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Quality Certification Services (QCS) is the certification program of Florida Organic Growers (FOG), which began certifying organic growers in 1989 and received its USDA accreditation in 2001. QCS has grown to provide a variety of quality certification and verification options that can help companies market their products as certified organic, promote sustainability as well as enhance global market access from seed to shelf through partnerships, innovations and technology to clients in 39 states and 12 countries. 

In this episode, hear about: 

- How QCS got started and how it has evolved 

- The types of certifications and services QCS offers   

- Resources for farmers interested in becoming certified and consumers looking to support organic growers and producers 

-  What’s in store going forward 

Learn more about QCS: https://qcsinfo.org 

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Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.

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The Florida Farmers’ Market Association (FFMA) was established in 2019 with the mission to connect the vast array of farmers markets in Florida into one membership-driven network and provide training and resources for vendors, market managers, and consumers. Since then, FFMA has grown its membership and offerings. 

In this episode, hear about: 

- The history of FFMA and its origins 

- FFMA’s Florida Farmers’ Market Toolkit   

- Membership benefits and how to join 

- Upcoming projects in 2022 

Learn more about FFMA: https://farmersmarkettoolkit.org 

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.

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Florida Certified Organic Growers and Consumers Inc. (FOG) was established in 1987 with the mission to support and promote organic, regenerative, and sustainable agriculture. Since then, FOG’s staff and programs have grown greatly.  

In this episode, hear from FOG staff members Dr. Juan Carlos Rodriguez, Andi Emrich and Kyndra Love, as they discuss the history of FOG and some of its past, present and future projects. 

Learn about: 

- Education and outreach initiatives advancing knowledge and resources about organic and sustainable agriculture 

- Quality Certification Services (QCS), FOG’s certification branch 

- The Florida Farmers’ Market Association (FFMA) 

- Upcoming projects in 2022 

Learn more about FOG on our website: https://foginfo.org 

Learn more about QCS: https://qcsinfo.org 

Learn more about FFMA: https://farmersmarkettoolkit.org 

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.

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Grow Next Door launched in April 2020 with a mission to create opportunities of access to farming and to support creating a sustainable planet through intentional agriculture. The Grow Next Door platform helps South Florida residents connect directly with local farmers to buy organic and sustainably grown produce. Jonathan Cox, Founder and CEO, talks with us about his journey and how the platform has expanded over the last year. 

Tune in to hear about: 

- How Grow Next Door got started  

- Adapting agricultural practices long-term to fit urban settings  

- Grow Next Door’s process for leveraging its network to connect 

- Next steps forward for Grow Next Door 

Learn more about Grow Next Door on their website: www.grownextdoor.com 

Listen to more episodes on urban farming on our website: https://foginfo.org/freshtake.php 

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.

Send us Fan Mail

Florida is historically and still currently an agricultural state. However, with rapid urbanization, the food systems landscape is changing. Currently, 44 of the 67 counties are classified as “urban” by the USDA, and over 87 percent of residents now live in urban areas. 

In this episode, learn about: 

- How urban agriculture is defined 

- What urban farming looks like in Florida 

- Barriers and opportunities for urban farms 

- And get a sneak peek of findings from Dr. Campbell’s research on “The Future of Urban Farming in Florida” 

Follow Dr. Campbell on Twitter at @FLFoodSystems for updates on research on urban farming in Florida. 

Listen to more episodes on urban farming on our website: https://foginfo.org/freshtake.php 

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.

Send us Fan Mail

Zion Farms & Market started in 2016 on a 20-acre farm in Apopka, Florida, with a mission to establish urban farms throughout Central Florida and be an affordable source of organic produce and education to the community at large. Registered as a 501(c)(3) organization, through collaboration with other urban farmers in the Central Florida area the alliance was able to break ground on Infinite Zion Farms in the Parramore neighborhood in 2019.

In this episode, hear about: 

- Infinite Zion Farms’ approach to supporting the local community and food system 

- Success stories from the farm 

- How the farm has overcome unique challenges  

- Recommendations and resources for farmers and consumers 

Learn more about Infinite Zion farms on their website: https://www.infinitezionfarms.org 

*Photo Credit: Special thank you to Infinite Zion Farms for allowing us to use a photo of their farm! 

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.

Send us Fan Mail

Interest in local food systems has been steadily increasing as shown by the growing supply of and demand for local foods. Some evidence of this growth includes the number of farmers’ markets that have nearly tripled, and the initiation of thousands of farm-to-school programs across the U.S. Additionally, local foods have often topped consumer and food professional surveys of food trends. 

How do we define these local systems? How can we help to sustain them? In this episode, David Outerbridge, UF/IFAS Lee County Sustainable Food Systems Agent talks to us to answer these questions. 

Find out about: 

- How terms like “local” and “sustainable” food systems are often defined 

- Challenges to the local food movement 

- Solutions to local food systems challenges 

Learn more about food systems on the UF/IFAS Food Systems Institute website: https://foodsystems.ifas.ufl.edu 

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.

Send us Fan Mail

On this episode, hear about two unique farms in South Florida that are providing support for their communities: Empower farms, a certified organic and eco-friendly farm for people of all abilities, and Aloha Redland, a female-led farm blending art and nutrition for a more vibrant local community. 

Learn about: 

- How their CSA programs were started and how they have evolved 

- The impact COVID-19 has had on the farms and their CSA programs 

- Special programs offered at these non-traditional farms 

- Recommendations for farmers and consumers interested in CSAs 

Learn more about Empower Farms on their website: www.empowerfarms.com

Find out more about Aloha Redland on their website: www.aloharedland.com

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.

Send us Fan Mail

Frog Song Organics, located in Alachua County, started in 2011 with a mission to provide nutritious foods to the local community through sustainable farming. One way they do this is through their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.  

In this episode, hear about: 

- What led Frog Song to start their CSA 

- How their CSA model has evolved over time 

- Tips for farmers who are interested in starting a CSA 

- Recommendations for consumers thinking about joining a CSA 

Learn more about Frog Song Organics on their website: https://frogsongorganics.com  

*Photo Credit: Special thank you to Frog Song Organics for allowing us to use the photo from their farm!

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.

Send us Fan Mail

Community supported agriculture is one model through which producers and consumers can be more connected. We sat down with Rick Martinez, Founder of Sweetwater Organic Farm, which is thought to be the first CSA in Florida, to talk about his experience with this food systems model. 

In this episode, hear about: 

- The history of the CSA model at Sweetwater Organic Farm 

- Challenges faced while running the CSA 

- Benefits to the community and producers 

- Tips for sustaining CSAs into the future 

Learn more about Sweetwater Organic Farm on their website: www.sweetwater-organic.org 

Support the show

Fuel the Work Behind the Mic—and Beyond

Behind every episode is a community of supporters who believe in a healthier, more resilient food future. Sponsorship support helps Florida Organic Growers continue connecting farmers, food, and communities through education, resources, and conversations that inspire positive change. 🌱

👉 Visit our sponsor page to learn more and join our community of supporters. Together, we can grow real solutions.