Sustainable Food Center is a longtime sponsor of the annual Food and Farm Leadership Conference, and is proud to announce the availability of Texas Farm to School Round Up Farmer Scholarships to attend the 2016 pre-conference food safety workshop and the two day conference.
The Food and Farm Leadership Conference is presented by the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, and will be held on September 25-27, 2016 at the Bastrop Convention & Exhibit Center in Bastrop, Texas.
As part of a USDA Farm to School Training Grant, in collaboration with Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association and Texas Department of Agriculture, SFC will issue four scholarships to fresh produce growers who are currently involved in Farm to School sales or who plan to begin selling to schools within the next year.
School food service can be an important sales outlet for small and mid-scale farmers. Changing food safety regulations and unclear expectations are creating confusion among Farm to School stakeholders. This scholarship opportunity is intended to help farmers who are selling fresh produce to schools, or who plan to sell to schools gain an understanding of on-farm food safety rules and strategies. Beyond food safety, the scholarship covers farmers’ attendance in the entire conference, to participate in sessions covering financing, production and marketing, policy and advocacy, and more.
Farmers who receive a Texas Farm to School Round Up scholarship are expected to participate in both the pre-conference workshop and the full conference. Scholarships cover registration costs, however recipients are responsible for their own travel expenses. Farmers will also be asked to participate in a brief follow-up phone interview following the conference.
Online applications must be submitted by Friday, August 26. Notifications of approval will be sent no later than Wednesday, August 31. Earlier applications may receive preference.
For more information about the On-Farm Food Safety for Produce Growers pre-conference workshop, check out the Program link on the Food and Farm Leadership Conference web page.
Click here to apply for a Texas Farm to School Round Up Farmer Scholarship »
