October 31, 2019
California Small Farms Conference
Paso Robles, February 27-29, 2020
Local food, innovation, community roots, and healthy soils—just a few of the things you'll find growing on small farms all across California. Join us in February 2020 for the 32nd annual California Small Farm Conference where farmers, ranchers, market managers and local food advocates gather each year to explore hot topics in sustainable agriculture, work to bridge field and fork, sharpen their skills, network and give voice to those growing a more resilient food system from the soil up.

The California Alliance of Farmers' Markets will be facilitating a one-day farmers’ market manager training on Thursday, February 27th. The training will be designed for new and more experienced farmers’ market managers and operational staff. More information available here. Get your ticket for the pre-conference training on the CSFC website .

The Alliance will also be offering scholarships for conference & training registration costs, travel and lodging. Fill out the scholarship application form by November 30th.

We hope to see you there!
Alliance Celebrates National Farmers' Day
with Chef Roy Choi
In celebration of National Farmers’ Day on October 12th, the California Alliance of Farmers’ Markets released the last video of their farmers’ market promotion series. The video features chef Roy Choi shopping at his local certified farmers’ market with California farmer Penny Nicholas of Nicholas Family Farms. We hope you enjoy, share, and thank a farmer. Farmers—we appreciate all the hard work you do! #TheFutureisLocal

Follow the Alliance on Facebook and Instagram .
Farm Fresh Fun at the Hoes Down
On October 5th, members of the Farmers’ Market Access & Equity team, as well as other Ecology Center staff, attended the Hoes Down Harvest Festival at Fully Belly Farm in Guinda, CA. They were able to attend workshops on various farming topics, get a tour of the farm, and sample organic, farm-fresh foods. If you missed it, we hope you can make it next year!
New FMAE Program Coordinator
Welcome to our new team member, Lucy Asako Boltz!

Lucy joins the Ecology Center as a Farmers’ Market Access and Equity Program Coordinator. She has experience in public humanities programming, grantmaking, and farming. She coordinates the Market Match program and works with the rest of the Farmers’ Market Access and Equity team to make healthy food more accessible to low income communities and to build a stronger localized food system by connecting consumers to small and mid-sized farms. Lucy received a certificate in Ecological Horticulture from the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems at UC Santa Cruz in the fall of 2019. Previously she worked with California Humanities as a program staff member supporting state-wide grantmaking, public programming and evaluation. She holds a B.A. in Ethnic Studies from Brown University and is interested in small-scale organic farming, food and seed sovereignty and all history talks at the Oakland Public Library/Oakland History Room.

You can contact Lucy at lucy@ecologycenter.org or 510-548-2220 ext. 227.
Ecology Center Job Openings
Farmers’ Market Access & Equity Program Manager, Leah Ricci, will be stepping down from her role at the Ecology Center in early November. Over the past 4 years at the Ecology Center, Leah has been a champion of making healthy food accessible to all Californians, supporting small-scale and local farmers, and strengthening certified farmers' markets. During her time at the Ecology Center, she helped grow the Market Match Consortium from 27 to nearly 50 partner organizations across the state. Leah has been a steadfast partner and leader in the Market Match Consortium, and her patience, enthusiasm, and attention to detail will be missed!

The Ecology Center is now recruiting a new staff member to lead the Market Match and Farmers’ Market EBT programs as the Farmers’ Market Access & Equity Program Manager . We are now accepting and reviewing applications, so please help us spread the word about this position!
  
We're also looking for a Food & Farming Program Manager to lead the California Alliance of Farmers’ Markets and oversee efforts to advance CalFresh access and healthy food incentives at farm-direct settings.

See all Ecology Center job openings here .
Farmers' Market Access and Equity Program | Ecology Center
(510) 925-4001 | ebt@ecologycenter.org | www.ecologycenter.org/ebt