Cross-Regional Meet & Greet: Largest National Convening of U.S. Seaweed Farmers
Since the Regenerative Ocean Farming Hub launch in April 2022, GreenWave has been working to organize ways for farmers to make in-person connections and engage in bicoastal farmer collaborations. As a farmer, it can be difficult to redirect resources away from farm operations and invest in professional development opportunities. Oftentimes the need for new farm equipment or gear repairs outrank the cost of travel and conference registration fees when it comes to prioritizing farm spending.
“A $500 registration fee is equivalent to the cost of a brand new anchor,” says GreenWave Director of Training & Support Lindsay Olsen. “The decision between farm gear and a conference attendance is a huge barrier to entry for farmers.” Earlier this month, GreenWave sponsored 30 seaweed farmers from Maine, Alaska, Southern New England, and California to attend the 2022 Seagriculture Conference in Portland, Maine.
Photo courtesy of Seagriculture 2022
Seagriculture presented a unique opportunity for farmers to connect with other seaweed stakeholders and get a pulse on the industry. “Gathering farmers at Seagriculture was a chance to expose farmers to industry ideas and ensure the farmer's voice is included in discussions,” says Lindsay.
GreenWave extended invitations to more than 30 independent farmers across the country. “Everyone said yes instantly,” says Lindsay. “I didn’t expect such an immediate and enthusiastic response.” GreenWave arranged a reduced block rate for farmers and covered the cost of conference registration and accommodation and provided a travel stipend. “When these opportunities come up, I'm always interested in attending,” says Stonington Kelp Company Farmer and Owner Suzie Flores. “There’s no way I can justify spending the money on conference tickets above investing in farm infrastructure.”
Farmer participation is critical to industry-wide discussions and decision-making. The farmer perspective brings real-life experience and applications to scientific conversations. “The dynamic of the room changed with active farmers in the audience,” says Lindsay. During a session on community engagement strategies, the topic of Indigenous community engagement was raised. “Shinnecock Kelp Farmer Matt Ballard stood up and offered a first-hand Native perspective, which inspired reflection on who was and wasn't represented in the room,” says Lindsay.
With so many farmers gathered in one place, GreenWave organized a Cross Regional Meet & Greet–the largest national gathering of U.S. seaweed farmers. “Our goal was to facilitate an in-person knowledge exchange exclusive to active farmers,” says Lindsay. This farmer-only space encouraged open conversations and peer-to-peer support. “Conversations were undiluted,” says Lindsay. “Everyone had the same baseline knowledge and language to dig into the details of farm design.”
Farming–whether based on land or sea–can be an isolating occupation. Opportunities to meet and collaborate with other farmers are rare, which is why the Ocean Farming Hub includes a Community as a place for farmers to answer technical questions and innovate. “In-person convenings are galvanizing,” says Lindsay. “Relationships between farmers developed organically.”
In addition to providing a free seed-to-sale online Ocean Farming Hub, GreenWave values farmer-to-farmer interactions and the importance of including these opportunities as part of a robust training program. This event kicked off GreenWave’s Farmer Forum, a new series of monthly conversations on seasonally relevant farm topics with opportunities for in-person meetups and on-farm demos from expert farmers. These farmer convenings are an in-person manifestation of the Ocean Farming Hub. “The Hub is more than a website,” says Lindsay. “We’re building community.”
We’re eager to develop more virtual and in-person opportunities for regenerative ocean farmers to gather and strengthen relationships that propel the industry forward.