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Special Sessions

Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network (ASAN Meeting); Growing the Alabama Local & Organic Food Movement. 1:15-2:15 p.m., Saturday
Facilitator: ASAN board member Edwin Marty, director of the Hampstead Institute in Montgomery.
Alabama has huge untapped potential for growth of a sustainable, naturally-grown/organic and local farm & food industry. If you want to tap into that potential – as a farmer or eater – or as a business, government or education stakeholder – this session is for you! We need organic & local-friendly policies to get more of our produce into food stores, schools, etc., and more and better farmer (and consumer) education. Our farmers need better certification options and more local equipment and supply sources. This session is your chance to share ideas with and learn from others like you, and for all of us to see what we can do together to shape a better future for farming and food in Alabama.
 
Alabama Food Policy Meeting: Sharing Lessons Learned, Looking at Next Steps.  5-6 p.m., Friday.
Facilitator: ASAN board member Gus Heard-Hughes. 
There is increasing interest throughout Alabama in forming Food Policy Councils, both locally and statewide. In this session, representatives from emerging food policy councils across Alabama will share their experiences and ideas. Anyone (and everyone) wanting to explore the potential of food policy councils to encourage more local-food farming, bring more and more healthy food to local markets and institutions, and improve community food security in rural and urban areas, is urged to attend.

Okravores Meeting: Open to all attendees from “below the gnat line”. Saturday, 1-2 p.m.
A regional meeting to connect members from South Georgia and North Florida, this meeting will include: Short presentations on successful projects in the food and farm systems arena (garden, community, retail); and an open forum to discuss farms and food issues specific to this area.
Leeann Culbreath will moderate this session along with a Georgia Organics Board member.

Yoga for Farmers & Friends, with Jeannie Wrightson
Loosen up & relax with a yoga class adapted for farmers. Learn yoga poses to relieve & prevent backache, shoulder pain, neck tension and more.Take care of your hard working bodies!
Friday Lunch 12:20-12:45 p.m
Saturday Breakfast 7:50-8:20 a.m.

Agricultural Research Posters
Research posters will be featured throughout the conference. Poster exhibitors will be asked to stand with their posters on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 1-2 p.m. to answer questions. Interested in presenting your research? Contact Carroll Johnson at caroll.johnson@ARS.USDA.gov .