Author Archives: Diana Broadaway

Register Now for 2021 S.D. Local Foods Conference

Diana Broadaway September 30, 2021

Yankton, S.D.- The annual South Dakota Local Foods Conference (SDLFC) is scheduled for Nov. 4-6, 2021. This year’s SDLFC is a three day, virtual event celebrating local food production and use in South Dakota. All supporters of local food are invited to attend, listen to, and discuss presentations on specialty crop production, industry challenges, new…

Researchers, USDA, and Local Food Networks Explore Impact of COVID-19 on Local and Regional Food Systems

Diana Broadaway July 30, 2021

In the late spring of 2020, FMC joined a collaborative project led by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and the University of Kentucky, which included 16 other local food system communities of practice and network leaders. The year-long “Local Food Systems Response to COVID” project was designed both to spotlight the work done by…

National Farmers Market Week 2021

Diana Broadaway July 26, 2021

Press Release: For Immediate Release- July 22, 2021 Celebrate National Farmers Market Week 2021 The South Dakota Specialty Producers Association (SDSPA) joins farmers markets across the country in celebrating National Farmers Market Week from August 1-7, 2021. In the midst of a global pandemic, farmers markets, like all other small businesses, have innovated to continue…

Farmers Market Brochure to Appear at S.D. Tourist Sites

Diana Broadaway June 10, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:   6-8-2021 Farmers Market Brochure to Appear at S.D. Tourist Sites Yankton, S.D.-  The S.D. Specialty Producers Association (SDSPA) has developed a new rack card to promote South Dakota’s Farmers Markets to tourists across the state. The promotional cards will appear in five S.D. Interstate Welcome Centers along Interstate 29 & 90…

The Challenge of Indoor Market Operations During a Pandemic

Diana Broadaway May 4, 2021

In the Fall of 2020, Farmers Market Coalition (FMC) brought together a small group of winter market operators into a Community of Practice (CoP). That group was faced with the daunting challenge of trying to operate their usual indoor market spaces while following CDC protocols for mandates and restrictions.  This small group participated in monthly…

Buy Local Even in South Dakota’s Winter Months

Diana Broadaway February 19, 2021

For Immediate Release: Feb. 18, 2021 Online link: https://sdspecialtyproducers.org/2021/02/03/winter-months/ Buy Local Even in South Dakota’s Winter Months Yankton, S.D.- Most South Dakotans think of local foods as seasonal items. But even through our cold winters, more and more local food hubs, farmers markets and direct to consumer producers are open for business year-round. Our access to fresh,…

SDSPA: Specialty Producer Webinar Series

Diana Broadaway January 28, 2021

Educational Webinar Series for Specialty Food Producers The South Dakota Specialty Producers Association (SDSPA) has announced a new educational series for local food producers, Farmers Markets managers and vendors, and others interested in selling direct to consumers. “We are hosting training for producers to get together over the winter and plan for the summer 2021…

Communities of Practice: Fostering Communication and Collaboration

Diana Broadaway January 13, 2021

Nurturing communities and the connections they foster is central to strengthening local and regional food systems. These communities may be formal or informal, large or small. We may not realize how many of these communities we participate in each day and how these opportunities to share with and learn from one another influence our personal…

2020 S.D. Local Foods Conference sees changes, opportunities for producers

Diana Broadaway September 24, 2020

2020 S.D. Local Foods Conference sees changes, opportunities for producers Yankton, S.D.- The annual South Dakota Local Foods Conference (SDLFC) is celebrating its tenth year. The 2020 event, Nov. 5-7 will be the first held entirely online. The SDLFC Planning Committee looks forward to discussing the new opportunities that this year has brought to local…

SDSPA: Celebrate National Farmers Market Week 2020

Diana Broadaway July 27, 2020

Celebrate National Farmers Market Week 2020 The South Dakota Specialty Producers Association (SDSPA) joins farmers markets across the country in celebrating National Farmers Market Week from August 2-8, 2020. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently released a proclamation dedicating the week with the goal to increase awareness of the role local farmers markets play in…