Join us in Paoli, Indiana for the fourth annual Indiana Uplands Winter Food Summit. We are hosting the event in-person this year and are excited to focus on the multitude of opportunities for farmers and food businesses in the regional supply chain to scale up and engage in new market opportunities.
When: Wednesday, 21 February, 9a-3p ET 
Where: Orange County Community Center
Cost: $10 includes all day summit, lunch, hospitality
What: The Indiana Uplands Winter Food Summit will create and strengthen connections to help reshape our Southern Indiana Food System into a regionally resilient food economy where social, health, and environmental values drive positive change for all.
- Learn more about how local and regional food systems are an economic development opportunity
- Hear insight as to how local and regional food systems are relationship and values-based
Connect with organizations and businesses who are offering incentives, grants, and new market channels for farmers and food businesses in the supply chain.
Who: People who participate in the food system (everyone!) and more specifically:
Public agents who work and support businesses in the food system. You are (generally) funded by public money and provide service, technical assistance, and support for others. You may be an officer, educator, or agent in economic development, soil and water conservation, natural resources, extension, municipal government, county or state agencies, elected or appointed, policy generator, commissioner, chamber of commerce, main street, municipal waste
Private businesses and support actors in the food supply chain, regional or statewide. You are a direct part of the transactional nature of the food system. You produce, prepare, distribute, aggregate, transport, market, sell, connect, or network with others in the food system to ensure local food is distributed locally.
Nonprofit groups in regions of Indiana who are working with stakeholders and filling the gaps from the public and private sectors. You work with marginalized groups, immigrant organizations, PTOs, or in the public health field on cross cutting policy and advocacy issues (examples include: food-is-medicine, community wellness, placemaking, environmental justice, food insecurity).
Western Kentucky Value Chain Coordinator for The Food Connection at the University of Kentucky. Brandi holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Gender and Women's Studies and a master's degree in social responsibility and sustainable communities, both from Western Kentucky University. As a 7th-generation Kentuckian, raised on a tobacco farm, she developed a passion for advocating for rural people and their communities. For the past 9 years, she was the Executive Director of a grassroots non-profit in Barren County Kentucky, Sustainable Glasgow, whose mission is investing in the local economy through agriculture, connecting family farmers with direct sales outlets, and working with local elected officials to support and promote these farmers as well as the local food supply chain. She and her husband Josh live in south central Kentucky with their two children, Hickory and Zinnia, where they garden using sustainable practices and recently acquired 47 acres of woodland near Mammoth Cave National Park in hopes to protect and preserve it.
We at Fischer Farms are a Southern Indiana producer of all natural beef. Over the last 150 years, six generations of Fischers have farmed our rolling hills. About 15 years ago, we started selling directly to customers with the mission of making it easier for customers to source local, natural, sustainable meat. We partner with our neighbors to supply pork, turkey, eggs, produce, and other products. Our goal is to make it easier for both customers and producers to get a wide range of fresh, top quality products on the plates of restaurants and the shelves of retail stores.
Heather is the East KY Value Chain Coordinator for The Food Connection. She is a farmer and strong advocate for the farming community and the agricultural industry as a whole. For the past 7 years she served as the Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent in Wolfe County. Heather and her husband, Reed, and their son, John Henry, live and farm in eastern KY. Their farm, Holly Creek Farms, is a 450 acre diversified operation comprised of a cow-calf operation, a freezer beef business, a firewood business, forages, and vegetable production. Heather holds a bachelor’s degree from Morehead State University in Animal Science and a master’s degree in Science Translation Outreach from the University of Kentucky.
In May of 2023, Erica Heater joined the Indiana State Department of Agriculture as the Agribusiness Engagement Director. Through her role, she assists agricultural operations of all sizes by connecting them with the people or resources they need to be successful. She is also the principal lead for the $8.2 million Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Grant that was awarded to Indiana and is now accepting applications. In addition, Erica is a Business Advisor through the Indiana Small Business Development Center Ag Initiative. Prior to joining the ISDA, Erica was a Physical Therapist, managing two large therapy clinics while practicing therapy.
Monty Henderson is the Indiana SBDC Agribusiness Initiative Director. He transitioned to this position after serving as the Hoosier Heartland Indiana SBDC regional director for four years and as the Indiana SBDC state director of network operations in Indianapolis prior to that office. Monty began his career with the SBDC as a business advisor. His counseling expertise features business finance, exporting, and market analysis. Through the course of his career, he has helped to develop numerous strategies with a wide variety of clients. Now his focus is on leading the Indiana SBDC Agribusiness team to assist and advise businesses, farmers, foresters, producers, processors, and manufacturers that support the food chain. You may learn more about the statewide Agribusiness Initiative here: 
Faye is the Central Kentucky Value Chain Coordinator for the Food Connection. She has a passion for local food systems and resilient community building. Faye grew up on an organic vegetable production farm in southcentral Kentucky. She has a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture and Natural Resources in Sustainable Systems from Berea College and a master’s degree in Integrated Plant and Soil Sciences from the University of Kentucky. She lives with her husband, son, and daughter in northwestern Jessamine County on a small farm.
Matthew John, is a nationally recognized expert on small-scale, sustainable poultry production. He has been breeding poultry for over 30 years, has worked in the commercial poultry industry managing breeding stock, consulted with various non-profits and private farms. He also has written and managed several grants and has written many articles in poultry and farming magazines and other publications.
Pam Rieke is the Value Chain Professional for the Food and Growers Association (FGA) in Batesville, IN where she has been an active member for several years. As the Value Chain Professional, Pam is committed to supporting small to mid-sized farmers and producers.
Armonda
Denise is a fifth-generation farmer. Her family has been farming on the same land in historic Lyles Station, Indiana since before the Civil War. Denise, her husband John, and son DeAnthony are owners of “Legacy Taste of the Garden”. Legacy’s mission is to Empower Indiana farmers, individuals, and communities to become self-sustaining and economically sound through education, networking, and providing information toward a healthy, sustainable, empowered life. Legacy is host of the Indiana Black Loam Conference which builds agricultural relationships and networking opportunities and provides introductions to USDA programs and resources available to BIPOC and socially disadvantaged rural, urban and community farmers, producers, and growers. Denise serves as the Program Manager for the Indiana Local Food Purchase Agreement (LFPA). Denise’s passion is being a Ag-vocate for farming and farmers.