2018 National Tribal Conservation Districts & USDA Tribal Conference: November 26-29, 2018

Hosted by the Indian Nations Conservation Alliance, this year's theme is "Caring for Mother Earth, Plants and Animals and Strengthening the Circle of Life Through Conservation."  The conference will take place in Catoosa, OK and review collaborative successes between USDA and tribal conservation districts.  FSA's Administrator Richard Fordyce has been invited to present.  Read more here. 

2018 Farmer Veteran Coalition Stakeholders Conference: November 14-15, 2018

FVC's conference provides veterans interested in farming and rancher and careers in Ag an opportunity to hear where to begin and how to access information.

FSA, NRCS and RMA will provide a joint breakout session on Business and Finance: Connecting with USDA.  More information here.

National Black Farmers Association (NBFA) Conference:  November 2-3, 2018

The 28th Annual NBFA Conference will be held at the Shreveport Convention Center in Shreveport, LA.  This annual event, hosted in partnership with the Association of American Indian Farmers and National Women's Farming Association is a 2 day interactive conference with breakout sessions regarding opportunities for small, limited resource and minority farmers and ranchers. 

FSA employees will present on program and loan opportunities availabe to eligible farmers and ranchers.  More info here.

Women, Food and Ag Network (WFAN) Annual Conference: November 2-3, 2018

This two day annual conference offers networking and education to build stronger networks for long lasting change.  The conference will feature women through regional field tours, day-long intensives; farm to table dinne; art+story featuring work by women farmers; creative community building and workshops.  

FSA National Outreach Specialist Esther Lin will be a featured workshop presenter from headquarters. More info here.

National FFA Convention:  October 24-27, 2018 

Visit the FSA Booth at the 91st National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis, IN.  FFA is a youth organization dedicated to preparing members for leadership and careers in the science, business and technology of Agriculture.  Over 60,000 expected to attend. Stop by to learn about USDA new online business transactions! Learn more here.

Past Events

Armed to Urban Farm Training:  September 10-14, 2018

National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)'s Armed to Farm program provides sustainable Agricultural training for military veterans.  The goals of Armed to Farm are to train veterans and their partners to operate sustainable crop and livestock enterprises through technical assistance.  The program creates a network for veterans starting careers in sustainable agriculture.

Armed to Urban Farm will take place at the National 4-H Center in Chevy Chase, MD.  THe training will be divided between class time and travel to urban farms in the Washington, D.C. area for tours and hands-on activities.  The event is free for those who choose to attend.  Participants must pay their own travel costs to and from the event.  More info here.

FSA National Outreach Specialist Esther Lin will participate in the upcoming workshop in Beltsville, MD on September 11 discussing opportunities for veterans through USDA programs.

Intertribal Food Sovereignty Summit August 20-23, 2018

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and Narragansett Indian Tribe collaborate to share successes and highlight the needs in rebuilding a legacy of food sovereignty. 

FSA Acting Associate Administrator Steve Peterson will participate on the USDA panel on August 21st at the Pequot Museum in Mashantucket, Connecticut. More info here.

National Black Growers' Council: 2018 Model Farm Series Field Day - August 17, 2018

NBGC was organized to represent the unique needs of full time Black farmers.  The organization is committed to improving the efficiency, productivity and sustainability of black row crop farmers.  Field Days are held across the southern states to teach young men and women about the virtues of farming, the importance of agriculture,a nd the committment it takes to be successful in the global business of agriculture.  A Model Farm Series Field Day will be held at Haynie Farms in Hopewell, VA on August 17, 2018.

National Stakeholder Engagement Specialist Shayla Watson-Porter is scheduled to attend from National headquarters.  More info here.

Enhancing Rural Economies through Agroforestry:  Assessing Emerging Opportunties March 19-21, 2018

The USDA National Agroforestry Center, the USDA Interagency Agroforestry Team, and the USDA Economic Research Service are convening an invitation-only workshop to lay the foundation for assessing economic opportunities for the agricultural community to benefit from agroforestry. Producers, researchers, and professionals from the public, private, and non-profit sectors will discuss opportunities for enhancing the profitability of agroforestry through increased access to resources, markets, and payments and markets for ecosystem services. Small group discussions will identify ways to assess and strengthen these emerging opportunities.

FSA Stakeholder Engagement Specialist Sarah Campbell will participate in the workshop's panel discussion on accessing land and credit through the Farm Service Agency. More info here.