Florida Certified Organic Growers & Consumers Inc

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO TRANSITIONING AND ORGANIC AGRICULTURE PRODUCERS IN THE U.S. SOUTHEAST (NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, FLORIDA, ALABAMA, MISSISSIPPI, LOUISIANA, PUERTO RICO, VIRGIN ISLANDS). THE AGREEMENT PROVIDES FOR FARMER-TO-FARMER MENTORING, COMMUNITY BUILDING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND DATA AND REPORTING. THE RECIPIENT AND PARTNERS WILL PLAN, COORDINATE, AND OVERSEE ACTIVITIES SUCH AS DIRECT FARMER MENTORING, FIELD DAYS, AND EDUCATIONAL EVENTS. THE GOAL OF THE AWARD IS TO HELP AGRICULTURE PRODUCERS OVERCOME BARRIERS TO ORGANIC PRODUCTION AND CERTIFICATION, INCLUDING DURING THE THREE-YEAR TRANSITION PERIOD PRIOR TO ORGANIC CERTIFICATION. RECIPIENTS WILL TRACK PROGRAM PROGRESS THROUGH DATA COLLECTION AND WILL SUBMIT QUARTERLY REPORTS. THIS PROGRAM WILL BENEFIT AGRICULTURE PRODUCERS THROUGH PROGRAM ACTIVITIES AND BY CREATING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE MATERIALS (FACTSHEETS, WEBINARS) THAT WILL BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE THROUGH USDA AND OTHER CHANNELS. THE AWARD WILL RESULT IN SUBAWARDS TO ORGANIC FARMING ORGANIZATIONS, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, AND OTHERS WHO WORK WITH FARMING COMMUNITIES. SUBAWARDEES WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CARRYING OUT ONE OR MORE PRIMARY ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS COORDINATING THE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM IN THEIR STATE OR DEVELOPING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE MATERIALS.

FRESH ACCESS BUCKS: INCREASING FOOD ACCESS AND FLORIDA FARMER SALES AT MARKETS STATEWIDE

FLORIDA FOOD SAFETY ENTREPRENEURSHIP I

FLORIDA CERTIFIED ORGANIC GROWERS CONSUMERS WILL INCREASE THE AVAILABILITY CONSUMPTION AND SALE OF LOCAL FOODS THROUGHOUT FLORIDA. THIS PROJECT WILL IDENTIFY KEY LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM ACTORS TO CONNECT AND BUILD STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS IN THE FOOD SYSTEM BY GATHERING INFORMATION SUCH AS NEEDS AND BARRIERS TO DEVELOP TOOLS AND SUPPORT NETWORK OPPORTUNITIES AND TRAININGS. THE PROJECT WILL SERVE AS A MODEL FOR OTHER COMMUNITIES TO REPLICATE NOT ONLY IN FLORIDA BUT AROUND THE COUNTRY.

THE DISTRIBUTION, SALE, AND CONSUMPTION OF LOCAL AND HEALTHY FOODS IN FLORIDA IS CHALLENGING FOR MANY FARMERS AND CONSUMERS IN OUR STATE. FLORIDA ORGANIC GROWERS AND CONSUMERS INC. (FOG) STARTED THE FLORIDA FARMERS MARKET ASSOCIATION (FFMA) TO BRING TOGETHER FARMERS MARKET MANAGERS, VENDORS, CONSUMERS, AND ORGANIZATIONS TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO THESE PROBLEMS. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC PROVIDED MORE EVIDENCE OF THE URGENT NEED TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT SYSTEMS THAT PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR FARMERS AND CONSUMERS TO WORK TOGETHER TO HELP MAKE OUR CURRENT FOOD DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM MORE EFFICIENT AND EQUITABLE. OUR PROJECT USES A VIRTUAL FARMERS MARKET PLATFORM TO EMPOWER PRODUCERS AND CONSUMERS AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD STRONG, DYNAMIC, AND INTERACTIVE EXCHANGES THAT ENABLES THEM TO SELL AND PURCHASE FOOD WITH FLEXIBILITY AND EFFICIENCY. WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT OUR PROJECT ADDRESSES FUTURE PROBLEMS THAT CITIZENS MAY FACE DURING ADVERSE CIRCUMSTANCES LIKE PANDEMICS OR EXISTING ONES SUCH AS RESIDING IN FOOD DESERTS OR PERSONAL SCHEDULES TO TRAVEL AND VISIT PHYSICAL FARMERS MARKETS WHEN IT IS NOT FEASIBLE. OUR PROJECT IS NOT LIMITED TO FARMERS AND CONSUMERS WHO BUY AND SELL AT FARMERS MARKETS NOR IS MEANT TO REPLACE THE EXISTING FARMERS MARKET SYSTEM. RATHER, THE GOAL IS TO PROVIDE NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR FARMERS TO MARKET AND SELL THEIR PRODUCTS, WHILE STILL MAINTAINING THE ABILITY TO MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH CONSUMERS SIMILAR TO THOSE MADE IN A PHYSICAL LOCATION AND TOGETHER SHARE THEIR FOOD RELATED EXPERIENCES AND BE PART OF AN EFFORT TO FIND SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEM THAT AFFECTS NUMEROUS PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES EVERY DAY.

FOOD SAFETY EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, TOOLS AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES DEVELOPED TO EDUCATE FARMERS ABOUT THE FOOD SAFETY MODERNIZATION ACT (FSMA) REGULATIONS MAY NOT ALWAYS BE READILY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL FARMERS. SOME OF THE FORMAL TRAININGS THAT HAVE BEEN USED TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO FARMERS ABOUT THESE FOOD SAFETY REGULATIONS ARE DESIGNED TO BE DELIVERED AS WORKSHOPS OR SHORTCOURSES THAT REQUIRED FARMERS TO ATTEND AT SPECIFIC TIMES AND LOCATIONS DURING THE YEAR. A FREQUENT FEEDBACK FARMERS PROVIDE AT THESE WORKSHOPS IS THAT DUE TO THEIR GROWING SEASONS AND WORK SCHEDULES, THEY WOULD PREFER TO ACQUIRE FOOD SAFETY INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE IN SUCH A WAY THAT THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT NEW AND RELEVANT TOPICS IN THEIR LEISURE TIME AND AT THEIR OWN PACE. WE PROPOSE TO APPLY THE LESSONS LEARN FROM THIS AND OTHER FSMA-RELATED EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING MATERIALS BY DESIGNING SPECIFIC CONTENT THAT WILL BE MUCH MORE ACCESSIBLE TO NEW AND BEGINNING FARMERS, EXPERIENCED FARMERS WHO LIVE FAR AWAY FROM WORKSHOP SITES, AND SPANISH-SPEAKING GROWERS. ALL OF THESE GROUPS OFTEN HAVE DIFFICULTIES OR CHALLENGES TO TRAVEL AWAY FROM THEIR FARMS. THUS, WE BELIEVE THAT OUR PROJECT CAN PROVIDE A FORMAT TO EXPAND FOOD SAFETY INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE TO A BROADER COMMUNITY OF FARMERS. FOG IS CONFIDENT THAT BY CREATING PODCASTS AND WEBINARS THAT PRESENT THOSE FOOD SAFETY TOPICS FARMERS ARE MOST INTERESTED IN, WE CAN DELIVER SAID INFORMATION IN A POINTED AND EFFECTIVE MANNER TO FARMERS AT ALL TIMES, REGARDLESS OF THE SEASON, WEATHER OR SCHEDULES PODCAST ENGAGEMENT HAS GROWN EXPONENTIALLY IN RECENT YEARS. EDUCATION EXPERTS BELIEVE USING PODCASTS TO DELIVER NEW INFORMATION HAS SEVERAL ADVANTAGES. ONE OF ADVANTAGE IS THAT UNLIKE FORMAL WORKSHOPS AND CLASSES, PODCASTS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT ANY TIME. THEY ALSO ALLOW EDUCATORS TO REACH MORE PEOPLE THAN THEY COULD UNDER NORMAL CLASSROOM SETTINGS. FOG BELIEVES THAT PODCASTS AND WEBINARS WILL PROVE TO BE AN EFFICIENT AND COST-EFFECTIVE WAY OF DELIVERY INFORMATION REGARDING FOOD SAFETY TOPICS TO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS WHO HAVE TIME CONSTRAINTS AND ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY DISPERSED. OUR ROAD TO SAFE AND HEALTHY FOOD PODCAST PROJECT WILL INNOVATE HOW WE DELIVER USEFUL INFORMATION TO FARMERS IS KEY TO POSITIVELY INFLUENCING THEIR DECISIONS TO LISTEN AND BE RECEPTIVE TO CRITICAL INFORMATION THAT IS SHARED WITH THEM. THAT IS WHY OUR APPROACH IN THIS PROJECT WILL BE TO PROVIDE PRODUCERS WHO SUBSCRIBE WITH TOOLS THAT STIMULATE AND ENHANCE CRITICAL THINKING THROUGH REAL-LIFE SCENARIO EXERCISES DESIGNED TO FORCE THEM TO REFLECT ON THEIR FOOD SAFETY ASSUMPTIONS AND CONCERNS. CONSEQUENTLY, PRODUCERS CAN USE THE INFORMATION, REAL-LIFE SCENARIOS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WE PROVIDE THROUGH THE PODCASTS AND WEBINARS TO IMPLEMENT ADEQUATE SOLUTIONS TO THEIR FOOD SAFETY CHALLENGES AND PROBLEMS

THIS ACTION APPROVES AN AWARD IN THE AMOUNT OF $168,287 TO THE FLORIDA CERTIFIED ORGANIC GROWERS AND CONSUMERS, INC. TO ASSIST LARGE-SCALE CONVENTI

2017RMEPP

HAWTHORNE COMMUNITY FARMERS MARKET

HAWTHORNE COMMUNITY FARMERS MARKET

EXISTING EBT TECHNOLOGY AND PROMOTION PROJECT IN ALACHUA COUNTY, FLORIDA

COMMUNITY VISION FOR FOOD SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT IN GAINESVILLE-ALACHUA COUNTY

FRESH ACCESS BUCKS: INCREASING FOOD ACCESS AND FLORIDA FARMER SALES AT MARKETS STATEWIDE