Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group presents: Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms Conference
Our Biggest Conference to Date!

Over 1,450 enthusiastic farmers, market managers, researchers, service providers, and community food activists from all over the country descended on Lexington, Kentucky for Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group's (SSAWG) 25th anniversary conference. 
Attention 2016 Attendees: Register to Win a 2017 Conference Registration

We want your feedback on the 2016 conference. What were your favorite sessions? What topics do you want to see at future conferences? We have set up an online survey, as a quick and easy way for you to give us your feedback. Once you complete the conference evaluation form, be sure to fill in your name to be entered into a drawing for ONE FREE 2017 Conference Registration. 

Only one entry per participant. Prize is non-transferrable. The deadline for entry into the free registration is midnight on February 29th. The winner will be notified via email.
Thank you to the organizations and institutions that provided scholarships for farmers to attend this conference, including:

Alabama A&M  *  Berea College
Kentucky State University  *  Louisiana State University
National Center for Appropriate Technology/Univ. of Arkansas 
Southern University  *  Tennessee State University

A special thank you to the USDA's Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (Southern SARE) for providing conference scholarship funds to all of the South's land-grant institutions!

Thanks, also, to Alison and Paul Wiediger. Both Alison and Paul donated funds to support 25 fee waivers each this year to celebrate Southern SAWG's 25th anniversary and to celebrate the growth in local foods and sustainable agriculture that so many have helped bring about over the last 25 years. 
Highlights of the Conference

The Thursday evening events really put the conference into full gear. In our first Voices from the Field plenary, we heard experienced farmers share some of their most amusing moments in farming. Their stories had everyone in stitches. The book signing that followed had long lines of eager attendees waiting to get a signed copy of their favorite author's book.

Pam Dawling's session "Intensive Vegetable Production on a Small Scale" was so popular (standing room only!), that we scheduled an encore presentation for later that afternoon. If you missed it or want to review your notes, her presentation is available here. We also have a list of some other slideshows our 2016 presenters have posted here.
Saturday evening, after the Taste of Kentucky banquet dinner, we traveled through time in Skip Polson's Tardis (powered by the cosmic energy of cowbells) to review the last 25 years in sustainable agriculture. And for the big finale, we held the grand prize drawing for a Grillo walk-behind tractor, generously donated by Earth Tools. Congrats to Alice Evans, Executive Director of Alabama Sustainable Agriculture Network, who was the big winner. We know the tractor will be put to good use.

There's so much more to report that we can't fit it all in one newsletter! So, check out our website, Facebook page, photo gallery, and conference social media feed to learn more about the event. If you have never been to our conference, and are wondering if it is for you, check out the past program or read some of our stories from first time attendees about their experience at a Southern SAWG conference. 

Listen to Your Favorite Sessions Again, and Again!

Rhino Technologies recorded all our general conference sessions as well as the three Voices from the Field plenaries. For a very reasonable fee, you can download digital files for some or all of the sessions here. They also offer CDs or DVDs by mail order or you can place your order over the phone. Download an order form here.
A Big Thanks to All!

Thank you to all who participated in this event, led sessions, hosted field trips, facilitated sessions, served on plenary panels, provided scholarship funds, contributed food, displayed posters and exhibited. Thank you, also, to those who coordinated these activities!
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