Speakers
2026 Tennessee Local Food Summit
Keynote Speakers
Nancy Matsumoto
Reaping What She Sows: Women Leading Agroecological Change Across the Food System, Saturday, December 5, 11:30 AM
Author, Reaping What She Sows
Co-Founder & Farm Director, Soul Fire Farm
Leah Penniman
Afro-Indigenous Agrarian Wisdom, Friday, December 4, 11:30 AM
Abhirami Thaivalappil
Akua Adu-Gyamfi
From Waste to Access: Hands-On Strategies for Reducing Food Loss and Building No-Loss Local Food Systems, Friday, December 4, 2:00 PM
Amy M. Koné
Double Up! How to Match SNAP Food Bucks at Farmers Markets, Friday, December 4, 9:00 AM
Anna Grace Dastugue
Nutrition Safety Net Programs Help Families and Farmers By Increasing Access to Produce, Friday, December 4, 3:15 PM
Braxton Bradley
Healthy Soil, Healthy Plants, Healthy Life, Friday, December 4, 9:00 AM
Brittney Sessoms
Caroline Ideus
From Farm2Future: Building Tennessee’s School Food Supply Chain Through Local Procurement, Friday, December 4, 2:00 PM
Chris Battle
Transforming LILA into LIFE, Friday, December 4, 2:00 PM
Ciera Garner
Growing Native: Supporting Pollinators and Beneficial Insects on Farms, Friday, December 4, 2:00 PM
De'Anthony Price
Fireside Chat: Organic and Other Certifications, Saturday, December 5, 9:00 AM
Dr. Dilip Nandwani
Tennessee State University
Fireside Chat: Organic and Other Certifications, Saturday, December 5, 9:00 AM
Emily Stutzman
On-Farm Food as Medicine Education: Supporting Regenerative Farming and Nutrition Education, Saturday, December 5, 2:00 PM
Ellen Polishuk
Plant to Profit
Ellen Polishuk Intensive: Finding Profitability in Tough Times, Friday, December 4, 9:00 AM – 4:15 PM
Femeika Elliott
Farm to Postpartum: Reclaiming the Seeded Lineage Between Land, Birth, and Nourishment, Saturday, December 5, 3:15 PM
Greg Brann
Improving the Land and Environment with Livestock, Saturday, December 5, 10:15 AM
Irucka Embry
A Hands-On, Late Fall Fermentation Workshop for Health, Friday, December 4, 3:15 PM
Ja’Niyah Vaughn
Farm to Postpartum: Reclaiming the Seeded Lineage Between Land, Birth, and Nourishment, Saturday, December 5, 3:15 PM
Jeff Poppen
Water Without Irrigation: Dry Land Farming and Market Gardening, Saturday, December 5, 2:00 PM
Plastic-Free Market Gardening, Saturday, December 5, 3:15 PM
Jeremy Lekich
From Seed to Celebration: Song, Dance, and Story in Food Traditions, Saturday, December 5, 3:15 PM
Jess Wilson
TN Statewide Ag Policy Coalition - Updates and Next Steps, Saturday, December 5, 9:00 AM
Jesse Fleisher
Low-Till and No-Till Soil Management for Fruit & Vegetable Production in Tennessee, Friday, December 4, 2:00 PM
Human-Scale Farming: Tools and Supplies We Use on a 3-Acre Vegetable Farm, Friday, December 4, 10:15 AM
Josh Wilson
Kalil White
Beyond the ‘Food Desert’: Understanding Food Apartheid & the Black Food Justice Movement, Friday, December 4, 10:15 AM
Krisi Olivero
Meet the Microorganisms, Friday, December 4, 10:15 AM
Laila Malik
Beyond the ‘Food Desert’: Understanding Food Apartheid & the Black Food Justice Movement, Friday, December 4, 10:15 AM
Logan Woods
Lotus Chaney
Community-Led Climate Adaptation: A Native Plant Seed Saving Workshop, Friday, December 4, 2:00 PM
Mak Huam
Beyond the ‘Food Desert’: Understanding Food Apartheid & the Black Food Justice Movement, Friday, December 4, 10:15 AM
Margarita Velandia
What should I charge for my vegetables at the market?, Friday, December 4, 2:00 PM
Marie Holzer
On-Farm Food as Medicine Education: Supporting Regenerative Farming and Nutrition Education, Saturday, December 5, 2:00 PM
Nella Frierson
'Ms. Pearl'
From Seed to Celebration: Song, Dance, and Story in Food Traditions, Saturday, December 5, 3:15 PM
Nikkole Turner
Raising Adventurous Eaters: Hands-On Strategies for Parents and Children, Friday, December 4, 9:00 AM
Nurisa Phillips
Discussion on the Farm: Owner/Manager Relationships, Saturday, December 5, 10:15 AM
Obiora Embry
A Hands-On, Late Fall Fermentation Workshop for Health, Friday, December 4, 3:15 PM
Paige Summers
Double Up! How to Match SNAP Food Bucks at Farmers Markets, Friday, December 4, 9:00 AM
Randall Thomlinson
Grazing Consultant
Ruminating on Grazing-Based Business Opportunities and Risks, Saturday, December 5, 2:00 PM
Rishitha Nalabothu
Samantha Smith Goyret
From Farm2Future: Building Tennessee’s School Food Supply Chain Through Local Procurement, Friday, December 4, 2:00 PM
Shahar Hartman
Dr. Stephanie Patterson
On-Farm Food as Medicine Education: Supporting Regenerative Farming and Nutrition Education, Saturday, December 5, 2:00 PM
Stephen Smith
Genetic Diversity in Practice: Heirloom Crops in Regenerative Agriculture Systems, Friday, December 4, 3:15 PM
Susana Lein
Landrace Seed Selection for Regenerative and Resilient Food Production, Saturday, December 5, 9:00 AM
Tasha Holloway
Raising Adventurous Eaters: Hands-On Strategies for Parents and Children, Friday, December 4, 9:00 AM
Thomas Ruggles
Beyond the ‘Food Desert’: Understanding Food Apartheid & the Black Food Justice Movement, Friday, December 4, 10:15 AM
Tyler Skelton
Small Scale Dairy Production, Saturday, December 5, 3:15 PM
Yolanda Manning
Nashville Farmers Market
Farmers Market Managers Listening Session, Friday, December 4, 10:15 AM