NWA Local Food Systems Conference · December 9–10, 2026
Session Schedule
Explore this year’s keynote, sessions, and workshops. Find practical ideas for your farm, food business, market, or community organization, and learn from people working across our local food system.
Day 1 : December 9, 2026
Join us for a day of practical learning and connection across Northwest Arkansas’ local food system, followed by a happy hour reception at Market Center of the Ozarks.
During breakout sessions, choose the topic that best fits your interests. All times are Central.
7:45 - 8:30 am | Registration & Coffee
Conference registration opens.
Coffee and breakfast pastries are provided by local bakers.
8:30 - 9 am | Opening Remarks
NWA Local Food Network
The conference begins with introductions and opening remarks.
9 - 10 am | Keynote: Farming Is Hard, and Yet We Persist
Ellen Polishuk, Plant to Profit
Why does farming feel harder than ever? Drawing on 30 years of farming and eight years as a business advisor and farm therapist, Ellen shares what she has learned working alongside farms across the country. Explore the realities of small-scale agriculture, the many ways farmers define success, and the resilience it takes to keep going.
10:20 - 11:20 am | Morning Session 1
Farmer Panel: Lessons from the Field
Linda Coffey, NCAT
Hear from farmers at different stages of growth and working across different business models about the decisions, challenges, and lessons that have shaped their operations. This peer-to-peer conversation offers practical perspectives to help you think intentionally about the business you want to build.
From Purchasing Power to Local Impact: Making Institutional Procurement Work for Local Food
Kim Bryden, Cureate
Institutions have tremendous purchasing power, but buying locally requires navigating sourcing, pricing, compliance, volume, logistics, and internal purchasing processes. Drawing on Cureate’s work with hospitals, schools, universities, and other large buyers, this session shares practical strategies for moving more food dollars into local communities.
Managing the Market Like You Don’t Own It
Doug Walton
Discuss challenges and opportunities for long-term market success. Topics include recognizing strategic partners, identifying needs and priorities, sustaining programs, and shared concerns of market managers and stakeholders.
11:30 am - 12:30 pm | Morning Session 2
For Chefs: The Importance of Ordering Local and How to Get Started
Chef Matt Cooper, Conifer / Ryn
Learn how to start small with local sourcing, build consistency in your purchasing, and develop strong relationships with local farmers. Explore how serving local products consistently can build customer trust and a loyal client base.
More Than a Benefit: Unlocking the Potential of Farmers Market Nutrition Programs for Farmers, Families, and Communities
Speaker Information Coming Soon
Learn how Farmers Market Nutrition Programs can connect local farmers, food access, nutrition, and community health. Hear about program successes and challenges, and explore how partnerships can strengthen participation and build a more connected local food system.
12:30 - 1:30 pm Local Lunch Provided
1:30 - 2:30 pm | Afternoon Session 3
Beyond the Menu: Marketing Your Food Business
Daniel Koonce, Startup Junkie
Explore effective marketing strategies to help your restaurant, food truck, or catering business attract customers and keep them coming back. Discover free and paid resources, compare marketing options, and learn how to focus your time and budget on what makes sense for your business.
2:50 - 3:50pm | Afternoon Session 4
Finding New Markets for Your Business
Speaker Information Coming Soon
Coming soon
Bridging the Gap: Local Food as a Healthcare Strategy
Lisa Stafford, Community Clinic
Community Clinic and Spring Creek Food Hub explore how healthcare organizations can build lasting connections between patients and local food resources.
4:00 - 5:00 pm | Afternoon Session 5
Building a Farm Team: When and How to Hire
Heather Friedrich, Center for Arkansas Farms and Food
How do you decide when to hire, when to change your production system, or when to simply stay small? Farmers with different approaches to labor will share what they have learned about the costs, benefits, challenges, and tradeoffs of building a farm business around their available labor.
From Ideas to Action: Build Your Marketing Plan
Harrison Kitson, Startup Junkie
Bring your business goals to this hands-on workshop and turn them into a practical marketing plan. Leave with a clear audience, marketing tactics, and an action schedule you can start implementing right away.
Introduction to Entrepreneurship
Speaker Information Coming Soon
Coming soon
Farmers Markets & the Arkansas Food Freedom Act: What Vendors Need to Know
Jeff Jackson, Arkansas Department of Health
Get an overview of the Arkansas Food Freedom Act and its impact on farmers market vendors. Learn about permitted and prohibited products, labeling and disclosure requirements, and the responsibilities of selling homemade foods to informed consumers.
5:30 - 6:30 pm | Happy Hour Reception at Market Center of the Ozarks
Day 2: December 10, 2026
Participate in a hands-on day of interactive workshops led by expert facilitators.
All times are Central.
8:00 - 8:30 am | Registration & Coffee
Conference registration opens.
Coffee and breakfast pastries are provided by local bakers.
Morning Workshop 1
8:30 am - 12:30 pm
How to Figure Out What it Costs You to Grow One Single Thing
Ellen Polishuk, Plant to Profit
With margins tighter than ever, knowing what it actually costs to grow your products is more important than ever. Ellen will walk through a simple-ish costing tool using the real numbers from a farmer in the room, giving participants a practical way to better understand their own production costs and make more informed business decisions
10:00 - 11:30 am
Creating a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP): Building a Life-Saving Response for Your Organization
Beth Jones, Community Impact Director for the American Heart Association
A Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) helps organizations prepare for and respond effectively to a sudden cardiac arrest emergency. In this workshop, participants will learn the key components of a successful CERP, including emergency response team development, AED readiness, staff training, communication protocols, and ongoing program maintenance to help save lives and improve outcomes.
12:30 - 1:30 pm | Local Lunch Provided
Afternoon Workshop 2
1:30 - 3:30 pm
Finishing Strong - How a Year End Review Can Propel You into Next Year
Ellen Polishuk, Plant to Profit
Close out the year with a clear picture of how your farm actually performed, then use what you learn to plan for the year ahead. Ellen will provide a year-end financial checklist and walk through the reports, analysis, records, and conversations that can help you understand what worked, what didn’t, and what to consider as you develop your 2027 crop plan and make seed purchases.
1:30 - 4:30 pm
From Ideas to Action: Building Local Food Access Partnerships
Sarah Joyner, Market Center of the Ozarks
Hear from organizations that are already working across sectors to connect people with locally produced food, followed by a facilitated conversation about how partnerships can turn individual efforts into greater community impact. Participants will leave with ideas, connections, and a potential next step for building a local food access partnership in their own community.