** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY - SMALL FARM OUTREACH PROGRAM (VSU-SFOP) WILL HOST A NATIONAL URBAN AGRICULTURE (NUAG) CONFERENCE IN DETROIT, IN AUGUST 2024. THIS CONFERENCE WILL INTENTIONALLY INCREASE AWARENESS AND TRANSPARENCY ABOUT USDA PROGRAMMING AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR URBAN PRODUCERS. OUR PRIORITY IS TO BRIDGE THE GAP THAT HAS HISTORICALLY IMPACTED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN USDA AND URBAN PRODUCERS AND ORGANIZATIONS. WHILE ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THIS COMMUNITY OF SMALL FARMERS, VSU PLANS TO CREATE A SPACE FOR THEM TO LEARN ABOUT USDA PROGRAMS, PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES; AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE FEEDBACK AND RECOMMENDATIONS. THE INFORMATION SHARED AND COLLECTED WILL BE A CRITICAL PART OF OUR USDA PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS AND EVALUATIONS AT THE END OF THE PROJECT. THE NUAG CONFERENCE WILL BRING THESE STAKEHOLDERS TOGETHER FOR TRAINING, NETWORKING, RESOURCE CONNECTING, AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.THE EVALUATION SURVEY FROM THE NATIONAL URBAN AG KICKOFF MEETING INDICATED THAT SOME MAIN PRINCIPLES AND GOALS SHOULD BE MAGNIFIED IN THAT NATIONAL CONFERENCE.OUR MAIN OBJECTIVES ARE: 1) STRENGTHEN THE RELATIONSHIPS AND NETWORKING BETWEEN USDA AND URBAN PRODUCERS AND ORGANIZATIONS; 2) INCREASE PRODUCER KNOWLEDGE IN UNDERSTANDING, APPLYING, AND SUCCESSFULLY UTILIZING USDA PROGRAMS; 3) INCREASE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND COMBAT HISTORICAL MISTRUST IN USDA PROCESSES BY PROVIDING SPACE FOR PROGRAM AND ENGAGEMENT FEEDBACK AND MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION; 4) AMPLIFY URBAN AGRICULTURE EFFORTS AND HISTORY BY HONORING WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE IN THIS SPACE BY RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND WHAT CAN BE DONE IN THE FUTURE.