UFSS 2024 - columbus, ohio

 Keynote Presentation: 

Tuesday, June 11 at 9:00-10:00 am 

Qiana Mickie is the first Executive Director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Urban Agriculture. The office leads the city’s efforts to increase access to and production of locally grown fresh food, minimize our contributions to climate change, and spur economic activity through agriculture. Under Qiana’s leadership, the office aims to advance urban agriculture and equity to actively address climate, health, and food disparities in the city’s natural and built environment. For over 12 years, Qiana’s work has thrived at the intersection of equity, food systems, environmental justice, and agriculture. Qiana is the former Executive Director of Just Food and often speaks on issues of equitable food/farm policy, and the solidarity economy, locally, and abroad. 

General Session:
Tuesday, June 11 at 10:30 am-12:00 pm

Trent Ford is a climate scientist at the Illinois State Water Survey and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is an expert in hydroclimatology, especially the dynamics and impacts of drought, intense rainfall, and extreme heat. Ford also serves as the Illinois State Climatologist, and leads the state’s climate and drought monitoring, provides climate services for stakeholders across Illinois, and works with state and federal agencies to ensure climate-related policies are informed by science. He received his Bachelors in Geography from Illinois State University and master’s and Ph.D. in geography from Texas A&M University.  

General Session:
Tuesday, June 11 at 10:30 am-12:00 pm

Carol Davis is the Sustainability Manager for the Town of Blacksburg, Virginia. In this role, she works on a broad range of sustainability issues, including climate mitigation, adaptation, and resiliency planning; alternative transportation; land use policies that advance green building and affordable housing; local and state energy policy; aging in place; water quality; and stewardship of public lands. She enjoys volunteering with the Poverty Creek Trails Coalition and the Montgomery County Dialogue on Race. Carol currently serves on the boards of Sustainable Blacksburg, The New River Land Trust, and the New River Valley Bike Kitchen, the VT Center for Communicating Science, and is an alumni advisor for Alpha Phi Omega, a gender inclusive service fraternity at Virginia Tech. 

General Session: Urban Grower Panel:
Thursday, June 13 at 8:30-10:00 am

Jerry Hebron is a co-founder of the Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund, a member of the USDA Innovative Production Committee, a member of the state FSA committee, and the Director of the Detroit Cultivator Community Land Trust. For more than a decade, against a backdrop of extreme poverty, the Oakland Avenue Farm has been a stabilizing force in Detroit’s historic North End. By growing healthy food, hosting educational programs, creating cultural gathering spaces, and generating jobs, the Farm is achieving its vision for a vibrant civic commons that will continue to benefit the neighborhood for decades to come. The Farm is a workforce development project of North End Christian Community Development Corporation, a 501c3 not-for-profit.  

General Session: Urban Grower Panel:
Thursday, June 13 at 8:30-10:00 am

Vincent Peterson is President and CEO of VIGEO GARDENS, stands at the forefront of agricultural innovation. A former biomedical engineering student, Vincent pivoted to pursue a vision in sustainable agriculture, armed with a degree in finance. He co-founded VIGEO GARDENS with a heartfelt goal to provide cancer patients with the healthiest greens possible. This venture, born in a modest basement corner, was not just a business initiative but a pursuit driven by compassion and a commitment to make a tangible difference in the world. With Vincent’s leadership, VIGEO GARDENS has blossomed over nine years into a pioneering force in indoor farming, extending its reach across eight states through grocery retail and food service distributors. The company’s mission, “to accelerate the world’s transition to indoor farming,” is rooted in producing non-GMO greens free from harsh pesticides and herbicides, using less water. Vincent’s vision extends beyond current success; he aims to build a distributed network of indoor farms to ensure the freshest, highest quality produce is accessible to 90% of the United States population within a 300-mile radius, demonstrating a sustainable model for profitable indoor farming.

General Session: Urban Grower Panel:
Thursday, June 13 at 8:30-10:00 am

Amanda Stanfield is the owner/operator of Richland County’s only urban homestead farm. The GrowFourth Urban Farm is in Mansfield. They grow in high tunnels as well as outdoor raised beds, and their food is “naturally grown,” which means they follow organic practices, but are not certified organic. Amanda holds a degree in Sustainable Food and Farming from UMass Amherst. 

 Capstone Presentation:
Thursday, June 13 at 1:15-2:15 pm

Reverend Dr. Carl P. Wallace is currently the chief operating officer of Abundant Life Farm, a non-profit entity whose mission is “teaching how to love our earth through agricultural innovation and conservation.” He and his wife are affectionately known as “The Farmer and The Del.” Dr. Wallace is serving as one of the inaugural 12 federal advisors to the Secretary of Agriculture for Urban and Innovative Agriculture Committee. The committee will provide input on policy development and assist in identifying barriers to urban and innovative agriculture. He has served as a consultant for the non-profit International Institute of Akron that “welcomes new Americans and helps them make our community their home.” He most recently served as the Interim chief diversity officer for the University of Akron and the senior pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Akron, Ohio.