Southern Illinois Farming Alliance

Carterville, IL - Save the date for Food Works’ Southern Illinois Farming Alliance Conference, January 27th, 2024, 9am-4pm at John A Logan College

Local farmers and those interested in farming are invited to take part in a full day of connecting with speakers and organizations providing resources to support Organic, regenerative, and entrepreneurial farms in Southern Illinois. Over 20 organizations will be on hand offering resources to farmers, including Midwest GRIT, University of Illinois Extension, Illinois Stewardship Alliance, American Farmland Trust and many more dedicated to providing services for small to midsize farms. Hear from keynote speaker: Dr. Trent Ford, Illinois State Climatologist, talking about climate change for farmers in this region. Also hear from guest speakers on key topics for sustainable and organic farmers such as land access with Farmlink and Agroforestry as part of a regenerative system with the Savannah Institute. Food Works of Southern Illinois will also share updates on local programming and opportunities for farmers.

Registration is now open. There is a refundable fee of $20 paid at the time of registration, which will be reimbursed upon check-in at the event. There are also small stipends available to support farmers’ travel to the conference. Breakfast and lunch will be provided, along with beverage service throughout the day. For more details, please visit www.fwsoil.org/sifa-2024-conference.

The Southern Illinois Farming Alliance Conference is made possible through Food Works’ Southern Illinois Farming Alliance, with support from the Illinois Farm Bureau and the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program. The Southern Illinois Farming Alliance (SIFA) is a farmer-driven network, whose focus is to encourage area farmers, gardeners, and local eaters to learn from one another and is just one of the many programs Food Works offers. Food Works is a non-profit organization, dedicated to creating a sustainable food economy in Southern Illinois. Community members are invited to support this work by becoming a member of Food Works. Members receive access to our SIFA Facebook page, free access to local events such as field days, and receive a monthly newsletter with farming news and education information to access. Learn more at www.fwsoil.org/membership

If you have any questions about Food Works or want to learn more about any of Food Works programs which include the Southern Illinois Farming Alliance, the Carbondale Community Farmers Market, Farm Beginnings, the Mobile Farmers Market and the Southern Illinois Link Hub, go to www.fwsoil.org or feel free to contact Jennifer Duensing at [email protected].

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Food Works is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to creating a sustainable food economy in Southern Illinois. Through farmer training and consumer education, Food Works promotes long-term farming networks that create healthy soils, healthy food, and healthy communities in the 23 counties that make up Southern Illinois. (www.fwsoil.org)