Georgia Organics Inc

THE CULTIVATING FARMER CHAMPIONS CAMPAIGN CONNECTS AND CULTIVATES FOOD ECONOMIES THROUGH PUBLIC- PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, STRENGTHENS CAPACITY AND REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT THROUGH COMMUNITY COLLABORATION, AND DEVELOPS MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR LOCAL FOOD PRODUCERS. GEORGIA ORGANICS WILL BUILD A MORE RESILIENT LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM BY DIVERSIFYING AND INCREASING SALES FROM SMALL FARMS IN GEORGIA TO CHEFS WORKING IN OR OUTSIDE OF TRADITIONAL BRICK-AND-MORTAR RESTAURANTS (CATERERS, POP-UPS, FOOD TRUCKS) AND IN EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION (ECE) SITES. WE WILL ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS THROUGH THREE OBJECTIVES: PROVIDE TECHNICAL SERVICES IN FARM SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT, BUSINESS PLANNING (INCLUDING DIVERSIFYING INCOME STREAMS), FOOD SAFETY, AND ORGANIC CERTIFICATION TO SMALL FARMS IN GEORGIA, ESPECIALLY THOSE OWNED BY SOCIALLY-DISADVANTAGED FARMERS, TO MEET THE DEMAND AND NEED FOR LOCAL, SAFE, CONSISTENT, AND ORGANIC AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS IN GEORGIA'S FOOD MARKETPLACE; STRENGTHEN LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMRESILIENCY BY CULTIVATING A DIVERSIFIED MARKET BASE OF CHEFS WORKING IN OR OUTSIDE OF BRICK-AND-MORTAR RESTAURANTS AND IN ECE SITES THROUGH AN EXPANDED FARMER CHAMPION BRANDING CAMPAIGN THAT CELEBRATES AND RECOGNIZES CHEFS AND ECE CENTERS FOR PURCHASING FROM GEORGIA'S SMALL FARMS; FACILITATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONNECTION AND COLLABORATION BETWEEN CHEFS AND FARMERS THROUGH FARMER/BUYER EVENTS (MIX AND MINGLE EVENT; PROGRESSIVE MEET AND GREET; DIRECT ONE-ON-ONE MATCH MAKING, INCLUDING ECE CENTERS; FARM TOURS FOR FARMERS AND BUYERS). EXPANDING OUR FARMER CHAMPION CAMPAIGN BROADENS THE POOL OF CHEFS SOURCING FROM FARMERS, INCREASES DISTRIBUTION OF LOCAL AND ORGANIC FOOD FROM GEORGIA PRODUCERS, AND ADDRESSES EQUITY, CONSIDERING THE CHALLENGES FACED BY BIPOC AND WOMEN CHEFS RELATED TO OPENING TRADITIONAL RESTAURANTS.

LOCAL FOOD PROMOTION PROGRAM

CULTIVATING SUSTAINABLE AND ORGANIC BEGINNING FARMERS AND RANCHERS IN GEORGIA

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** GEORGIA ORGANICS HAS PROVIDED DIRECT SERVICES TO FARMERS FOR ALMOST 25 YEARS. WE'VE IMPACTED THOUSANDS OF GEORGIA FARMERS. BUT THEY NEED DEEPER SUPPORT. BEGINNING FARMERS COME IN OUR DOORS EAGER TO LEARN AND TO MAKE A CAREER FROM AGRICULTURE. THEY WANT TO FEED THEIR NEIGHBORS, CONTINUE A FAMILY TRADITION OF FARMING, STEWARD THE LAND, AND CARE FOR THEIR RURAL COMMUNITIES. WE'VE SEEN MANY OF THESE FARMERS SUCCEED-- THEY'VE GONE ON TO OPERATE SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES, TEACH OTHER FARMERS AT OUR ANNUAL CONFERENCE, SERVE ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS, PARTNER WITH US IN PROJECTS, FORM THEIR OWN GROWER COOPERATIVES, AND SERVE AS MODELS OF SUCCESS. BUT WE'VE SEEN HUNDREDS BEGIN FARMING JUST TO QUIT AFTER A FEW YEARS. WHY? BEGINNING FARMERS REACH A POINT IN WHICH THEY NEED POINTED INVESTMENT TO SCALE THEIR BUSINESS. THEY EACH NEED PERSONALIZED, FOCUSED SERVICES TO TRANSFORM THEIR OPERATION FROM WEEKTO-WEEK SURVIVAL TO GENUINE SUSTAINABILITY AND SECURITY. THEY NEED INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE, PERSONALIZED EDUCATION TO DEVELOP A BUSINESS OR MARKETING PLAN, AND TRAINING TO ACCESS NEW MARKETS--NOT THE ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL APPROACH THAT IS THE CURRENT NORM IN BEGINNING FARMER EDUCATION AND SUPPORT. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS CRITICAL SERVICE DOESN'T EXIST. CURRENTLY, GEORGIA HAS PROGRAMS SUCH AS UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA EXTENSION JOURNEYMAN FARMER PROGRAM IN LAWRENCEVILLE AND CARROLLTON GEORGIA, TRULY LIVING WELL'S URBAN GROWER TRAINING PROGRAM IN ATLANTA, GEORGIA, AND GLOBAL GROWER'S TRAINING PROGRAM IN DECATUR, GEORGIA. THESE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED FOR ASPIRING GROWERS WITH LITTLE OR NO FARMING EXPERIENCE, OR IN THE CASE OF GLOBAL GROWERS, HAVE NO EXPERIENCE IN THE UNITED STATES. ONCE GROWERS GRADUATE FROM THESE PROGRAMS AND BEGIN THEIR OWN BUSINESSES, SUPPORT SERVICES FALL OFF. WHEN A FARMER HAS A FEW YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AND NEEDS ASSISTANCE TO GROW THEIR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL, THEY HAVE NOWHERE TO TURN. OUR FARMER ACCELERATOR PROGRAM FILLS THIS GAP. WE'VE DESIGNED THIS PROPOSAL TO ENSURE THAT BEGINNING FARMERS RECEIVE EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED TO THRIVE. WE'VE CREATED OUR ACCELERATOR PROGRAM BASED ON THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF EXPERIENCE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH SMALL TO MID-SCALE BEGINNING GROWERS AND LIMITED RESOURCE GROWERS--THROUGH OUR ANNUAL CONFERENCE ATTENDED BY HUNDREDS OF FARMERS, OUR EXPERIENCES WITH TWO BEGINNING FARMER RANCHER GRANTS, AN OAO GRANT, AND A 2018 LFPP GRANT THAT SERVES AS A PILOT FOR OUR ACCELERATOR MODEL. OUR ACCELERATOR WAS DEVELOPED WITH YEARS OF INTENSIVE INPUT FROM THE FARMERS ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND PROGRAM COMMITTEE, WHO REPRESENT DIVERSE FARMERS IN TERMS OF RACE, GENDER, AND URBAN AND RURAL FARMERS. OUR PARTNERS ON THIS PROJECT--THE MIDDLE GEORGIA GROWERS COOPERATIVE, THE SOUTHWEST ATLANTA GROWERS COOPERATIVE, AND THE WEST GEORGIA GROWERS COOPERATIVE HAVE PROVIDED KEY INPUT IN DESIGNING THIS PROGRAM

ASSISTING SDVFRS IN SOUTH GEORGIA

TO REACH 200 FARMERS THROUGH EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS FIELD DAYS AND FARMER TO FARMER MENTORING PROGRAMS

OPENING THE PATHWAYS FOR SOCIALLY-DISADVANTAGED AND VETERAN PRODUCERS IN GEORGIA

RISK MANAGEMENT EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

EDUCATION AND OUTREACH TO FARMERS

GROWING A SELF SUSTAINING CUSTOMER ATTR

FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM

GROWING A SELF-SUSTAINING CUSTOMER ATTR

TO REACH 200 FARMERS THROUGH EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS FIELD DAYS AND FARMER TO FARMER MENTORING PROGRAMS

FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM

NEW CUSTOMER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION CAMPAIGN FOR SIX GEORGIA FARMERS MARKETS

NCE TO 12/31/2021, COVID 19

EMPOWERING COMMUNITY

SEEDING THE SOUTH'S SUSTAINABLE FOOD FUTURE

GEORGIA ORGANICS INC PLANS TO HOLD A CONFERENCE TITLED SOWTH A SMALL FARMS, BIG COMMUNITY CONFERENCE DURING FISCAL YEAR 2025 THAT WILL ADVANCE THE MISSIONS OF BOTH PARTIES. IT WILL BE HELD IN ATLANTA, GA.

FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT

CONSERVATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

GRASSLAND RESERVE PROGRAM

FARM TO SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAM

CULTIVATING SUSTAINABLE AND ORGANIC BEGINNING FARMERS AND RANCHERS IN GEORGIA