California Small Farm Conference to have online and in-person events across state

In its 35th year, the California Small Farm Conference will be hosted in a hybrid format in locations throughout the Golden State and online from Feb. 26 to Mar. 6, 2023. Organized since 2018 by the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, this year’s conference will emphasize accessibility for all attendees, according to a news release.

“We want to maintain accessibility while keeping the soul of connecting with other humans. If this year is as successful as last year — and we have nearly 500 registrations so far — this might be the future of the conference,” Evan Wiig, CAFF’s director of membership and communications, said in the release.

CAFF has a virtual schedule slated, featuring 50 online workshops, as well as 10 regional in-person gatherings around the state for attendees to gather in groups.

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“We want to make sure small farms thrive,” Wiig said in the release. “Running a viable small farm operation is pretty tough — the odds are against you. We want to provide as much support as we can.”

While CAFF doesn’t have a definition of exactly what a small farm is, Wiig said most small farmers in California sell direct to consumers through farmers markets or farm stands, or direct to local restaurants. One thing they have in common is that they are all deeply involved in the day-to-day operations of their farm, according to the release.

“As a farmer-owned cooperative, we understand the importance of supporting the next generation of agriculture. In 2022, we contributed over $1 million to support young, beginning and small producers as they grow and learn the complex and dynamic business of agriculture,” Jeana Hultquist with American AgCredit said in the release. “We’re thrilled to support organizations like CAFF who share the same passion for the sustainability and viability of agriculture as we do.”

Top issues for small farmers

Each year, CAFF embarks on a listening tour of small farmers to determine their top issues to guide the organization’s focus. This year, Wiig said the top concerns were access to water, access to land and access to infrastructure. 

Water is a perennial problem for all farmers and ranchers, especially in California, but he said small farmers have some unique challenges.

“Small farmers who are surrounded by larger operations with deeper wells can see the water table start to drop. Their shallower wells are no longer sufficient, and they can’t afford to compete with the larger organizations by drilling deeper,” Wiig said in the release.

Infrastructure is another challenge for small growers because, according to Wiig, processors and distributors are consolidating and larger operations are less likely to work with a small farm. 

“It’s great seeing folks like Farm Credit stepping up and recognizing that their support is an investment in the future of agriculture and our food system. And in the long run, we think that investment has paid off," Wiig said in the release. "We now have thriving farmers markets and local food systems. We have small farm advisors through U.C. Extension. We have conversations around the impacts of climate change, and we think investments through sponsorships over the years has been an investment in what we see today."

Mark Littlefield, president and CEO of AgWest Farm Credit, said the Farm Credit System prioritizes financing small farming and ranching operations — in addition to larger operations — as they are critical to the future of farming.

“We understand that reliable and consistent access to capital is a requirement for small farmers and ranchers to succeed,” Littlefield said in the release. “When coupled with the support of an active community where these dedicated individuals can network, receive advice and formalized training — they thrive. It’s for this reason Farm Credit is proud to sponsor the Small Farm Conference. While the challenges for this community may be significant, access to resources specifically built with them in mind will allow these farms to grow and continue contributing to their local communities.”