Summit Welcome & Blessing
Watch Recordings
The recordings from our 2021 summit are available for viewing on our Youtube channel.
Watch RecordingsSummit Agenda
![Woman-Harvesting-tomatoes](images/summit2021/200721_Regional_Foods_Initiative_115-cropped.png)
February 8
Food System Equity
1:00pm - 3:00pm
![Prepping-red-bell-peppers-in-the-kitchen-for-farm-to-school-program](images/summit2021/f2s4.jpg)
February 10
Feeding the Future with Farm to School
9:00am - 11:00am
![Choose-Healthy-Here-info-booth-at-gas-station-teaching-shoppers-how-to-choose-healthy-affordable-snack-options](images/summit2021/CHH.jpg)
February 10
Food Access
1:00pm - 3:00pm
![dry-cracked-earth](images/summit2021/pexels-iconcom-216692.jpg)
February 11
Climate Resilient Agricultural Practices
9:00am - 11:00am
![person-harvesting-micro-greens](images/summit2021/pexels-thisisengineering-3912947.jpg)
February 11
Sustainability
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Meet Our Speakers
Featured Speakers
![Rob-Larew-Portrait](images/summit2021/Rob-Larew.jpg)
Rob Larew
Food System Equity
Rob was elected National Farmers Union’s 15th president during the organization’s 118th anniversary convention in 2020. He previously served as NFU’s Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Communications, and prior to his employment with NFU, served over 22 years in Congress and USDA. Larew was raised on a dairy farm in Greenville, West Virginia. He graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University with a Bachelor of Science in Dairy Science and completed graduate work in Agronomy at Pennsylvania State University.
Learn More![Sommer-Sibilly-Brown-Portrait](images/summit2021/Sommer-Brown.jpg)
Sommer Sibilly-Brown
Feeding the Future
with Farm to School
Sommer is an advocate for food equity and justice, whose passion led her to founding the Virgin Islands Good Food Coalition, Inc, a place-based organization that works toward security, sovereignty, and sustainability for all. She has worked with farmers, chefs, teachers, and local and State Agencies, multiple national Universities and testified at congress. She is also the creator of Food Learn, a program that exposes youth in the US Virgin Islands to food system conversations.
Learn More![Jess-Halliday-Portrait](images/summit2021/JessHalliday1.jpg)
Jess Halliday
Climate Resilient
Agricultural Practices
Jess is a consultant, researcher and journalist specialising in food policy. As an associate of the RUAF Global Partnership, she works with a number of cities, NGOs and universities around the world on policies and programmes for sustainable, resilient urban and city region food systems.
She holds a PhD in Food Policy from City, University of London. She is now based near the city of Montpellier in southern France.
Learn MorePanel Speakers
Food System Equity
![Andrea-Basche-Portrait](images/summit2021/AndreaBasche1.jpg)
Andrea Basche
Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
![Tony-Vargas-Portrait](images/summit2021/tonyvargas1.jpg)
Senator Tony Vargas
Nebraska Legislature District 7
Feeding the Future with Farm to School
![Ricardo-Ariza-Portrait](images/summit2021/RicardoAriza.jpg)
Ricardo Ariza
Teacher, Omaha Nation Public Schools
![Tom-Brandt-Portrait](images/summit2021/TomBrandt.jpg)
Senator Tom Brandt
Nebraska Legislature Dist. 32
![Mary-Carman-Portrait](images/summit2021/mary-carman.jpeg)
Mary Carman
Food Service Director, Gering Public Schools
Climate Resilient Agricultural Practices
![Delberta-Frazier-Portrait](images/summit2021/DelbertaFrazier.jpg)
Delberta Frazier
Teacher, A’shita the’wathe! (Let’s Go Outside!) Program, Omaha Nation Public Schools
![Carrie-Horazeck-Portrait](images/summit2021/CarrieHorazeck.jpeg)
Carrie Horazeck
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
![Jeff-Jirovec-Portrait](images/summit2021/JeffJirovec1.jpg)
Jeff Jirovec
Founder & Operator, Grow with the Flow Aquaponics
![Alex-McKiernan-Portrait](images/summit2021/AlexMcKiernan1.jpg)
Alex McKiernan
Co-Founder & Financial Manager, Robinette Farms
![Brenda-Murphy-Portrait](images/summit2021/BrendaMurphy.jpg)
Brenda Murphy
Program Coordinator, A’shita the’wathe! (Let’s Go Outside!) Program, Omaha Nation Public Schools
Food Access
![Cecilia-Saavedra-Portrait](images/summit2021/CeciliaSaavedra.jpg)
Cecilia Saavedra
Latino Center of the Midlands
![Nancy-Williams-Portrait](images/summit2021/NancyWilliams.jpg)
Nancy Williams
Co-Founder & President/CEO, No More Empty Pots
Sustainability
![Portrait-of-Jerry-Cornett-and-wife-on-farm](images/summit2021/JerryCornett1.jpg)
Jerry Cornett
Prairie Plate Restaurant & Lakehouse Farm
![miki-esposito-Portrait](images/summit2021/MIKI-ESPOSITO2.jpg)
Miki Esposito
Senior Policy Advisor, City of Lincoln
![Connie-Fitzpatrick-Portrait](images/summit2021/ConnieFitzpatrick.jpg)
Connie Fitzpatrick
Intern, Douglas County Sustainability Office
![Tim-Rinne-Portrait](images/summit2021/TimRinne.png)
Tim Rinne
State Coordinator, Nebraskans for Peace
![Kim-Criner-Ritchie-Portrait](images/summit2021/KimCrinerRitchie.jpg)
Kim Criner Ritchie
Sustainability and Food Systems Analyst, Douglas County Kansas
![w-cecil-stewart-Portrait](images/summit2021/cecil.jpg)
W. Cecil Stewart
Emeritus Dean and Emeritus Professor of Architecture, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Our Planning Committee
![community crops](images/summit2021/collaborators/crops-logo.jpg)
![Center for Rural Affairs](images/summit2021/collaborators/CFRA.png)
![Joslyn Institute](images/summit2021/collaborators/Joslyn.png)
![Extension](images/summit2021/collaborators/Extension.png)
![NE Dept. of Education](images/summit2021/collaborators/NDE.png)
![Native American Coalition](images/summit2021/collaborators/NAC.png)
![Ag Society](images/summit2021/collaborators/NE%20Ag%20Society%20White.png)
![Buy Fresh Buy Local](images/summit2021/collaborators/BFBL.png)
![Nebraskans for Peace](images/summit2021/collaborators/NEforPeace.png)
![NE Dept. of Ag](images/summit2021/collaborators/DEPofAG.png)
![No More Empty Pots](images/summit2021/collaborators/nmep.png)
![Nebraska Appleseed](images/summit2021/collaborators/Appleseed.png)