2026 Schedule

This conference track will seek to answer the question: “How do we move from small plots to sustainable, high-impact agriculture programs?” Sessions will feature content on land strategy, staffing, volunteer models, climate-resilient infrastructure (high tunnels, irrigation, cold storage), crop planning, and integration with food bank operations.

Session 1:

• Title: “Scaling Smarter: What Food Banks Can Learn from Harvest Solutions Farm”
• Featuring: Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County, California
• Preview: Gain insights on sustainably scaling farm operations – both up and down – to align with volunteer capacity, optimizing staff resources, and leveraging data tracking for strategy and fundraising.

Session 2:

• Title: “Farm to Food Bank Economics: Balancing Farmer Pricing, Poundage Goals, and Local Procurement at Scale”
• Featuring: Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee
• Preview: Sustainable and equitable funding models for food bank local purchasing programs: including a state-funded case study from Tennessee, how to reframe so everyone wins, and other revenue streams.

Session 3:

• Title: “From Waste to Soil Health: Composting and Circular Models Food Banks Can Use”
• Featuring: Ohio Organics Council and The Green Bean Dream
• Preview: The art, science, and sustainability of composting: key questions on replicable models, balancing technical expertise with community lived experience, and placing farmers and communities at the center of solutions.

Session 4:

• Title: “Tech2Grow: Innovations for Hunger Relief and More Resilient Communities”
• Featuring: CropKing Inc. and Dayton Food Bank
• Preview: How hydroponics, aquaponics, greenhouses, and other tech are helping food banks and others improve food access, provide workforce training, and offer education. A discussion about successes, challenges, funding, community buy-in, and scalability. This session will feature crossover topics and conversations with the Return Voice session track.

This conference track will seek to answer the question: “How do we strengthen the connection between agriculture and health outcomes?” Sessions will feature content on produce prescriptions, medically tailored meals/groceries, clinical partnerships, reimbursement pathways, culturally responsive nutrition education, and practical measurement frameworks.

Session 1:

• Title: “Produce Prescriptions in Practice: What Food Banks Need to Know About Healthcare Partnerships”
• Featuring: Chiesi and Rush University
• Preview: Practical insights from the Veggie Rx produce prescription program: funding, community buy-in, partnerships with local suppliers and food banks, and long-term sustainability.

Session 2:

• Title: “Food as Medicine in Rural Communities: Building Trusted Pathways from Food Access to Care”
• Featuring: American Heart Association
• Preview: How food access is an entry point to address broader health needs: a case study of informal community-led networks among rural agricultural workers. This session will feature crossover topics and conversations with the Return Voice session track.

This conference track will seek to answer the question: “How do we ensure this work is led with communities rather than done to communities?” Sessions will feature content on neighbor-led growing models, culturally connected foods, land access/ownership solutions, farmer trust and fair procurement, and advocacy approaches that protect and expand local food systems.

Session 1:

• Title: “Beyond Distribution: Helping Pantries Center Dignity, Feedback, and Community Voice”
• Featuring: Rural Advancement Foundation International
• Preview: Food pantries, volunteers, and faith leaders: practical tools from a case study to transform food access projects into collaborative, community-driven spaces.

Session 2:

• Title: “From Listening to Action: How Food Banks Convene Communities and Build Plans People Trust”
• Featuring: Feeding America
• Preview: How community-centered conversations build the relationships, trust, and shared learning necessary for resilient and equitable local food systems.

Session 3:

• Title: “Growing the Next Generation: Youth Agriculture, Local Food Systems, and Our Future Workforce”
• Featuring: NC State Agricultural Department and FFA
• Preview: How national models like FFA and 4H encourage young people into agriculture and get them hooked for life. This session will feature crossover topics and conversations with the Return Voice session track.

• 9am – 12pm: Optional farm tours (includes Gardens for Everyone demo)
• 2pm – 4pm: Plant Your Feet: Structured networking and introductions – based on pre-event survey of who attendees most want to connect with.
• 4pm – 5:30pm: Opening Session / Keynote speaker / highlight speakers – and achievements from last year
• 5:30pm – 6:30pm: Welcome Reception

• 8am – 9am: Breakfast/table topics
• 9am – 10:30am: Breakout sessions
• 10:30am – 10:45am: Coffee and networking break
• 10:45am – 12:15pm: Breakout sessions
• 12:15pm – 2pm: Lunch, networking, and Trade Show
• 2:00pm – 3:30pm: Breakout sessions
• 3:30pm – 4pm: Coffee and networking break
• 4pm – 5pm: General session
• 5:30pm – 6:30pm: Rooftop Reception featuring Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s Horizon’s Catering and Culinary Apprenticeship Program

• 8am – 9am: Breakfast/table topics
• 9am – 10am: General session
• 10am – 11:30am: Planning sessions
• 11:30am – 12pm: Closing session