Southern SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) Program

In a brief interview with SSARE Communications Specialist DaraMonifah? Cooper, Bethany Harris, Director of the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture (CUA), discusses the importance of urban agriculture and its connection to community. In her work with the CUA, which offers educational programs, including the Journeyman Farmer program, she expressed the Center's interest in supporting and being part of the Urban BIPOC Farms Mentorship SSARE On-Farm grant project, led by Tiffany Bellfield El-Amin, the founder and director of the Kentucky Black Farmers Association. Harris emphasizes the center's role in educating farmers through programs like the Journeyman Farmer program, which covers topics such as soil management, and mentions the importance of connecting with and supporting farmers in Kentucky. She notes the environmental stewardship aspect of urban agriculture, including pollinator conservation, and the resources available through land grant universities. Harris also agrees that urban agriculture faces ever-changing challenges as cities grow and communities evolve. She encourages individuals to connect with their local land grant universities and visit www.ugaurbanag.com for more information and resources. For more information on Tiffany's work with the Urban BIPOC Farms Mentorship SSARE On-Farm grant project visit: https://lnkd.in/ea4QiN85

Tiffany Belfield El-Amin, the founder and director of the Kentucky Black Farmers Association (KBFA), leads the Urban BIPOC Farms Mentoring Program through a Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) On-Farm Research grant. In this video update, she reports on their recent Kentucky Black Farmers Conference which attracted over 130 farmers and featured SSARE's Brennan Washington speaking about Southern SARE funding opportunities for Black urban farmers. As part of the BIPOC urban mentoring Southern SARE project, her organization has three farmers across Kentucky demonstrating different approaches to urban farming. Through their Southeast Jessup Wagon initiative, they aim to spread education about soil health and composting across rural and urban areas in the southeastern United States, particularly focusing on increasing capacity in Appalachian regions where Black farmers represent less than 5% of all farmers. “Providing fresh local produce to underserved communities like the work Tiffany is doing is so essential to making cities stronger, more sustainable, and more resilient,” said Dr. Bethany A. Harris, UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Center for Urban?Agriculture Director. The Urban BIPOC Farms Mentoring Program is dedicated to advancing regenerative agriculture methods tailored for urban environments to foster improved soil health. The program's research and education initiatives focus on sustainable agriculture practices and soil health management for the BIPOC urban farm community. A key goal is to improve both soil and crop health, emphasizing the use of natural resources for sustainable agriculture and organic soil science. To read more and see photos, visit: https://ssare.org/KBFA2025 To complete the survey to help gather data on community needs, with the aim of better engaging with communities and providing appropriate resources, click here: https://lnkd.in/eVaTW6pC #UrbanAg #SSARE #Kentucky #OnFarmResearch

We are still glowing with pride and motivation reignited by how Jenna Shea's Photojournalism did such an excellent job capturing the essence of the SOWTH Conference! We're honored to have supported Georgia Organics, the event hosts, with our Professional Development Program travel scholarships which helped attendees from various locations participate in the conference. Nearly 1400 attendees came from all over, even outside of the southern region, to be enriched with the various urban farm and community food tours, intensive workshops, educational sessions, plenaries, expo hall, and youth program. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eAhyH3tp For those who aren't aware of how the collaboration came about, we are reminded that, "when the Southeastern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SSAWG) ceased operating in 2019, it brought to an end the twenty-five-year run of its beloved regional sustainable agriculture conference. In the ensuing years, many farmers, ranchers, and local food stakeholders expressed a desire to bring back a regional conference," Brennan Washington, SSARE Southeastern Outreach Coordinator #SOWTHconference #SSAREsponsored?#SustainableAg

A reminder for Southern Farmers, Ranchers, Producers, and Advocates! Join us for a three-day gathering of over 1,000 farmers and leaders committed to sowing a strong sustainable agricultural movement across the South. We have teamed up with Georgia Organics to support their organizing of this conference which intends to replace the Southern SAWG conference that many have attended in the past. Join us in Atlanta February 4-6, 2025! https://sowth.org

Here's a reminder that application deadline is January 10, 2025 for the Southern region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SSARE) Sustainable Agriculture Leadership Program for 2025. Mentor farmers/ranchers, community groups, non-profits and non-governmental organizations strive to create ag community resiliency and vitality in the face of a myriad of agricultural challenges, from lack of access to land, to issues in technology, to concerns regarding family matters and health. The Sustainable Agriculture Leadership Program, operated by SSARE's Equity and Prosperity Committee, champions the leadership contributions of these groups and individuals by providing a small amount of sponsorship funds (up to $3,000) to support sustainable agriculture education and training activities throughout the Southern region.?Note that this is not a grant. The purpose of the program is to enhance the resiliency, strength and vivacity of farmer and ranchers, particularly historically underserved audiences. Historically underserved farmers and ranchers and non-governmental organizations that serve those audiences within the Southern region are invited to apply. https://lnkd.in/e46E_RzW

During the annual summer meeting convening Southern SARE staff and?administrative council (AC)?members, Maurice Small was voted in as a new board member. A food consultant and urban farmer from Atlanta, Georgia Maurice will represent urban agriculture and community development. Small is a farmer representative with an emphasis on urban production and community and the unique opportunities and challenges that are associated with farming in the city. This member serves as a representative to improve the quality of life, foster economic stability, support new innovations, and advance community development. The USDA defines urban agriculture as the cultivation, processing, and distribution of agricultural products in urban and suburban areas; tribal communities and small towns may also be included. Maurice says that his primary goal is to bring insight into what it is to be culturally sensitive to the urban ag members that we're going to be serving in the future. “There is a lot of experience that I bring from the 1990s up until most recently working with the city of Atlanta. The urban ag areas that I cover are food, access, food, insecurity, food, equity, and food sovereignty. All these issues are at the forefront and have been for several years. But primarily as we look at our systems around the world, not just in Southern SARE, but around the world. There's a way in which we're looking at increased population density happening in urban environments. I'm here to build the bridge. I'm here to help everyone find common ground. And with this common ground there's a way in which we can all look at each other as being equal and taking that seed and turning it into food. And how do we manage that in certain climates from Vermont on down to the Virgin Islands and all points in between.” Primarily, his experience has been in the Midwest and the South. He speaks worldwide about food, injustice, and food access. And he’s looking forward to bringing his expertise while serving on Southern SARE. For more on Maurice or to ask him any questions, visit?mauricesmall.com. The Administrative Council, often called the AC, is the governing body for the Southern SARE region. For more information on the administrative council visit:? https://lnkd.in/eDqmz7Uc.

During the annual summer meeting convening Southern SARE staff and?administrative council (AC)?members, Charlie Jordan, a veteran farmer who will liaise with new and beginning farmer veterans in sustainable agriculture, was voted in as a new board member. Charlie is the farmer representative with an emphasis on the intersectionality of military service, farming, and physical, mental health, and well-being. This AC representative is going to help liaise with any new and beginning farmer veterans working in sustainable ag, whether it be on farms, in nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, or in other areas. The?USDA defines a veteran farmer or rancher as a producer who served in the United States Army, Navy-Marine Corps. Air Force or Coast Guard, including the reserve component thereof, and was released from service under conditions other than dishonorable. Hailing from Clarksville, Tennessee, which is a Middle Tennessee area, Charlie is a veteran. He spent over 28 and a half years in the US Army as a special operations aviator. When he retired in 2017, he continued his passion for agriculture and farming, as well as advocacy. He owns Jordan Farms, which is a 5-acre flower farm in Woodlawn, Tennessee, and he is?also a veteran advocate with over 10 years of experience. “I’m looking out for the veteran voice in agriculture. I'm an educator. My background is in stem and in robotics, where I teach for Embry Riddle Aeronautical University as an uncrewed aircraft systems instructor, and locally teaching ag to my fellow veterans and different conferences and other ways. I'm happy to be here and looking forward to this new mission that I've taken on.” The Administrative Council, often called the AC, is the governing body for the Southern SARE region. For more information on the administrative council visit: https://lnkd.in/eDqmz7Uc

During the annual summer meeting convening Southern SARE staff and?administrative council (AC)?members, Hope Ostane-Baucom, a gardener and plant nursery owner from North Carolina, was voted in as a new board member. Hope will focus on equity, justice, and food sovereignty.?The equity, justice and food sovereignty member is a representative with a focus on farming and equity, food, nutrition, access, land access, seed, sovereignty. It was created for farm leaders or farm workers, who are leaders in community-based organizations, the non-profit sector and ag professionals at academic institutions. A native of Miami, Florida, Hope resides in Mooresville, North Carolina, just north of Charlotte, North Carolina. She works with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Food Policy Council?implementing programs like the?Nutrition Program for farmers markets and the snap double books, programs at all the farmers markets in the Charlotte Mecklenburg area. She is also a licensed pesticide applicator who emphasizes the importance of integrated pest management to reduce our farm workers’ exposure to toxic and harmful chemicals. “I'm so grateful to be a part of this and to have the opportunity to use my passion and expertise to continue the fight for justice and food sovereignty in our southern region.?I am the Farmers of Color network communications coordinator at RAFI, a breast cancer survivor, and a mom of 3,?and I’m the one who will always be smiling.?I believe in bringing joy and passion to everything I do, and I’m excited to be on board,” Hope Ostane-Baucom. The Administrative Council, often called the AC, is the governing body for the Southern SARE region. For more information on the administrative council visit:?https://lnkd.in/eDqmz7Uc.

During the annual summer meeting convening Southern SARE staff and?administrative council (AC)?members, Charlie Jordan, a veteran farmer who will liaise with new and beginning farmer veterans in sustainable agriculture, was voted in as a new board member. Charlie is the farmer representative with an emphasis on the intersectionality of military service, farming, and physical, mental health, and well-being. This AC representative is going to help liaise with any new and beginning farmer veterans working in sustainable ag, whether it be on farms, in nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, or in other areas. The?USDA defines a veteran farmer or rancher as a producer who served in the United States Army, Navy-Marine Corps. Air Force or Coast Guard, including the reserve component thereof, and was released from service under conditions other than dishonorable. Hailing from Clarksville, Tennessee, which is a Middle Tennessee area, Charlie is a veteran. He spent over 28 and a half years in the US Army as a special operations aviator. When he retired in 2017, he continued his passion for agriculture and farming, as well as advocacy. He owns Jordan Farms, which is a 5-acre flower farm in Woodlawn, Tennessee, and he is?also a veteran advocate with over 10 years of experience. “I’m looking out for the veteran voice in agriculture. I'm an educator. My background is in stem and in robotics, where I teach for Embry Riddle Aeronautical University as an uncrewed aircraft systems instructor, and locally teaching ag to my fellow veterans and different conferences and other ways. I'm happy to be here and looking forward to this new mission that I've taken on.” The Administrative Council, often called the AC, is the governing body for the Southern SARE region. For more information on the administrative council visit:?

To enhance the resiliency, strength, and vivacity of farmers and ranchers, particularly historically underserved audiences, the Sustainable Agriculture Leadership Program, operated by SSARE's Equity and Prosperity Committee, champions the leadership contributions of these groups and individuals by providing a small amount of sponsorship funds (up to $3,000) to support sustainable agriculture education and training activities throughout the Southern region.?Note that this is not a grant. With an application deadline of January 10, 2025, mentor farmers/ranchers, community groups, non-profits and non-governmental organizations strive to create ag community resiliency and vitality in the face of a myriad of agricultural challenges, from lack of access to land, to issues in technology, to concerns regarding family matters and health. https://lnkd.in/e46E_RzW