NWA Local Food Systems Conference · December 9–10, 2026
Sessions & Workshops
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.
Additional sessions will be announced. Times and room assignments will be added when the schedule is finalized.
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.
Sessions
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.
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.
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.
Social Media Marketing 101
Jeremy Tran · Pollari Media
Marketing doesn’t have to be complicated or require a big budget. Learn simple ways to tell your story, reach more people, and turn everyday moments into content that gets noticed. This beginner-friendly session welcomes farmers, market managers, small businesses, nonprofits, and food entrepreneurs.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Workshops
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 costs to grow your products matters. Ellen will walk through a practical costing tool using real numbers from a farmer in the room, helping you better understand production costs and make more informed business decisions.
Creating a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP): Building a Life-Saving Response for Your Organization
Beth Jones · American Heart Association
Learn how to prepare your organization to respond to sudden cardiac arrest. This workshop covers emergency response teams, AED readiness, staff training, communication protocols, and ongoing maintenance of a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan.
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 performed, then use what you learn to plan ahead. Ellen will share a year-end financial checklist and walk through the reports, analysis, records, and conversations that can guide your 2027 crop plan and seed purchases.
Join us in December
Register for the NWA Local Food Systems Conference on December 9–10 in Springdale.
Register Now