Welcome to the 37th annual California Small Farm Conference, a week-long event featuring over 40 online workshops as well as a dozen in-person gatherings around the state. Whether you’re a beginning farmer or a seasoned grower, a local food advocate or a farmers market manager, you’ll find something here for you. This year’s theme, "Rooted in Place", honors the vital relationship between farmers, communities and the land they steward.
Check out the schedule below for event times and locations. Click "Reserve Tickets" to register. Admission is on a sliding-scale, to ensure everyone can attend. Please select the amount you’re comfortable paying. Enjoy the conference!
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This workshop will share research updates from three groups of UC ANR academics seeking to grow the use of CalFresh at farmers’ markets, as well as improve the experience of shoppers using CalFresh at markets. The recent funding threat to Market Match underscored the value of programs that connect direct marketing farmers and shoppers using nutrition assistance benefits. Each research program is testing interventions or listening for information that will strengthen those connections. You’ll hear about:
• NPI’s Market Match Research: In the summer of 2024, the Nutrition Policy Institute enrolled about 80 CalFresh recipients, that don’t use Market Match, in a pilot intervention testing the effectiveness of using text messages to inform participants about the Market Match program offered at a farmers’ market near their recruitment site. Participants completed an initial and follow-up survey, and a small sub-sample took part in an in-depth interview.
• CalFresh at Farmers Market Assessment Tool: UC ANR academics, Shannon Klisch and Cassandra Nguyen, collaborated to develop a tool that supports best practices for market staff to welcome CalFresh shoppers. The tool is based on a systematic review of published literature, pilot testing with market managers, and surveying content experts in the field. Practices included in the tool cover program implementation, accessibility considerations, market culture, communications about programs, and marketing.
• Sacramento Region Market Access Survey: UC Cooperative Extension Advisor Olivia Henry surveyed the managers of 70 markets in the greater Sacramento region in the spring and summer of 2024. She asked about what motivated and challenged them around CalFresh and the WIC/Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. The results point to several recommendations for public agencies and technical assistance providers.
