Southeast Organic Buyer/Seller Mixer

Southeast Organic Buyer/Seller Mixer and Farmer Champion Award Ceremony with Georgia’s Commissioner of Agriculture

At Georgia Organics’ SOWTH Conference

Take part in this mixer focused on fostering relationships between farmers and organic buyers. Farmers and organic buyers will have the chance to connect through some facilitated conversations about organic markets opportunities, particularly for organic vegetable and fruit markets. Refreshments and food will be provided. This event is especially designed for organic buyers, organic farmers, those transitioning, and those who are curious about organic production.

In addition to networking, Tyler Harper, Georgia’s Commissioner of Agriculture will present the Farmer Champion awards for Higher Education and Early Care and Education. The Farmer Champion program works with The Common Market Southeast and Quality Care for Children to verify local food purchases for higher education institutions and early care and education centers, respectively. Georgia Organics and the Common Market Southeast work together on expanding local food in higher education institutions through The ACRE Collective: Advancing Agriculture, Community, Resilience & Equity through Values-Based Procurement. The ACRE Collective centers on garnering food purchasing commitments from Atlanta-area anchor institutions, while shifting procurement to producers that share these institutions’ values. Georgia Organics and Quality Care for Children have awarded approximately twenty early care and education centers across the state since expanding the Farmer Champion program in 2022. We are excited to honor four higher education institutions in the Atlanta-area and seven early care and education centers across Georgia that are committed to sourcing local food and working with growers across Georgia.

Learn More About the Farmer Champion Program: The Farmer Champion Program at Georgia Organics was launched in 2019 and works to bring local farmers and the food service community together to increase sustainable and organic purchasing. This happens by connecting eaters to businesses that source responsibly, so our local food system’s diverse patchwork of small and organic farms will grow and thrive. The Farmer Champion program helps to raise awareness about local sourcing by highlighting various members of the food service community who prioritize sourcing local food and relationships with Georgia’s vibrant community of food producers.  These relationships between farmers, food producers, and the food service community help to continue to grow and strengthen Georgia’s good resilient food system.

Please note: Although this event is associated with SOWTH, you do not have to be an attendee of SOWTH to attend this event. However, if you are planning on attending SOWTH, you should definitely come and help us kick off a great regional conference!

Agenda

• 6-6:45pm – Arrival, informal networking, refreshments
• 6:45-7:15pm – Welcome and Farmer Champion Award Ceremony with Georgia’s Commissioner of Agriculture, Tayler Harper
• 7:15-9pm – Facilitated networking

Details

Location: Wild Heaven Beer: West End Brewery & Gardens
1010 White St SW, Atlanta, GA 30310

Date: February 4, 2025

Time: 6pm – 9pm EST

Registration

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