December 2024

Upcoming Events

Conference Registration Now Open!


The 2025 Arkansas Grown Conference & Expo will be held at the Hot Springs Convention Center, January 30 to February 1, 2025.


Join us at the third annual conference focusing on the state’s largest industry-Agriculture! Early registration discounts through December 21.


Register now and join the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, Arkansas Agritourism Association, Arkansas Blackberry Association, Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts, Arkansas Farmers Market Association, Arkansas Association of Grape Growers, Arkansas Horticulture Society, Arkansas Pecan Growers Association, and Mid America Strawberry Growers Association at the third annual conference! 

Register

Funding Opportunities

Produce Safety

High Tunnel Grower Survey


Do you produce crops in high tunnels? As Arkansas produce growers, it's essential to assess and improve practices to ensure crop safety and quality. Please consider taking our survey. We hope to better understand the challenges you face in implementing food safety practices, particularly in high tunnel production.

Your responses will help identify areas where additional support, training, or resources are needed, such as in water quality, soil amendments, and post-harvest handling.

Take our Survey Here!

Local Foods

Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement (LFPA) and Local Food for Schools (LFS)


USDA announced a $1.13 billion investment to support local and regional food systems, building upon the Department’s previous investments in the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement (LFPA) and Local Food for Schools (LFS) programs.


This round of funding will allow states, territories, and federally recognized Tribes to purchase wholesome, locally produced foods for distribution within their communities to emergency food providers, schools, and childcare centers.


USDA will allocate up to:

🔹$471.5 million for states and territories to purchase local, unprocessed, or minimally processed domestic foods for use within their school systems

🔹$188.6 million for use in childcare facilities

🔹$375.1 million for states, territories, to use in local feeding programs, including food banks, schools and other organizations that reach underserved communities.

🔹$100 million will go to Tribal governments.


Today’s notice of funding will continue this vital work and provide an additional $1.13 billion to support local agriculture, schools, and feeding programs.


Learn more here

Micro Agriculture Systems Initiative


Micro Agriculture is an innovative approach to small-scale food and agriculture systems. It operates with limited land and resources, focusing on a dynamic systems model that includes growing, harvesting, processing, storing, bartering, and marketing agriculture products. This model draws on traditional, indigenous, modern, and innovative knowledge to create sustainable, community-centered production.


Our team is working to blend research-based insights with the practical knowledge of Micro Agriculture practitioners. Funded by a USDA Regional Food Systems Partnership grant, our project aims to support Micro Agriculture through a needs assessment and outreach programs that foster local and regional food networks.


Over the last year, our team established collaborations with stakeholders, developed curricula, conducted interviews with farmers, food producers, Extension agents, and other experts, and hosted events to promote micro agriculture.


Learn more about our efforts here

2024 Urban Ag Tour with Kesha Cobb

New NRCS Resource!

Check out the new Small Farm and Urban Agriculture website for Arkansas from our friends at NRCS! It is full of helpful information about conservation practices, NRCS conservation programs for small farm and urban ag, links to fact sheets, and contact information for our Arkansas Urban Conservationists! 


NRCS Small Farm and Urban Agriculture - Arkansas

Value-Added

AFIC at MCO Expected to Open Early 2025 - Stay Tuned!


The Arkansas Food Innovation Center at the Market Center of the Ozarks (AFIC@MCO) is a 45,000-square-foot food processing facility located in Springdale, Arkansas, set to open in early 2025. It is designed to support local food entrepreneurs with a range of services.


AFIC@MCO offers a shared-use commercial kitchen, food processing and bottling capabilities, and educational workshops. The center provides technical support, business development assistance, and resources to help entrepreneurs scale their businesses. It fosters innovation, economic growth, and reduces barriers for small food businesses in Northwest Arkansas.


Learn more here

LRSF Team Contact

David Hill

Program Associate

Home + Commercial Value-Added

dhill@uada.edu

(501) 671-2048

Sarah Bakker

Program Associate

Produce Safety + Infrastructure

sbakker@uada.edu

(501) 671-2012

Evan Ware

Program Associate

Local Food Systems

eware@uada.edu

(501) 671-2166

Thank you for reading our newsletter! Please reach out if you have any questions or need support with your local food efforts!


Sincerely,


Amanda Philyaw Perez, DrPH, MPH

Associate Professor,

Food Systems and Food Safety Specialist

Department of Horticulture, 

Cooperative Extension Service

University of Arkansas System,

Division of Agriculture

2301 S. University Ave, Little Rock AR 72204

Office: 501.671.2228 | Email: aperez@uada.edu

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