It Takes a Region Conference - 2015

The 2015 Conference - Putting MOVE in the Movement!

Civil rights, labor, women’s rights—the movements that transformed our world can give us insight on ways to accelerate food systems change. What can we learn from leaders past and present? How can we better organize our work, our networks, our message, our media?

Nearly 300 farm and food practitioners across the 12-state Northeast region—from farmers to researchers to policymakers—came to Saratoga Springs, NY, to to learn, debate, collaborate, and innovate solutions to critical food systems issues and to help build the movement for a sustainable and just farm and food system. We were honored to have Shirley Sherrod as our keynote speaker this year. Ms. Sherrod, a longtime civil rights activist and advocate for family farmers, is the former Georgia State Director of Rural Development for USDA and currently serves as Executive Director of the Southwest Georgia Project for Community Education. To learn more about her life and work, read her bio.

All sessions this year were asked to consider and address equity issues fundamental to their topic and to consider what more we can do to advance the movement as it relates to each topic. No one has all the "answers" but with open minds and a diverse mix of expertise and experience we can explore, brainstorm and consider our next steps -- together -- and back home in our own communities.

Read a Recap of the 2015 Conference

Download Session Presentations, Handouts, & Notes