YOUR SUPPORT MAKES OUR IMPACT POSSIBLE

In 2022, Georgia Organics finalized a new strategic plan that outlined four key focus areas and goals: Farmer Prosperity, Building a Resilient Local Food Movement, Impact Capital, and Strong Georgia Organics. 

These goals are achieved through a host of Farmer Services, conferences, and convenings; Community Collaborations, including Farm to School and Early Care, Family Farm Share, and Farmer Champion programs; and Farmer Advocacy. This work directly supports our mission to invest in organic farmers for the health of our communities and the land. 

Our 2023 Impact Report shares a few highlights of our progress in year two of this five-year strategic plan. 

Impact Capital

How do we increase farmer prosperity? By putting dollars directly into the hands of farmers. As part of our strategic plan, we reviewed every program and initiative at Georgia Organics. We considered how our efforts will grow capital investment in organic and regenerative farmers and local food systems, both directly and by creating pathways, opportunities, and relationships within our community to accelerate broader investment. 

In 2023, Georgia Organics invested over $384,750 directly in farmers.

Farmer Prosperity

Our Farmer Services programs are centered on increasing the wellbeing and prosperity of our farmers in Georgia. In 2023, we continued to develop our core Farmer Services programs while launching new initiatives to drive our progress toward this strategic aim. 

NEW INITIATIVES 

FARMER APPRENTICESHIP 

To support beginning farmers, we launched a new Farmer Apprenticeship Program which competitively selected nine apprentices who were mentored by farmers on seven organic farms. Georgia Organics granted $22,500 to the mentors to pay apprentices for their labor, allowing them to learn skills and knowledge in regenerative farming while building capacity on established organic farms. 

CLIMATE SMART FARMER PROGRAM 

In partnership with McIntosh SEED and with funding from Drawdown GA, Georgia Organics launched the Climate Smart Farmer Program (CSFP) to support a cohort of ten farmers in rural Southeast Georgia. The program provided educational and financial resources to help farmers mitigate and adapt to climate change while building resiliency on their farms. The first cohort includes Fast Feast Farm, Aubrey Berry Farm, Blue Heron Urban Farms, Lola’s Organic Farm, D&FH Farm, BF Farm Enterprises, WSB Legacy Farm, Farmer Miz Farms, Gilliard Farms, and Berry Family Farms. The program offered assistance in obtaining a farm track number and a UEI# (Unique Entity Identifier), both of which are required to access USDA resources. Additionally, the program provided technical assistance with the NRCS EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) application process, as well as education on small-scale solar array systems. All ten farms applied for EQIP, with nine receiving contracts. One farm received technical assistance to apply for the REAP (Renewable Energy for America Program) grant, which they were awarded, and will complete their solar array project by the end of 2024. In total, we distributed $21,000 to implement conservation practices on the ten farms and $11,000 to support solar installation on one farm. 

PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS 

THE FARMER FUND 

Georgia Organics entered 2023 rattled by Winter Storm Elliott, which devastated farmers with crop loss, infrastructure damage, and long-term financial impacts. In just two months, our community rallied in support of The Farmer Fund, enabling us to provide $192,000 in relief funds directly to 57 farms in 35 counties significantly impacted by this unseasonal freeze. We want to thank our donors and funders, as well as our partners – Food Well Alliance, Wholesome Wave Georgia, Community Farmers Markets, The Common Market Southeast, and The Conservation Fund, who collaborated to raise funds and awareness on behalf of our farming community.   

FARMER ACCELERATOR 

We initiated our third cohort of seven farms to our Farmer Accelerator program: Rodgers Greens and Roots, Snapfinger Farm, Gannon Organics, Crossroads Farm, High Hog Farm, Phoenix Gardens, and Polyculture Productions. Over 16 months, these farmers received nearly $10,000 (approximately 65 hours) of professional coaching and over $43,000 in direct capital investments for on-farm infrastructure.  

KAISER BRIDGE HEALTH INSURANCE 

Georgia Organics enrolled nine new farmers into Gold Level Kaiser Bridge Health Insurance for a total of 14 enrolled farmers in 2023, saving these farmers over $68,215 in health care costs. 

“Being a part of the Kaiser Bridge Program has greatly improved my peace of mind. With as many healthcare concerns that could come as a direct result of farm work, knowing that I could easily and affordably receive healthcare has been an enormous relief.”  

- Hannah Brown, 2022 and 2023 Kaiser Bridge Health Insurance Recipient 

GO ORGANIC! 

Georgia Organics helps Certified Organic and farmers interested in transitioning with technical support and resources, cost-share for certification, and marketing support. In 2023, we provided technical assistance to 32 farms and cost-share reimbursements of over $1,600 to seven certifying farms. We also hosted two Farmer Field Days, two Focus Groups and produced two educational resources specifically geared toward Organic and transitioning growers. Additionally, we produced and distributed marketing materials to 26 Certified Organic growers designed to help them promote their Organic products to customers.

FARMER FIELD DAYS AND COOPERATIVE PURCHASES

Our year-round Farmer Field Days and Cooperative Purchases give farmers ongoing farmer-to-farmer learning and networking opportunities and on-farm savings. In 2023, we hosted seven Farmer Field Days covering integrated pest management, small engine repair, building cooperative farm models, and more. By leveraging the power of collective purchasing, farmers saved a total of $9,672. 

Thank you to our farm hosts, Crystal Organic Farm, Grateful Pastures, Bread & Butter Farms, Jenny Jack Farm, Love is Love Cooperative Farm, Gannon Organics, Berry Family Farms, and Global Growers, along with specialists from UGA Extension, Seven Springs Farm Supply, and AgSolar Solutions. 

FARMER MEMBERSHIP

Farmer Membership is the first step in becoming part of the Georgia Organics farmer community. As a Farmer Member, you are eligible to apply for Farmer Services programs and support like the programs above, plus, you receive year-round perks like discounts to Georgia Organics events and conferences, first spots to farmer-centric educational activities, free job postings on goodfoodjobs.com, and more!

Resilient Local Food Community

Georgia Organics’ Family Farm Share, Farm to School and Early Care, and Farmer Champion programs strengthen access to local food and education throughout Georgia. Furthermore, they include local procurement initiatives that build new markets and relationships between farmers and restaurants, businesses, schools, and early care centers in their communities.  

Our new strategic plan also includes a focus on Farmer Advocacy, through which we work directly with farmers to advocate at the local and national level for the conditions that make organic and soil-focused farming more viable. 

PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS 

FARM TO SCHOOL AND EARLY CARE AND INNOVATION MINI GRANTS 

In 2023, Georgia Organics celebrated a milestone year – the 10th anniversary of its Farm to School programs, and it’s first time reaching over one million students and administrators through its annual October Farm to School program! The 2023 October Farm to School Month “Pepper Palooza!” campaign reached 1,026,410 students and administrators in schools and early care centers with resource kits, competitions and awards, local sourcing tips and incentives for cafeterias, and more. Not only did it get students and families learning about, growing, and purchasing local food, it got healthy, delicious peppers of all kinds from local farms onto the plates of students throughout Georgia. Through the campaign, we promoted 12 different local farms through social media, weekly engagement emails, and a blog post that provided information on how to purchase from these farms. 

Additionally, through Georgia Organics’ Farm to School Innovation Mini Grants, eight school districts were awarded a total of $13,500 to develop projects that forward equity-centered farm to school best practices. This investment has gone a long way - Innovation Mini Grant awardees served a total of 2.4 million school meals (a 41% increase from 2022!) with produce from 24 local farms and supported the development of 38 school gardens. These projects are estimated to have impacted 55,343 students in 75 Georgia schools.

FAMILY FARM SHARE  

Family Farm Share connects families with young children to local food and the farmers in their community through a weekly subsidized fresh food subscription program. Through this program, families involved in early care centers can pick up a low-cost share of locally grown produce, meat, and dairy, along with nutrition and preparation tips, right from their center each week.  
 
In 2023, the program expanded from its pilot sites in Ware County into Bacon and Pierce Counties, serving 600 household members, including 488 early childcare-aged children in partnership with Action Pact, WayGreen, Inc., and Ware Children’s Initiative.  In partnership with Forsyth Farmers Market and Greenbriar Children’s Center, we tested a pilot site in Savannah, serving 23 families with young children during the autumn season. Additionally, Georgia Organics invested $70,000 in farmers in these areas via public service stipends and worked with them to develop their capacity to meet demand and sustain these new markets.  

"The program was a huge boost in sales because I knew that there was a box every week with a set amount of orders. It helped me to plan ahead for harvesting a certain amount as well as crop planning to be able to harvest a certain amount for future boxes...."  
 
- WayGreen Farmer  

It encouraged my family to try new foods and recipes. Mrs. Oliver (WayGreen Founder) and the delivery staff were outstanding!  
 
- Family Farm Share Member 

FARMER CHAMPION 

Georgia Organics’ Farmer Champions are a network of restaurants, bakeries, butcheries, caterers, pop-ups, early care centers, and universities that set an example for our food service industry by sourcing locally grown and organic food from Georgia farmers.  

This past year, we onboarded seven brick and mortar restaurants, one pop-up, and seven early care centers into the Farmer Champion network, for a total of 45 Farmer Champions in 2023. In late 2023, we were also thrilled to announce the expansion of the program into its newest category - colleges and universities – in partnership with The Common Market Southeast through the Georgia Advancing Agriculture, Community, Resilience & Equity through Values-Based Procurement Collective (ACRE). 

Tracking data over time, we learned that from 2021-2023, our Farmer Champions spent $907,429 on local food in just 12 weeks, accounting for 29% of their combined total food cost. On average, our Farmer Champions have increased their local sourcing by 58% from 2021-2023. 

These culinary professionals are really walking the walk! But at the top of the charts for their local investment in 2023 were our Farmer Champion Award winners Little Bear, Dandelion Food And Goods, Miller Union, Kinship Butchery and Sundry, Evergreen Butcher and Baker, and Little Tart Bakeshop!  

We also honored five outstanding early care centers for their commitment to local sourcing in partnership with Quality Care for Children:  Pre-K Preparatory Learning Academy in Gainesville, A Kid’s World Learning Center in Loganville, The Learning Tree Academy in Toccoa, Noah’s Landing For Kids Family Child Care Learning Home in Trenton, and Greenbriar Children’s Center in Savannah. 

And finally, our 2023 Farmer Champion Week gave eaters around Georgia a chance to taste what Farmer Champion is all about. Thirty-six restaurants in Atlanta, Athens, Columbus, Marietta, Macon, Monroe, Savannah, and Winder served up special menu items featuring the week’s local ingredient – the Nancy Hall Sweet Potato – and highlighted the farmers that grew it.  

If you want to support your community’s Farmer Champions, choose an Early Care Center with local food on the menu, or visit the restaurants you can find on our full directory of Farmer Champions. Together, we can ensure our local food system’s diverse patchwork of small and organic farms continues to grow and thrive. 

FARMER ADVOCACY

We formalized and launched our Farmer Advocacy efforts in 2022 based on the priorities of our farmers as identified in a wide-reaching farmer survey. While we continue to develop this new initiative, like many groups, we are currently focused on swaying the outcomes of the Farm Bill, which holds important legislation that will greatly impact small and organic growers in Georgia. To that end, in 2023, we trained 45 farmers on the Farm Bill to build collective power and worked directly with these farmers to advocate for a better Farm Bill through 12 congressional engagements.  

Events & Convenings

One of the biggest highlights of 2023 was the chance to bring back two of our farm and food community’s most beloved annual events.

2023 GEORGIA ORGANICS CONFERENCE & EXPO 

2023 marked the successful return of the Georgia Organics Conference & Expo – our first in two years! Nearly 500 farmers, advocates, chefs, business and nonprofit partners, volunteers, and supporters joined us for an array of amazing speakers and exhibitors, an awesome art deco Farmers Feast and Awards Ceremony, and an unforgettable keynote from “Mama K” Karen Washington, who moved many of us to tears.  

Congratulations to 2023 Barbara Petit Pollinator Award winners, Bobby Wilson of Metro Atlanta Urban Farm and Fred Conrad of Food Well Alliance, and the 2023 Farm Stewardship Award winner, Mary Rigdon of Decimal Place Farm!

Photos: Jenna Shea Photojournalism

2023 ANNUAL ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATO FESTIVAL

With 54 tasting booths, 22 local farms, and at-capacity attendance, the 12th annual Attack of the Killer Tomato Festival was a tomato-smashing success, raising nearly $100,000 for Georgia Organics’ mission to invest in organic farmers for the health of our communities and the land.  

Photos: Erik Meadows Photography

Strong Georgia Organics

Strong Georgia Organics is all about believing that our impact is stronger when our work is rooted in equity, relationships, resource development, and accountability. As part of our strategic plan, we are committed to building racial equity, team culture, board leadership, and practices aligned with our mission and values.  

ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY

As we continue to work through our strategic goals in alignment with Strong Georgia Organics, we aim to be as transparent as possible about our challenges, failures, and improvements in order to hold ourselves accountable to each other, our community, and our mission.  

Over the past five years, Georgia Organics has grown considerably. With that has come growing pains. Behind the scenes, we have been working to create more sophisticated internal and external systems and policies to ensure that our impact is also growing! In 2023, Georgia Organics launched a transition to a Project Management model that involves weekly training for all staff. The transition is expected to take three years and has been a heavy lift, but we are confident this investment will improve our transparency, teamwork, culture, and ultimately, our ability to serve farmers and our communities. 

One key challenge we have faced since launching our strategic plan with an explicit emphasis on becoming an anti-racist organization is that our staff and Board of Directors lack critical shared understandings and training to do this work effectively. This has led to strained internal and external dynamics.  

To that end, at the end of 2023, we engaged Widerstand Consulting to conduct a comprehensive Anti-Racism Audit. Following the recommendations from the audit, in the coming year, we will be focused on additional training for Staff and Board, as well as for the members of our Anti-Racist Committee. These trainings will be designed to help us through a set of additional recommendations that will bring our organization’s work more in line with our stated intentions. 

Thank you to all the partners and community members who participated in surveys and interviews as part of our Anti-Racist Audit. We look forward to our continued work toward our goals for ourselves, our organization and programs, and our community.  

FINANCIALS

Download our 2023 Audited Financial Statements or visit us on Charity Navigator.

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS IN 2023!

MAJOR FUNDERS

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation
Alice Huffard Richards Fund
Debley Foundation
Drawdown Georgia Climate Solutions and Equity Grant
Edna Wardlaw Charitable Trust
EMSA Fund
Farm Aid
Georgia Department of Early Care and Education
George M. Brown Trust Fund of Atlanta
The Imlay Foundation
Jamestown Foundation
National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition
Many Fold Foundation
Mary Brown Trust Fund of Atlanta
Newman's Own Foundation
Organic Valley Cooperative
Ray C. Anderson Foundation
Rockefeller Foundation
Reilly Family Fund
Rodale Institute
Southern SARE
Takeda US
United States Department of Agriculture
- Transition to Organic Partnership Program
- Local Food Promotion Program
- Beginning Farmer Rancher Development
The Wilbur and Hilda Glenn Family Foundation
The Zeist Foundation
W.F. Ingram Family Foundation 

BUSINESS & NONPROFIT MEMBERS 

ABC Law Centers
Afro Agriculture
Ag Nutrients
Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School
Bellhop
Beyond Harvest Foods
Bright from the Start: GA Dept of Early Care & Learning
Cheffrey’s Kitchen
Cherokee County Farm Bureau
CompostNow
Emory University
Experience Willow
Forsyth Farmers Market
Georgia Cooperative Development Center
Global Growers Network
Green Fields Forever
Gwinnett Technical College Horticulture
Hiwasee Products
Jackson Inspirations
Leaf and Loaf
Little Ones Learning Center
Mohawk Valley Trading Company
National Charter Bus Atlanta
Neighbors Feed & Seed
Paideia School
plain.stated
Seven Springs Farm Supply
Shofur Atlanta
Small Farmz LLC
Truly Living Well Center for Natural Urban Agriculture
WayGreen, Inc. 

YOUR SUPPORT MAKES OUR IMPACT POSSIBLE