Attendees discovered from Reggie and Roger Ramos, house owners and operators of Develop with the Circulate. Pictures by Lydia Hsu. 

World Growers’ mannequin is to create a “coworking area” for farmers to come back in with their very own concepts and companies, share infrastructure and tools, and be in neighborhood with one another. By pooling these sources, capital bills and start-up prices are diminished, farmers have an area to discover ways to scale their enterprise, enter native markets, and faucet into one another’s farming experience. This notion of constructing neighborhood to strengthen and help Licensed Natural growers in Georgia is a key purpose why Georgia Organics launched the Georgia Licensed Natural Community (GCON) in 2023. 

GEORGIA CERTIFIED ORGANIC NETWORK (GCON) 2023 PROGRAM RECAP 

The primary convening of GCON passed off in Feb. 2023 on the Georgia Organics Convention & Expo in Perry, GA. This system was launched in response to the necessity for extra complete and tangible help for farmers who’re presently Licensed Natural in Georgia. In April 2023, a survey was performed to get suggestions from Georgia’s Licensed Natural growers to information the course of the GCON program. The principle suggestions obtained was that there was a necessity for advertising sources, farmer neighborhood constructing, in-person networking occasions, and academic workshops. In Might 2023, the primary digital GCON networking session passed off to share-out the survey findings and let Licensed Natural growers know what the 2023 GCON program would come with.  

In response to the survey suggestions, Georgia Organics developed Natural advertising sources, together with Licensed Natural market flags, an informative Natural magnet for patrons, and academic brochures for Natural customers. These advertising sources have been distributed to Licensed Natural growers in Sept. 2023 and Dec. 2023 throughout Natural Focus Teams that passed off following the Natural Growers Farmer Subject Days. These Natural Focus Teams have been in-person networking alternatives for Licensed Natural farmers to be taught from one another, focus on greatest practices, and construct neighborhood and connections.  

In complete, Georgia Organics distributed 11 market flags, over 400 magnets, and 500 shopper academic brochures to farmers who participated within the Subject Days and Focus Teams. In flip, Georgia Organics’ Farmer Companies crew gained worthwhile suggestions from Natural growers on priorities for 2024 GCON programming.