Growing Green 2021: Investing in Conservation and Local Food Virtual Series

Cosponsored by Tecumseh Land Trust and the Arthur Morgan Institute for Community Solutions, as a part of the Jacoby Partnership, a Regional Conservation Partnership Program through the USDA.

To register, click here (event is free, donations accepted).

Local Food & Economics-Saturday, March 6th

10:00 Welcomes from Susan Jennings, Arthur Morgan Institute for Community Solutions and Krista Magaw, Tecumseh Land Trust

10:10 Dr. John Ikerd – Leveraging a Local Shift in the Food and Farming Systems”

With the Shifting Economics of Commodity Farming, plus climate change and COVID19, how can we leverage better conservation and local agricultural diversity at the community, regional, and state levels?

10: 50 Break

11:00 “Being the Change in Ohio Farming” Panel: Vic Thorne (Origin Malt), John Ikerd, and more to come!

Each panelist will have about 5 minutes to give an introduction addressing the following questions:

- Describe your local project and how it relates to a shift toward local food and economy

- What changes have you had to make to adapt to current conditions?

- What are the challenges you have had to overcome & what challenges that still exist?

11:50 - 12:15 Questions

12:15 - 12:45 Lunch

12:45 Leslie Shaller – “Leveraging a Local Shift in the Food and Farming Systems in Ohio”

- What is needed to shift food and farming at the community, regional, and state levels in Ohio and where do we start?

- Linking land and production to markets

- Using Coops and innovative approaches for distribution

- Keys to a successful shift

1:30 Break

1:45 Cherrelle Gardener of Co-op Dayton & Lela Klein of Gem City Market – “Local Cooperative Project that are making the Shift to Local Food Economy”

- How did your operation begin and what resources were helpful?

- What are your current concerns and what additional resources are needed?

- What are the obstacles to local food purchasing? (i.e. cold storage, delivery services, shoppers’ familiarity with fresh food and vegetables and what is attractive to purchase)

- Other observations, including relationships between your programs in Dayton

2:15 Questions moderated by Susan Jennings

2:45 Break

3:00-3:45 “Shift to Local Stories from all over Ohio” Panel: Terry Traster from Food Fort (Economic and Community Development Institute) in Columbus; Dana Hilfinger, formerly of OSU and Richland County Grow-op and current Central State University Agricultural Extension Specialist for Southwest Ohio; Leslie Shaller

Panelists will have up to 5 minutes to give an introduction addressing the following questions..

- Describe your project and how it shifted food and economy locally

- What have been your challenges and how did you meet them?

- What resources were helpful and what additional resources are needed

- What are your next steps?

3:45-4:00 Questions

4:00-4:30 Thank you & Wrap Up: What’s Next