When we know better, we can do better.

Tennessee Local Food is a 501(c)(3) that works throughout the region to support local farmers by offering educational workshops on sustainable business and production practices, while providing networking opportunities. We educate consumers about the value of a community-based food system and ways to access locally grown food, and connect various stakeholders from our food system– including producers, distributors, processors, restaurateurs, and policy makers– in an effort to strengthen our local food shed.

How it all started

The organization started when over a decade ago, Jeff Poppen, after farming organically for 40 years, had a giant, industrial chicken house move in next door to his organic farm. Devastated as he was, he knew that educating consumers and producers about sustainable, regenerative agriculture and the importance of organic, local food was the best way to fight back against this terrible misfortune, so he founded the TN Local Food Summit.

TN Local Food spent the first 10 years of its existence being a volunteer-run event, hosting the annual conference first at Green Door Gourmet, then at Lipscomb University, Trevecca Nazarene University, Vanderbilt University, and Tennessee State University, Montgomery Bell Academy, and Harpeth Hall.

The conference brought together small farmers, consumers, restauranteurs, business owners, expert speakers, and other local food stakeholders for workshops, lectures, chef demonstrations, conversations, a vendor trade show, and amazing meals.

Where we are now

Thirteen years later, TN Local Food has expanded to be more than just an annual summit, and is now working with a broader focus beyond just Middle Tennessee by partnering with organizations across the region. We now host many events throughout the year including panel discussions, film screenings, hands-on workshops on farms, and recently raised $19k to help farmers devastated by storm damage through our Farmer Relief Fund. We are now partnering with the organizations such as Patagonia, Amazon, The Nashville Food Project, and others across the region to coordinate high-impact events in order to help grow the local food movement.

The amount of momentum, need, and success that the organization has had in facilitating the growth of the local food movement and influencing local policy while supporting farmers and educating consumers is extraordinary, and we are grateful for the many partnerships and collaborations that continue to come together, helping to build a robust and resilient local food system in the Southeast region.