Farmers Value Networking Opportunities at Florida Regional Small Farms Conferences

From 2009-2014, the UF/FAMU Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Conference provided a focal point for statewide programming and an opportunity for Extension faculty to work collaboratively in advancing small farms programming statewide. Our team has trained over 4,460 attendees, primarily specialty crop producers, since 2009. Following six consecutive years of annual statewide conferences, our team prioritized building regional networks and hosting regional specialty crop farm conferences in key multi-county areas in Florida in order to facilitate relationship-building within a reasonable geographic area. Areas were selected based on the history of farmer participation at our state conferences, the number and diversity of engaged stakeholders, and the degree of commitment from county Extension faculty. Three regional conferences have been conducted so far, and two more will be offered in fall 2016. The overall conference theme, speakers, and content vary to meet the unique needs of the region. All regional conferences offer keynote speakers, ample networking time, meals featuring local food, concurrent sessions, exhibitor area, and hands-on activities. Pen and paper evaluations are provided to each registrant, and data are entered and analyzed in Qualtrics, an online survey tool that allows us to compile and evaluate data over time. Between 60-75 percent of attendees report knowledge gains and/or intent to change behavior based on our programming. Perhaps what is most striking is the nearly unanimous opinions among our participants that the networking opportunities are the most valuable aspect of these events. Because of this, our team prioritizes unstructured time during each event to allow for fellowship and community-building. Our next challenge will be to determine methodology to accurately describe the social capital we have fostered.