WELCOME TO SOWTH!

Save the dates for the inaugural SOWTH, a regional “small farms, big community” conference hosted by Georgia Organics! Taking place February 4-6, 2025 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, this three-day gathering will feature several distinct educational tracks, a distinguished keynote panel, a delicious Farmers Feast, and over 1,000 farmers and leaders committed to sowing a strong sustainable agricultural and local food movement across our Southern region and beyond. 

Recognizing the evolving complexity and collaborative nature of food system work, this regional gathering will convene farm and food system professionals and advocates from 13 Southern states, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, and beyond to learn, build partnerships, share resources, and strengthen our collective vision and action. 

This is the germination of bolder collective action for positive change. This is SOWTH! 

REGIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE

Replanting the spirit of past regional conferences hosted by the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (SSAWG), SOWTH is being collaboratively planned by a representative steering committee and 100 partner groups and allies. Embracing a forward-looking approach, it will focus on equity, farmer prosperity, climate resilience, environmental renewal, and community partnership. The ultimate vision is for the event to rotate among different host organizations and sites throughout the region. Current Steering Committee Members include:

Brennan Washington, Chair 
Southern SARE (SE Region)  

E’licia Chaverest 
Strategic Alignment Network (AL) 

Kandi Williams 
University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff  

Cetta Barnhart 
Seed Time Harvest Farms (FL)   

Sagdrina Jalal 
Sage Consulting (GA)  

Ashley Smith 
Black Soil KY 

Angela Comeaux 
Intertribal Agriculture Council (LA) 

Bahia Nightengale 
Louisiana Central 

Elizabeth Myles 
Alcorn State University (MS) 

Ray Jeffers 
Rural Advancement Foundation International (NC)

Mary Beth Miller 
Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (NC)   

David Redhage  
Southern SARE Professional Development Program (OK) 

Veronica Dominguez 
COSSAO (PR)  

Najmah Thomas 
South Carolina Black Farmers Coalition 

Jason DeKoff 
Tennessee State University 

Natalie Ashker Seevers
Tennessee Local Food

Sue Beckwith 
Texas Center for Local Food  

Pakou Hang 
Hmong American Farmers Association (US) 

Duron Chavis 
Sankofa Farms (VA)  

William Crutchfield 
Virginia State University

Vanessa Forbes
University of the Virgin Islands