On July 15, the USDA announced plans to end funding for the 12 Regional Food Business Centers—including the Heartland Center. Yet, Heartland Center partners are dedicated to finding support to continue the important work.

Attending the Farm to Fork Summit was a turning point for beginning elderberry farmer Julianne Hemphill. Through connections made there, she found the support, resources, and inspiration to start building Twilight Grove—her family’s future farm and rural business.

A letter from Congressman Mark Alford to the USDA made the Kansas City news—and so were some local organizations with ties to New Growth.

Community Representatives are needed from rural Missouri to serve on the advisory board of the Missouri Rural Food Access Partnership. This is a meaningful opportunity to share your community’s voice and help strengthen food access both locally and across the state.

Turning your passion for growing food into a business? With mentorship and apprenticeship opportunities available through New Growth and its partners, beginning farmers can get hands-on experience, avoid common missteps, and grow with confidence—on their own schedule and terms.

For Melissa Ginther of Ruthie Mae Blooms, finding New Growth meant finding the connections, resources, and community support she needed to turn challenges into opportunities that cultivate long-term success.

The 2025 Farm to Fork Summit and Expo was a huge success, bringing together over 170 people to celebrate and strengthen local food connections. See the listing of local contributors to the food value chain who attended and are helping build a resilient regional food system.

When Makeesha Munro and her partner started Root 54 Farm near Collins, Mo, they faced the challenges of learning mushroom cultivation and finding a market for their products. With support from New Growth, they gained mentorship, refined their process, and built connections that helped their farm thrive—now, Makeesha is sharing her knowledge at the Farm to Fork Summit on March 7, 2025

The Farm to Fork Summit isn’t just serving up knowledge—it’s serving up a farm-fresh meal that celebrates Missouri’s local food system. With ingredients sourced from numerous local farms and food producers, small food businesses, and representing over 9 rural communities, this year’s menu highlights the power of local food in strengthening rural economies while delivering a delicious experience for attendees.

As host of the award-winning podcast Just Grow Something and owner of Wolf Creek Family Farm in Peculiar, Missouri, Karin brings expertise and inspiration to the Farm to Fork Summit to help small farmers succeed. Don’t miss her keynote on income diversification and breakout on making the most at farmers markets!

The free forum, Farm to Fork Heartland Facebook Group, is a growing online community connecting local food producers, buyers, and supporters across Missouri, Kansas, and the Heartland region. It serves as a hub for networking, resource sharing, and promoting local food businesses, fostering collaboration within the regional food system.

Empowering the local farm and food entrepreneurs needed to make local food an easy choice for individuals, schools, grocers, and restaurants is the focus of the 7th annual Farm to Fork Summit taking place on March 7 in Nevada, MO