2023 "Growing Together" Black Farmer Conference to be Held April 21

Contact:
Christine Chavez (213) 216-3519

FRESNO, Calif., April 19, 2023 – Conservation partners in California are hosting the second annual USDA “Growing Together” Black and Urban Farmers Conference, that will be held on Friday, April 21, 2023, in Fresno, Calif.  This conference is the only one of its kind in California.

Hosted by the West Fresno Family Resource Center and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the conference is open to all farmers and ranchers, yet is uniquely tailored towards black and urban farmers in California. Topics will include natural resource conservation, climate smart agriculture practices, and why farming networks are so important for success. 

“The Growing Together conference is an open forum for farmers and ranchers to share, learn, and grow together,” says NRCS California State Conservationist Carlos Suarez, of NRCS California. “NRCS is committed to increasing outreach efforts to minority producers. Black farmers, especially in the Central Valley, constitute an important group of farmers who can benefit from USDA conservation program assistance. Additionally, urban farmers are an increasing farming demographic and we’re here to support them.”

The free conference will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Lynda and Stewart Resnick Student Union at Fresno State University. The conference will include a free continental breakfast and lunch for participating farmers. Please contact Christine Chavez at (213) 216-3519 with any questions or logistics needs.

This one-day statewide conference will be a great opportunity for farmers and ranchers to network and learn about resources available to them. Workshops will cover several topics including but not limited to: 1) Beginning Farming 2) Youth in Agriculture; 3) Resources from Agencies; 4) Urban Farming; and 5) USDA Farm Loans. The conference will also allow time for networking with other farmers and ranchers and with more than a dozen resource booths.

The West Fresno Family Resource Center was established in 2001, West Fresno Health Care Coalition (DBA: West Fresno Family Resource Center), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, serves residents of one of the poorest metropolitan communities in California’s Central Valley, southwest Fresno and beyond.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service is the lead USDA partner in this conference. NRCS has provided leadership in a partnership effort to help America's private landowners and managers conserve their soil, water and other natural resources since 1935. For more information on NRCS, visit http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA's Target Center at {202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

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