Local food leader workshop to be held in Kearney

Two women standing at a table with baked goods with a tent over them at a farmers market
Small Towns
Farm and Food
Contact(s)

Anna Johnson, farm & community manager, 402.687.2100 ext. 1027, annaj@cfra.org; or Teresa Hoffman, senior communications associate, 402.687.2100 ext. 1012, teresah@cfra.org

KEARNEY, NEBRASKA – Farmers and ranchers, restaurant owners, and local food supporters in Buffalo County are invited to take part in a skills development program resulting in Local Food Leader Certification.

This “Local Food Leader'' workshop will be Friday, March 10, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Buffalo County Community Partners Office, 1755 Prairie View Place, in Kearney—located inside the Richard Young Outpatient Clinic. The course will be facilitated by Justin Carter of the Center for Rural Affairs in collaboration with Buffalo County Community Partners.

“The Local Food Leaders workshop will bring food champions from different sectors to collectively address food insecurity in Buffalo County,” said Martha Marfileno, Wellness Coordinator and Bilingual Central Navigator with Buffalo County Community Partners.

Topics covered include food systems, equity and personal values, leadership styles and evaluation, action plans, and professional development. There will also be a chance to network.

“The Local Food Leader training is a great introduction to work in local food systems,” said Anna Johnson, farm and community manager with the Center. “The session will cover different food sectors such as production, processing, and waste management while also concentrating on equity and teaching techniques. Participants will create action plans and leave with a strategy to improve local food access in Buffalo County.”

This project coincides with a community program that will increase access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) benefits in the Kearney Area Farmers Market.

“SNAP & DUFB is an innovative program in our community that may impact the 41.2% of children in Buffalo County who participate in free and reduced school lunches,” Marfileno said.

Registration is required by March 7; visit cfra.org/events to register. Participants are eligible for a stipend; space is limited. For more information, contact Johnson at annaj@cfra.org or 402.687.2100 ext. 1027.

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This event is funded by a Food Security Innovation Grant from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

All Center for Rural Affairs events and activities are open to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable arrangements for persons with disabilities and/or persons with limited English proficiency (LEP) will be made if requested in advance.

Fully vaccinated people are not required to wear a mask or maintain social distance. Those who are not yet fully vaccinated are asked to either take a self-administered COVID-19 test (with a negative result) prior to leaving for the event or mask and maintain distance while at the event. If you are feeling ill in any way, please refrain from attending.

Established in 1973, the Center for Rural Affairs is a private, nonprofit organization working to strengthen small businesses, family farms and ranches, and rural communities through action oriented programs addressing social, economic, and environmental issues.