact at this pivotal moment.
The current needs of farmers and local food communities, plus the challenges of climate change far exceed the state of Georgia. We’re asking how can we activate both hyperlocal and statewide networks for a more robust web and thriving Georgia food system?
We are currently working in partnership with organizations and local leaders in 12 sister states in the South to build a regional network. In the short term, the network will provide strategic direction and input in developing the 2025 Regional Conference themes, track topics, and other core elements. In the long term, we hope that the network will continue to grow and serve the unique needs of our region and our farmers.
One thing is clear in these conversations: This is an event centered on sustainable, organic, and regenerative farmers. We also are aligned on the themes of joy, diversity, and renewal for this exciting re-seeding of a regional conference. We aim for this event to chart the path laid by the much-missed Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SSAWG) regional conference.
Georgia Organics President & CEO Alice Rolls, who is spearheading the Regional Conference network, notes of the decision to host our first bi-annual Conference as a regional event: “the environmental, policy, and resource challenges in sustainable agriculture show us that we need to be more sophisticated in approach, moving beyond state lines. This is about regional knowledge-sharing of agriculture and community food work.” She adds, “our aim is to lift up the farmers in our community and attend to our neighbors, create a welcoming, inclusive, productive space.”
HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED
We have a lot of work ahead, not only in Georgia Organics ongoing direct service work and community support to Georgia organic farmers, but so that we produce a 2025 Regional Conference that drives impact beyond Georgia.
We’re currently seeking additional affiliate and steering partners for the 2025 Regional Conference and encourage members of local farming and sustainable ag policy communities to reach out to us at alice [at] georgiaorganics [dot] org. Closer to the regional event, we will issue calls for volunteers via our email newsletter, The Dirt.
Between now and 2025, we will prioritize in-person gatherings across the state for farmers, including the continuation of our Farmer Field Days, farmer happy hours, and more. Our time and efforts remain invested in farmer prosperity-driving work through the direct services of our Farmer Services program. Explore this work at farmerservices.georgiaorganics.org and sign up for Grower News at bit.ly/growernews.
Our Community Collaboration team is also gathering and collaborating around the state—currently in Savannah and Waycross—activating local networks for local food and farm partners on strategies to reduce childhood food insecurity. Learn more at georgiaorganics.org/familyfarmshare.
Furthermore, our Farmer Advocacy work continues, with heavy focus on the 2023 Farm Bill and the active state meetings, D.C. fly-ins with key organic partners, and active advocating for the needs of organic farmers, led by Georgia Organics’ Director of Farmer Advocacy Michael Wall. Learn more at georgiaorganics.org/advocacy.
We remain steadfast in our day-to-day commitments to organic farmers and constantly evolving to provide robust community support and activation.
Stay tuned, we cannot wait to see you in 2025!