Curbside Consulting

2026 Curbside Consultants

Curbside Consulting offers 30-minute one-on-one technical assistant sessions throughout the conference, providing free expert advice on topics like business planning, lending, SNAP/WIC retailer registration, federal programs including EQIP, farm loans, farm numbers, social media, website development, grant management, marketing, HR, and more for small business development.

Curbside consulting hours are 1:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, and 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. on Friday.

Meet the Consultants

Services: Regenerative and Organic Crops and Livestock
Bio: Dave Bishop and his family own and operate PrairiErth Farm, a 450-acre diversified farm in central Illinois. They produce corn, soybeans, small grains and a variety of livestock. The farm has been certified organic since 2004.
The farm’s mix of livestock and crops is the foundation of its sustainable system. Dave’s extended crop rotation includes grazing time for livestock on row crop fields to build organic matter in the soil, provide balanced fertility for future crops, and increase the income- producing capacity of each acre.
The Bishops’ farming practices have garnered numerous awards: They are the 2017 Marbleseed Organic Farmers of the Year, and recipients of the 2018 RJ Vollmer Award for Sustainable Agriculture from the Illinois Department of Agriculture. In 2019, PrairiErth Farm was one of seven US farms recognized by “Good Food 100” Restaurants and the James Beard Foundation for their dedication to sustainability, transparency, and advancing good food.

Meet with Ruplal

Services: FDA requirements for launching new canned foods, FSMA Fresh Produce Safety rules, Grant writing for Value Added Producer Grant, Grant Writing for Farmers Market Promotion Program.
Bio: Dr. Ruplal Choudhary is a Professor in the School of Agricultural Sciences at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, with over 30 years of experience in food and bioprocess engineering. He specializes in improving food safety and quality of fresh and processed food. Dr. Choudhary is the pioneer of USDA NIFA Food Safety Outreach Program in Illinois. He has organized and delivered FSMA Preventive Control for Human Foods, Produce Safety Alliance grower trainings, and FDA Better Process Control School. Dr Choudhary is also actively engaged with growers across Illinois to promote food-safety innovations, sustainability, and water-efficient handling practices.

Services: Primary service is help with planning events that fit within business/organization goals - from brainstorming ideas and setting event goals to helping with event implementation tactics. Secondary is helping identify strategies for promoting events, identifying sponsors that align with event goals, etc.
Bio: Dr. Niki Davis is an accomplished educator with a professional background in marketing and event planning. As a professor of practice in the Hospitality, Tourism, and Event Management program at Southern Illinois University, she has spent more than 20 years teaching courses in event management, tourism and destination marketing, and integrated marketing strategies.
Niki launched her career in media and marketing, quickly moving into event planning where she played a key role in organizing a wide range of events—from grassroots community gatherings to international conferences. Her hands-on knowledge of strategic communication, branding, and event logistics directly informs her teaching, allowing students to learn industry standards in real-time and through real-world examples.
While her core expertise lies in marketing and events, Niki is also a passionate supporter of the tourism industry. Her work often highlights the intersection of tourism, food heritage, and cultural experiences. She served as President of the International Society of Travel and Tourism Educators (ISTTE) from 2013 to 2019 and maintains active membership in the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP), World Food Travel Association, and the Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums (ALHFAM).
In her professional and academic work, Niki emphasizes the importance of storytelling, place branding, and community engagement—skills that are essential for successful destination marketing and culinary tourism promotion.

Meet with Morgan

Services: Bookkeeping services, investment strategy education, cash flow and liquidity management, bank account management, payables and receivables optimization, and financial statement education.
Bio: I help businesses gain clarity in their finances and confidence in their decisions. Many small businesses cannot afford a full-time CFO or Treasurer, but understanding their financial health is still essential. That’s where I step in. My mission is to empower small businesses by providing deep insights into their financial picture and making financial information more accessible and understandable.
With over 17 years of professional experience across various industries, I have supported organizations of all sizes, from small nonprofits to global institutions. But my journey goes beyond numbers - it’s about fostering strong partnerships, resilience, and a belief that finances do not need to feel complicated.
I launched my career in high school, working part-time in market research at Caterpillar, Inc. before taking on a logistics role while earning my B.A. in International Business at Bradley University. After graduating magna cum laude, I became a Financial Analyst at Clover Imaging Group, supporting M&A and FP&A functions. Later, at Société Générale, I managed cash and collateral operations, foreign currency, and treasury functions in a high-paced global environment.
In 2017, I joined Illinois Farm Bureau and COUNTRY Financial, progressing from Treasury Manager to Director of Treasury Operations and Shared Services. Over eight years, I led cross-functional teams, managed banking relationships, oversaw liquidity and credit facilities, and advised 93 county Farm Bureaus on financial strategy.
I earned my Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) credential in 2018 and, while working full-time, pursued a B.S. in Accounting from Southern Illinois University to qualify for the CPA exam. I passed all exam sections and now maintain a CPA license in Illinois.
I established Falconer Financial Consulting to bridge the gap between high-level corporate finance and the organizations that need it most—small businesses, nonprofits, and community leaders striving for financial clarity. Whether you’re struggling with cash flow, need a better handle on your books, or want to build a more sustainable strategy for growth, I’m here to help you move forward—with strategy, not stress.

Services: Our services include guidance on working with distributors to manage capacity, organize deliveries, price and package products, and understand chef and institutional needs. We also support organizations strengthening Illinois’ local food system, offering collaborative guidance to work through challenges, unlock shared opportunities, and advance initiatives related to supply chain resilience. These sessions focus on knowledge-sharing, and do not guarantee supplier onboarding.
Bio: Alex Frantz is a food systems creative and the Director of Local & Sustainability at Midwest Foods, a woman-owned, Chicago-based produce distributor. With over a decade supporting farmers and cultivating demand for local food, she builds more equitable and sustainable food systems through transparency, storytelling, and innovative programs.
Alex partners with farmers and foodservice clients at colleges, hospitals, museums, stadiums, and senior living facilities, while also holding leadership roles across Chicago and Illinois—including Board Vice Chair of Green City Market, Co-Chair of the Metro Chicago Good Food Purchasing Initiative Steering Council, Steering Committee Member of the Illinois Food System Infrastructure Collaborative, Board Member of Advocates for Urban Agriculture, and the leadership team of the Illinois Stewardship Alliance Food Systems Leader Caucus—bringing strategic insight and collaboration to strengthen the local food ecosystem.

Meet with Daniel

Services: Customers would be given advice on creating a long-term nutrient management plan for their gardens, orchards, field and lawns, etc. Diagnostic strategies and preventative measures are easily discussed with clients for soil fertility and soil health. Proper sampling techniques and guidance on implementing lab results for higher production while raising awareness for environmental concerns. Sample reports and applications will be provided.
Bio: Daniel is an Agronomist at A&L Great Lakes, having joined the company in 2023. Daniel supports and advises customers within his region while maintaining and expanding accounts. His role involves leveraging his extensive background in crop science and integrated pest management, earned from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, where he completed a B.S. Degree in Crop Science. Daniel also holds professional certifications, including CPAg, CCA, and PASp.
Prior to A&L, Daniel managed the North American marketing facility for Horsch, a German equipment manufacturer, where he showcased various crops and equipment through demonstrations and field shows. This experience provided him with valuable insights into diverse farming practices and precision agriculture.
Daniel's decision to join A&L Great Lakes was influenced by the company's strong reputation and personal connections to its legacy, as his father had previously utilized A&L’s services through the University of Illinois Extension. His upbringing on a hobby farm in Central Illinois and his parents' careers in agricultural education fostered his deep-rooted passion for farming. He finds satisfaction in knowing that his contributions are crucial to the success of his customers’ agricultural endeavors.
Currently, Daniel helps growers across several states with soil and plant nutrition while maintaining his own hobby farm. This includes many fruit trees dedicated to cider, fresh picking, and preserving. He also raises all of his own produce, fresh eggs and meat for his family.

Services: Google Sheets Assistance
Bio: Kate Gurke is the Farm Direct Program Manager for Link Up Illinois at Experimental Station, where she focuses much of her energy on making the Link Match program work better through smarter data. Kate draws on nearly a decade of hands-on experience in the food space - from managing The Urban Canopy’s CSA (LUCSA) to assisting on the farm at Cedillo Farm Fresh in Chicago. She was originally drawn to this work by the community (and the juicy peaches and crunchy celery), and stays to build the spreadsheets and analytics that help us do our work better.
At Link Up Illinois, Kate has developed the way the team handles information, building out Google Sheets, processes, and tracking tools used daily to streamline operations. Kate specializes in transforming complex program requirements into streamlined, user-friendly Google Sheets and digital tools and helps organizations turn messy data into clear, actionable insights.
You can see her present on "Spreadsheet Basics" this Thursday at 2:30. She is eager to help Everything Local attendees streamline their own workflows and master their data!

Services: Cook County Farm Bureau offers hands-on consulting to help Cook County growers and urban farmers navigate local government processes. Whether you need guidance on farm assessments, zoning, water access, or more our team is here to make it easier to operate and grow your business. We can connect you with the right resources, help you understand local regulations, and work alongside you to keep agriculture thriving in our communities.
Bio: Bona Heinsohn, CAE serves as the Director of Governmental Affairs and Public Relations for the Cook County Farm Bureau®. She also serves as the organization’s local government lobbyist. In addition, she directs the organization’s policy generating process, serves as Assistant Treasurer for the Cook County Farm Bureau® Political Action Committee, and directs the organization’s public outreach activities and events.
Prior to joining the Farm Bureau, she worked as a Communications and Public Affairs Specialist as well as a Legislative Analyst with the Illinois Senate Republican Staff and a Campaign Manager for the Republican State Senate Campaign Committee.
Heinsohn received a M.A. in Political Studies from the University of Illinois and a B.S. in Agriculture from Illinois State University. In 2018, she was named a Certified Association Executive (CAE), the highest credential available for an association professional.
Heinsohn is a graduate of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation, an executive level leadership program for agricultural professionals. She currently serves as a Co-Captain for the Stateline Hotshots Rodeo Drill Team and is the immediate past President of the Stateline Area Equine Association.
She is a former City of Harvard Alderman and the past President of McHenry County Conservation District Board of Trustees. In addition, she formerly served as Government Day Co-Chair for Leadership Greater McHenry County Curriculum Committee; Secretary for the Harvard Education Recreational Softball program; and was a member of both the Harvard Parks Board and the Delos Diggins Public Library Board.
Heinsohn and her husband, Jeff, are grain farmers in northern Illinois. They have two children.

Meet with Danielle

Services:
Strategic Planning & Organizational: Development Mission and vision alignment Board and leadership development Multi-year strategic plans Succession and transition planning
Revenue Diversification & Financial: Sustainability Earned income strategies Sponsorship and partnership development Membership and subscription models Grant research and proposal guidance
Marketing & Communications: Brand development and messaging Marketing audits and action plans Social media strategy and training Website and content development
Community & Stakeholder: Engagement Community needs assessments Public input and facilitation sessions Volunteer recruitment and management strategies Stakeholder communications plans
Business & Program Development: Business plan creation and refinement Product and service launch planning Customer journey mapping Pricing strategies and profitability analysis
Capacity Building & Training: Workshops and training for boards, staff, or volunteers Customized toolkits and templates Process improvement and workflow design Change management support
Specialized Support: Downtown and Main Street revitalization planning Agritourism and direct-to-consumer sales strategies Event and festival planning guidance Economic development strategies for municipalities and chambers
Bio: Danielle Jacobs is a seasoned consultant dedicated to helping mission-driven organizations, producers, local governments, and entrepreneurs build sustainable, resilient operations. With over 15 years of experience spanning nonprofit leadership, economic development, marketing, and small business coaching, Danielle brings a practical, collaborative approach to every engagement. Her work focuses on strengthening organizational capacity, diversifying revenue streams, developing effective marketing strategies, and designing community-centered initiatives. Danielle has partnered with nonprofits to increase funding, guided farmers in expanding their direct-to-consumer sales, supported municipalities in revitalizing downtown districts, and helped small businesses navigate growth and change. Danielle’s expertise includes: Revenue diversification and earned income development Marketing and brand strategy Community and stakeholder event planning Grant writing and resource development Program design and evaluation She believes in meeting clients where they are, helping them define clear priorities, and translating ideas into actionable plans that fit their values and capacity. Whether advising a rural farm on new market opportunities or helping a city strengthen its economic ecosystem, Danielle’s goal is always to empower clients with the tools and confidence to thrive. Let’s work together to build stronger communities, more resilient organizations, and thriving local economies.

Meet with Ellen

Services: Business plans, sales, marketing, technology, websites, research, e-commerce, logistics, grants, networking, program development, curriculum design, instruction, facilitation, public-private partnerships, economic development, fundraisers, project management, coalition building, advocacy, public affairs, speech writing, policy analysis, data visualization
Bio: Ellen Kamps has an MPA from UC Berkeley & and an in-progress MS in Sustainable Food Systems from Arizona State University (2026). Through her academic work as a USDA NextGen Scholar she studies peri-urban and rural economic development. She co-owned and operated a certified organic fruit & vegetable farm in Illinois from 2013 – 2018, before moving into agriculture education, policy, advocacy, and program design.

Meet with Amanda

Services: farm planning, financial strategies, landscape design, floral design, foraging, cooking with fresh vegetables and fruits, and pest and diseases of plants.
Bio: Amanda Krabbe / Spears is a lifelong educator with over 20 years of experience inspiring students in agriculture, horticulture, and family and consumer sciences. She recently taught at Danville High School, where she worked with nearly 200 students each year in culinary arts, human development, and adult living — all while laying the groundwork for a future agriculture program at the school.
Before that, Amanda spent more than 18 years as a Professor of Horticulture at Danville Area Community College. During that time, she created hands-on, engaging courses that brought learning to life — from sustainability and local foods to farm-to-fork, landscape design, and horticulture therapy. Her classes often took students outside the classroom, teaching them to forage, grow, prepare, and market their own products while building real-world skills and confidence.
Amanda also led several major projects that shaped the DACC horticulture program, including designing and managing the college’s sustainability garden, helping secure funding for a state-of-the-art greenhouse, and earning grants to support hydroponics systems, irrigation projects, and student-built ponds.
She’s always been passionate about community connection — giving presentations for local organizations, schools, and the University of Illinois Extension, and developing partnerships that connect education with meaningful, practical experiences.
Now, Amanda has returned to her roots on the farm and is pursuing a doctorate in organizational leadership. She’s as dedicated as ever to helping students and communities discover the value of agriculture, sustainability, and lifelong learning through creative, hands-on education that leaves a lasting impression.

Meet with Dr. Long

Services: strategic planning; food systems assessments; resilience and disaster preparedness and mitigation
Bio: Courtney Long, PhD, is the Director of the Agricultural and Marketing Resource Center, and Manager of the Food Systems program at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
Courtney has worked in food systems since 2010. She seeks to understand the intersectionality of community, food systems, and resilience. With projects and research ranging from scenario planning for preparedness for future disasters, resilient food systems assessments, and place-making through food system development. Much of her work connects to community and organizational assessment and facilitation to understand the underlying aspects of values and purpose in relation to resilience and food system intersections. Long’s research and programming cuts across areas of resilient food systems and impacts from COVID and natural disasters. Specific emphasis has included understanding place-based community capacity for responding to disasters; population support for local farm and food businesses; and Land Grant Universities’ roles in supporting efforts for resilient food systems.

Meet with Megan

Services:
Brand Strategy & Storytelling: Clarifying brand identity, mission, and messaging for farms, markets, and small food businesses.
Marketing & Communications: Planning: Practical frameworks for content calendars, social media growth, newsletters, and local press outreach.
Partnership & Sponsorship Development: How to attract aligned partners and sponsors without compromising values.
Editorial & Content Development: Turning your story into compelling copy—from website and social media language to grant narratives and campaign materials.
Event & Campaign Strategy: Guidance for hosting or promoting markets, farm dinners, or educational events that connect with your audience authentically.
My approach is collaborative, creative, and rooted in years of hands-on experience across local food systems, community publishing, and large-scale brand management. Whether you’re a farmer looking to improve your digital presence, a market manager seeking new sponsors, or a nonprofit refining its storytelling, these sessions will offer both strategic perspective and actionable next steps.
Bio: Megan Marshall (she/hers) is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Edible Chicago, part of the national Edible Communities network of more than 80 independently owned publications. Since relaunching the magazine in 2023, she has sharpened its focus on the makers, producers, and innovators shaping Chicago’s food system—expanding readership, cultivating partnerships, and strengthening ties across the city’s culinary and agricultural landscape.
With more than a decade of experience spanning marketing, large-scale event production, and nonprofit leadership, Megan brings a uniquely cross-disciplinary approach to her work. She previously served as Director of Operations at Green City Market and as Festival Director at the Chicago Tribune, where she launched the inaugural FOOD BOWL festival. She has also held senior roles at Edelman and through her own consultancy, Spritz Agency, leading integrated campaigns for global brands and cultural organizations.
Megan earned her M.A. in Food Studies from New York University and her B.A. in American Social Movements from Indiana University. A self-described “professional non-conformist,” she is passionate about strengthening local food systems, advancing equity in food and farming, and honoring the connections that food makes possible.

Services: Business Planning for farmers and food businesses
Bio: Sean Park is currently a Program director for the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at Western Illinois University. As Director of the Value-Added Sustainable Development Center, he works with rural communities to develop sustainable business models that address community needs. Sean has worked as an Economic Development Director, an SBDC Advisor, and the owner/operator of a grocery store in rural Illinois for 10 years. He currently leads the technical assistance for the Illinois Grocery Initiative, a state program providing grants for grocery startups in food deserts.

Meet with Stephanie

Services: Got a project idea, marketing question, or funding puzzle? Stephanie Rhodes, founder of Bloomin’ Communications LLC, is here to help! She’s a project planner, storyteller, and grant writer who works with farmers, agritourism operators, and community groups to grow ideas from seed to success. With years of experience in corporate marketing, rural business development, and teaching destination marketing at SIU, Stephanie is ready to share quick, practical tips during free curbside consulting between sessions—no appointment needed, just bring your ideas! Prepare for brainstorming - promotions, events, collaborations, resource partners - and sorting through it all, exploring opportunities for new projects and promotions and help with a plan.
Bio: Stephanie Rhodes blends corporate marketing savvy with a passion for strengthening rural communities. After beginning her career in marketing communications and trade show management in Atlanta, Georgia, she transitioned to the nonprofit sector, where she worked extensively in rural business development, marketing, and organizational leadership in southern Illinois.
Today, Stephanie is the founder of Bloomin’ Communications LLC, where she serves as a freelance project planner, storyteller, and grant writer for farmers, agritourism operators, and community organizations. She brings both strategy and creativity to her clients—helping them grow their businesses, tell their stories, and plan for bringing their ideas to life.
Now in her fourth year as a college instructor at Southern Illinois University, Stephanie teaches destination marketing and management and event management, bringing her own professional experiences into the classroom to spark connection and practical learning.
Her work has included serving as content coordinator and contributor for Food, Fun & Folks: A little magazine about big travel opportunities, funded by the Specialty Crop Block Grant, as well as coordinating its companion program delivering local food and specialty crop education to youth, moms, and seniors across southern Illinois.
Stephanie holds a degree in Agricultural Communications from the University of Illinois and was named one of Southern Illinois’ Leaders Among Us in 2019. At the Local Foods Conference, she’ll be offering free curbside consulting—sharing ideas, brainstorming, answering questions, and helping you plant the seeds for your next great project.

Meet with Carrie

Services: Information about the Senior and WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program Assistance with Docusign Farmer & Market Manager Application & Contracting Process

Meet with Rosie

Services: Direct marketing, Farm website, Agritourism
Bio: Rosie Trump has been the driver behind bringing her family’s farm products and experiences to life. Using her professional background in marketing, she has put her farm on the map and built a direct-to-consumer business that serves hundreds of local customers each year. Beyond their farm store, Rosie has built agritourism experiences from the ground up in order to diversify farm income and serve her community beyond growing food they can eat.
If you are interested in getting started with direct sales, wondering if you need to build a farm website, or are curious what hurdles you might face when creating an agritourism experience, Rosie can help you get a jumpstart on your goals!

Meet with Chris

Services: Reframing Agritourism: From “Business” to Community Asset.
When farmers say “agritourism,” towns often hear something very different and rush to shut it down. Similarly, when you position your farm as a “business,” some communities immediately brace for profit-driven development. The truth is that many small farms are the opposite: seasonal and rooted in education, stewardship, and heritage. I help farmers and small organizations reframe their identity so decision-makers and neighbors see the full value. We’ll pinpoint the red-flag words that trigger opposition, replace them with language that signals alignment with local values, and develop messaging that positions your farm as a community asset rather than a commercial threat. Attendees will walk away with: A guide to the language pitfalls that spark zoning resistance. Reframing strategies that highlight heritage, education, sustainability, and preservation of open space. Messaging tools to position your farm or project as a natural fit for your community’s values A framework for presenting proposals that lower defenses and invite support. Attendees who want guidance on zoning and identity framing are encouraged to bring: A copy of their draft proposal, business plan, or program description Their local zoning code section(s) related to agriculture, agritourism, or special uses Notes on objections or pushback they’ve already heard (if any)
Bio: Chris Yamamoto co-runs Little Ducky Flower Farm in Barrington Hills, Illinois, where a diverse mix of flowers are grown on a third of an acre. With a background in engineering and firsthand experience navigating zoning and community pushback, Chris helps farms and nonprofits reframe their identity as community assets rooted in heritage, education, and stewardship.

Meet with Diane

Services: Consulting to sell into the institutional market. Assistance to locate institutional buyers. Assistance with developing introductory information to share with buyers.
Bio: Diane’s career in food service spanned thirty-two years. She committed the last fifteen to school nutrition, working in Wisconsin school districts. Diane developed successful and prosperous farm to school programs, building relationships with Wisconsin farmers and processors. During that time, she formed the Northeast Wisconsin (NEW) Farm to School Initiative, which assisted over sixty school districts working to create sustainable farm to school programs.
Later, Diane acted as the first Operations Manager for the newly created Fifth Season Cooperative, in Viroqua, WI. She built the six-member class co-op from the ground up, aggregating product from twenty-eight individual farms, three farm co-ops (totaling two-hundred farms) and thirteen processor members. Utilizing returning trucks and existing distribution routes with distribution member Reinhart Foodservice, and later Sysco Foods, the co-op successfully moves Wisconsin foods to Wisconsin institutions and restaurants.
Diane now manages programming for the Illinois Farm to School Network. She educates and trains school food service staff expanding farm to school participation in Illinois, her home state. She firmly believes that kids of all ages can learn to truly enjoy fresh vegetables with education and a side of fun.

Services: Farm finances, farm lending, farm transfer planning
Bio: Paul Dietmann is Senior Focused Lending Specialist at Compeer Financial, a member-owned Farm Credit System cooperative in the upper Midwest. He co-leads Compeer’s Emerging Markets program, providing loans and business planning assistance to farmers who market their products directly to consumers or who are engaged in value-added production, processing, or marketing. He is based in Prairie du Sac, WI.
Dietmann has been helping family farmers with farm financial management issues since the mid-1990s, first as a county agricultural agent, then as director of the Wisconsin Farm Center, as Wisconsin’s Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, and now with the Farm Credit System. He is co-author of the book Fearless Farm Finances: Farm Financial Management Demystified and author of Turning Grain Into Dough: Farm Financial Management for Organic Grain and Crop Rotation. He teaches dozens of workshops each year on a variety of topics related to farm finances.

Meet with Laurie

Services: Assist growers in understanding and incorporating the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule requirements for their specific farm environment. Discussions can cover topics such as Pre-Harvest or Harvest/Postharvest Agricultural Water Rules, Farm Food Safety Plans, etc.
Bio: My focus on food safety began in 2011, working with small and commercial fruit and vegetable growers on Good Agricultural Practices. The major areas of concentration were on food safety issues, sustainable local food production, and advancement of local food systems through Illinois Extension. In May of 2021 I was hired by the Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) as the Midwest Regional Extension Associate, which requires me to work closely with growers/packers, Extension personnel associated with Land-Grant Universities, State Departments of Agriculture, State Farm Bureaus, regulatory agencies, and several state-wide non-profit organizations throughout my twelve-state region. The focus of my efforts concentrates on initiating, organizing, teaching, and evaluating PSA Grower Trainings and Train-the-Trainer courses in the United States and Internationally through in-person trainings as well as online and remote trainings through web-based platforms. It is my responsibility to understand and convey the requirements of the Produce Safety Rule (PSR) and corresponding preamble as well as FDA guidance and updates as they are released. I help stakeholders to understand the PSR requirements and how it affects the farm environment as a whole

Services: Explanation of the current farm and food policy options for regional producers in Washington DC. How to engage successfully with Electred officials and agency staff and how important it is for farm businesses. Understanding USDA marketing grant programs. How USDA is structured and how various programs work. The USDA food procurement process.
Bio: Kate Fitzgerald works on federal policy that links family farms with consumers and institutions to achieve healthier and more resilient local and regional food systems.
She has worked at the local, state and national levels designing and implementing programs, and turning the successes into better policy. This has included piloting initiatives in Texas that became USDA’s WIC and Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Programs; developing the first federal farm to school grant program; working with Congress to craft legislation and win permanent funding for SNAP incentive and produce prescription programs; and supporting independent grocers’ successful participation in these programs.
Most recently Kate served as USDA’s Senior Advisor for Food Systems, responsible for standing up the 12 Regional Food Business Centers and overseeing a range of initiatives to stimulate new markets for small and mid-sized producers including the Local Food for Schools, Local Food Purchase Assistance Programs, and Resilient Food System Infrastructure grants.
Kate has received the Gus Schumacher Award, the Sustainable Food Center's Changemaker Award, and the Distinguished Appropriate Technology Award for Sustainable Agriculture.

Meet with Sarah

Services: The Emerging Markets Team at Compeer Financial helps with access to credit and financial services for direct-to-consumer and value-added processors. This includes help with financials (balance sheet, cash flow projection), business planning, and financial advice for non-traditional operations such as urban farms, fruit, vegetables, flowers, bees, direct-to-consumer livestock, and value-added, including organic, sustainable, and regenerative operations.
Bio:‍ ‍Since graduating with a BS in Agribusiness, Farm & Financial Management from the University of Illinois in 2008, Sarah has gained a wealth of experience in a variety of industries. Staring with a career in Boston before moving to Chicago in 2009, where she worked as a payroll accountant and supervisor. In 2017, she returned to her roots in Graymont, IL, to join her family's farming operation and began working as an Agricultural Lender at a local bank. Simultaneously, she pursued her MBA at the University of Illinois Gies College of Business.
As the sixth generation on her family's farm, she has a deep connection to agriculture. She currently grows conventional corn and soybeans alongside her dad and uncle. Besides, she has an active role in the Illinois Farm Bureau, serving on several committees and currently as the Treasurer/Secretary of the Livingston County Farm Bureau.
In her current role at Compeer Financial, Sarah assists non-traditional agricultural operations that sell their products directly to consumers. This includes urban agriculture, value-added production, and non-traditional ag operations like fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

Meet with Trevor

Services: Consulting services to support farmers, producers, and market managers establish or expand fruit and vegetable voucher incentive programs. Based on the clients region and goals, consulting will be provided to establish relationships with the appropriate organizations such as initiating voucher incentive redemption applications, and vendor applications. We will also follow up with you to support achievement of the clients goals. Services will also include support setting up an email address to align with EBT redemption requirements.
Bio:‍ ‍As the Nutrition Initiatives Program Manager for Illinois Public Health Institute, Trevor Johnson leads the nutrition strategies for the Illinois State Physical Activity and Nutrition Program. As a farmer, designer, and now working at the state level, his experience will help you identify and explore tools, resources, and strategies to help you grow.

Meet with Ashley

Services:‍ ‍All things land access: land/farmer search, land evaluation, lease writing, farmer/tenant relationships.
Bio: Ashley's background is deeply rooted in agriculture. She grew up on a small family farm in Southern Illinois and was active in 4-H and FFA. She obtained her bachelor's degree in Animal Science with a minor in Plant and Soil Science from the University of Illinois. Her professional career has been dedicated to the animal agriculture industry; roles held ranging from research in commercial-scale pork processing, scheduling market hog movements, to managing quality in livestock feed manufacturing.
Agriculture isn't just a career but a lifestyle for Ashley. Along with her husband, they manage their own farm which includes traditional row crops, custom hay services, and a private label beef business. They made it a family farm by welcoming their daughter in November of 2024. Ashley is passionate about her role at The Land Connection, supporting those that desire a lifestyle in agriculture and ensuring it is a viable option for generations to come.

Meet with Natalie

Services: Grow Marketing + Communications helps farmers markets, food systems organizations, and community-driven initiatives amplify their impact through smart, strategic marketing. From branding and storytelling to social media, digital advertising, and content planning, Grow offers tailored support to help you engage your audience and elevate your mission. Whether you're looking to boost market attendance, improve online presence, or launch your first ad campaign, a consultation with Grow is your first step toward confident, effective marketing.
Bio: Natalie Kenny Marquez is the Founder of Grow Marketing + Communications, LLC, a woman-owned consulting firm specializing in business development, branding, and marketing strategy for mission-driven organizations, small businesses, and nonprofits. With a strong focus on the healthcare and agriculture sectors, Natalie brings a depth of experience working with entities of all sizes—from family farms and food startups to statewide initiatives and large-scale grant projects through the Illinois Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture. Her work empowers organizations to clarify their messaging, engage their audiences, and build sustainable visibility. Before founding Grow, Natalie spent over a decade in municipal government, serving at the Village of Skokie and later as Marketing Coordinator and Director of Urbana’s Market at the Square in the City of Urbana, Illinois. Her firsthand knowledge of community engagement, public administration, and food systems communications informs her thoughtful and practical approach to marketing. Natalie has been a leader in the Illinois local food movement for well over a decade, having served on the board of the Illinois Farmers Market Association since 2012, including nearly nine years as Board Chair. In addition to her board leadership, she frequently leads trainings and webinars for farmers, market managers, and small food businesses on topics such as e-commerce, display design, and digital marketing. She holds a double major in Journalism/Advertising and Political Science from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Meet with Blake

Services: New farm operations, livestock and new livestock additions, consumer education, and small farm production data.
Bio: Blake, born and raised in rural Iowa, grew up working on a diversified livestock and crop operation. Throughout his youth and into college, Blake earned several accolades exhibiting livestock on a county, state, and national level. Blake ultimately graduated from Iowa State University with a B.S. in Animal Science. Upon graduating from ISU in the spring of 2016, Blake accepted the Farm Manager position at Historic Wagner Farm in Glenview, Illinois, which remains his current role. There he oversees daily production, maintenance, the Glenview Clovers 4-H club as well as his diverse team of talent. Blake is a member of the IALP class of 2020, is on the Cook County Farm Bureau of Directors, and serves as the Chair for the Cook County Farm Bureau Young Leaders. He is a 2024 finalist for the Illinois Soybean Associations 20 under 40. Blake resides in Lake Villa, Illinois with his wife Shannon, daughter Emmalyne, and two dogs Waylon and Willie.

Meet with Kelly

Services: Cottage Food and Value Added Product Consulting. Startup considerations, product creation, packaging & labeling, signage & marketing, navigating regulatory hurdles, navigating governmental hurdles, utilizing local ingredients as a sales point, and other topics related to small food businesses in Illinois.
Bio:‍ Kelly Lay is the owner & farmer of Meadow Lane Farm, located in Leroy, IL, a small farm & food business specializing in locally grown & foraged products. She has been an active advocate for local food and farming since 2020. In 2021, Kelly gave testimony to an Illinois Congressional hearing on the Home to Market Act, which later passed unanimously. Later that year, she led a team of IL stakeholders in writing the IDPH Cottage Food Guide, providing a comprehensive guide to set small food businesses up for success. More recently, Kelly has been a part of multiple statewide working groups responsible for updates to the Farmers Market Safety Guide, mobile market regulations, Illinois Local Food Infrastructure Grant, discussions about shared kitchen regulations, an update to cottage food regulations in the Home to Market Act, and a new update to the IDPH Cottage Food Guide.
In addition to Meadow Lane Farm, Kelly is a Farm Educator for Prairie Fruits Farm & Creamery, an Alderwoman for the City of Leroy, and regularly provides consulting services to local farm & food businesses on topics related to food safety, food & farming regulations, growing a small food business, navigating government as a small business, developing new food & farm products, selling "locally grown & made" to the general public, and other topics related to successful small food & farm operations in Illinois.

Services: Irma Lopez is the President and Owner of ICL Consulting, LLC, bringing over two decades of experience in economic development, government outreach, and small business advocacy.
Bio: She currently serves as a Community Engagement Consultant under contract with the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR), where she leads strategic outreach efforts to inform and engage communities about the Illinois Human Rights Act and the department’s available resources and programs.
Prior to joining IDHR, Irma served as Program Coordinator for the Illinois Coronavirus Response & Relief Business Center (ICRR) at the Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council. The ICRR was established to help minority-owned businesses in both urban and rural communities navigate and leverage federal, state, and local resources made available during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Irma has also worked as an independent contractor with the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, providing subject matter expertise and technical assistance to small businesses through the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC).
Earlier in her career, Irma served as Outreach Manager for both the Business Enterprise Program (BEP) and the Veteran Business Program (VBP) within the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS). In this role, she represented the programs at major conferences and public forums to promote the state’s commitment to awarding at least 20% of state contracts to businesses owned by minorities, women, and persons with disabilities.
Irma’s public service also includes over 16 years with the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO). While there, she managed the Eliminate the Digital Divide Grant Program, funding organizations in underserved communities to deliver internet access and digital literacy training. She also worked in DCEO’s Office of Trade & Investment, supporting small and mid-sized businesses in expanding their global reach through export assistance and international trade services.
Irma is a passionate advocate for small businesses and is dedicated to educating entrepreneurs on the benefits of certification through BEP, VBP, and other public and private certifying entities. Her deep understanding of government programs and procurement pathways makes her a vital resource for business owners across Illinois.
She is bilingual, fluent in both English and Spanish.

Meet with Stacy

Services: New product development, branding, white labeling, product packaging, customer acquisition, event management, farmers market and fest strategies, sales methods, and community collaboration concepts. Startups and new business launches. Main focus on strategy development and tactical execution.
Bio: Stacy McCaskill is the founder and lead product formulator at Hempstock Pharms, a seed-to-label botanical wellness company based in Woodstock, Illinois—just outside Chicago in McHenry County. Recognized as an Illinois Maker by the Illinois Office of Tourism in 2023, Hempstock crafts small-batch, hemp-derived topicals, tinctures, smokables, edibles, and beverages for both people and pets, all designed to promote natural wellness.
As the company grew, Hempstock Pharms expanded to include the Hempstock Wellness Center, featuring a Botanical Boba Bar, espresso drinks, a community room, and therapeutic massage services. The brand continues to evolve beyond hemp, developing functional mushroom, root, and herb-based products, along with plant and berry juices, and applying the same craft formulation expertise to create delicious gummies, candies, and beverages that celebrate holistic health.
Before founding Hempstock Pharms, Stacy spent nearly two decades as a business professor and global consultant, helping launch and scale small and medium enterprises across Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe. She holds an International MBA, an M.A. in Organizational Development, and a B.A. in Finance, and speaks conversational Chinese after years living and teaching in China.
A recognized expert in marketing, entrepreneurship, and business development, Stacy has served on the Board of Directors for the Illinois Specialty Crop Association, as President of the Illinois Herb Association, and on the Board of the Food Shed Co-op. She currently serves on the Board of the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce.
Rooted in purpose and community, Stacy believes in paying it both forward and back—using entrepreneurship, education, and engagement to grow a more connected, healthy, and inspired world.

Services: Food as Health: Medically tailored meals program development and evaluation, Federal nutrition standards compliance, Recipe and menu development, Culinary medicine program development and tech. assistance for healthcare professionals, Team building across agriculture-health continuum, Healthcare-food system partnership development

Food Safety, Regulatory, Processing & Infrastructure Development (w/Kelly Lay)
Processing capacity building
Equipment procurement and specification
Production capacity planning
Quality control protocol development
Surplus agricultural product utilization strategies
Bio: Food is Health Expert | Food Safety & Regulatory Specialist | Meal Plan Development Consultant Chef Erin Meyer is a registered dietitian, chef, and Founder/Executive Director of Basil's Harvest, bringing over 30 years of specialized expertise in food as medicine, food safety compliance, and nutrition regulation. As a Clinical Associate at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria, she co-founded the Cook Well, Eat Well, Live Well Culinary Medicine Program, training medical professionals to integrate evidence-based nutrition into patient care.
Food as Medicine Leadership Erin leads multiple groundbreaking food as medicine initiatives across the Midwest. She currently manages the ChiFresh Kitchen Medically Tailored Meals Partnership, implementing federal nutrition standards compliance for a worker cooperative serving Chicago's South Side, including development of the innovative "ChiPlate" nutritional guidelines tool for IDOA compliance with plant-forward nutrition standards tailored for chronic disease management. Her work demonstrates how medically tailored meals programs can meet rigorous federal standards while serving vulnerable populations.
Food Safety & Regulatory Expertise With hands-on experience navigating complex regulatory environments, Erin provides comprehensive food safety consulting including HACCP plan development and implementation, IDPH and FDA regulatory coordination, and processing facility design. She is currently leading the FarmFed Cooperative HACCP & Processing Development project, managing comprehensive regulatory compliance for a tomato processing facility, including equipment procurement and processing operations design. Her successful navigation of IDPH regulatory processes has enabled farmer-led processing operations to meet institutional food safety standards.
Nutrition Regulations & Meal Plan Development Erin specializes in federal nutrition standards compliance (IDOA, USDA) and develops evidence-based meal plans for chronic disease management. Her expertise includes recipe and menu development that meets institutional nutrition requirements while supporting health outcomes. Through her work with ChiFresh Kitchen, she has successfully implemented nutrition standards demonstrating how local food procurement can meet strict federal nutritional guidelines.
Erin's unique combination of clinical nutrition expertise, culinary skills, regulatory knowledge, and hands-on food safety experience makes her an invaluable resource for organizations seeking to launch food as medicine programs, navigate regulatory compliance, or develop nutrition-focused meal planning systems

Services: Feasibility Analysis & Business Planning Evaluation Building Community Food Webs Support Systems for Emerging Farmers
Bio: Ken Meter is one of the most experienced food system analysts in the U.S., integrating market analysis, business development, systems thinking, and social concerns. Meter holds more than 50 years of experience in inner-city and rural community capacity building. His local economic analyses have promoted local food networks in 155 regions in 42 states, 2 provinces, and 4 tribal nations. He developed strategic regional food plans for 20 regions across the U.S. Meter consulted with the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and Colorado State University as one of 14 co-authors of a toolkit for measuring economic impacts of local food development. He is author of Building Community Food Webs, published by Island Press in 2021. Meter served as co-editor of Sustainable Food System Assessment: Lessons from Global Practice, published by Routledge (UK) in 2019. He is also a member of the International Economic Development Council and the American Evaluation Association, invited to speak to leadership groups of both organizations.

Meet with Arthur

Services: Issue diagnosis and action plans; market and channel strategy; product and pricing design; USDA program advice, funding and grant support; partnership and coalition setup; buyer outreach and sales toolkit; label and claims review; logistics and fulfillment setup; leadership coaching; risk and continuity planning; simple metrics and continuous improvement.
Bio: Arthur L. Neal, Jr. is a distinguished senior executive with over 30 years served at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), where he held a broad range of impactful senior executive leadership roles in the Agricultural Marketing Service. He has led the nation’s quality inspection system for grain, rice, and pulses; championed the growth of local and regional food supply chains; led the development and launch of the National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard; and was instrumental in developing and implementing the USDA National Organic Standards.
Arthur brings extensive hands-on experience in organizational leadership, agriculture and food policy development, strategic problem-solving, coalition-building, coaching, mediation, and mentoring. Known for his ability to navigate complex organizational, industrial, and relational challenges, Arthur consistently fosters healthy and collaborative outcomes for stakeholders. His leadership is rooted in service, and he is deeply committed to equipping the next generation of capable, mission-driven leaders who can meet both current and future demands.
Arthur attended Southern University Agricultural and Mechanical College, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics. He also attained a master’s degree, in Agricultural Economics, from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas, while also studying International Marketing at the Scottish Agricultural College in Aberdeen, Scotland (UK).
Beyond his professional work, Arthur is deeply active in service, mentoring through community organizations, supporting ministries in his local church, and serving on various boards and committees.

Times to be Determined

Services: I can serve as a consultant on a number of items, so please let me know which would be useful, if any: growing garlic, grant writing, getting your niche market to earn 6 figures, cottage food, organic growing, organic marketing.
Bio: Sharon Pferschy is part owner an operator of Garlic Breath Farm, in Elburn Illinois. Sharon and her husband Tony started Garlic Breath Farm in 2015, growing mainly certified organic garlic and also other produce. Sharon is often engaged in the Speaker circuit for various colleges and clubs, covering everything from becoming a certified organic farm, to grant writing, garlic growing techniques, medicinal aspects of garlic, how to turn your niche farm into a six-figure farm, discussions on Cottage Food life and organic (aka affordable) marketing.
She also understands firsthand what it’s like to grow a business leveraging debt, as well as her current stance of being a DEBT FREE business. By the time she figured out how to become a six figure earning business, she had already turned them into a debt free farm and debates the idea that farmers need to go/stay in debt in order to grow. Rather, Sharon believes the farmers simply need to treat their army of dollars with the same thoughtful and tactical methods market farmers treat their seeds, which is to put a lot of thought into the timing and conditions of each of them, in order for each small effort to flourish with maximum impact..
Sharon also enjoys Grant writing and has been successful in winning numerous grants, sometimes out earning even their sales figures.

Meet with Kristine

Services: Becoming an Employer of Choice; HR and HRM, including best practices from hiring to retiring and everything in between; coaching employees to improve performance; developing high performing work teams and team leaders; building a cohesive leadership (owners/managers) team, and managing conflict in the workplace. I am able to provide resources on regional food system development.
Bio: Kristine Ranger is an innovative and valued resource responsible for transforming people, teams and organizations across the Midwest. In the past 40 years, she has coached start up and growth phase businesses and organizations in people skills, team and leadership development, organizational development, business planning, and HR systems and practices. Her consulting focuses on developing high performing work teams; family/farm succession planning; human resource management; and organizational health, culture and strategy. From 2002-2005, she served on the leadership team that designed and implemented the first multi-channel “Buy Local” campaign in Michigan that increased sales of fresh Michigan products by 100%. Her efforts resulted in the highly popular Farmers Market at the Capital, a Farmers Market at Henry Ford Hospital, and several Farm to Chef and Farm to School programs that still exist today. She also consulted in the development of the MSU Product Center for Ag & Natural Resources and became a certified Ag Innovation Counselor, helping numerous agri-preneurs with new product development, business planning and marketing initiatives. Recently, her food system consulting work has focused on rural economic development and the launch of a NE MI Food & Farming Network. Kristine completed her Master’s in Adult Education at South Dakota State University and certification courses for systems thinking, program evaluation, and human resource development. She is an accomplished speaker and writer, authoring several feature articles, newsletters and grant applications for her clients. She also advises on effective adult learning delivery methods to help increase attention and knowledge retention through train-the-trainer programs. She serves as a Parliamentarian and is an Authorized Partner and Accredited Facilitator for Wiley workplace solutions and self-assessing resources. A pioneering leader, Kristine championed the development of a Toastmasters International Chapter, a Business Networking International (BNI) Chapter and a State FFA Alumni Association. In addition to her past leadership roles with several state-wide non-profits, she is a member of American AgrWomen, The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the National AgHR Advisory Group; and served on the Ag STEM Advisory Board for her local school district. She is a Lifetime FFA Alumni member and former FFA Advisor. Clients appreciate Kristine’s down-home delivery style, keen eye for review, and unbiased analysis. Her methodology of “deliberate practice” impacts the entire workforce and improves performance at all levels. In other words, shift happens!

Meet with Sabrina

Services: Information about the Senior and WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program; Assistance with Docusign Farmer & Market Manager Application & Contracting Process
Bio: Special Nutrition Programs Coordinator

Services: Regenerative farming practices, Organic crop farming, Grazing beef cattle and sheep, Grazing cover crops, Grazing infrastructure (fence, water systems).
Bio: Dan Sanderson is a lifelong farmer from Northern Illinois with over 50 years of experience in agriculture. Raised on a family farm, Dan has dedicated his career to exploring and implementing innovative practices that improve both the land and the way food is grown. His book Grounded: One Farmer’s Journey to Regenerative Agriculture shares his story and the lessons in farming he has learned along the way.
As the steward of Pasture Grazed Regenerative Farm, Dan has transitioned from conventional farming methods to regenerative agriculture, focusing on soil health, biodiversity, and sustainability. His farm is a model of how livestock integration, rotational grazing, and cover cropping can work together to heal the land and produce nutrient-dense food. Dan is always happy to share his journey and insights at conferences, workshops, and with fellow farmers seeking to make a positive impact. His lifelong commitment to learning, observing nature, and adapting to new information makes him a credible and passionate advocate for regenerative farming practices.

Meet with Dr. Windsor

Services: Identifying grant opportunities Preparing a budget Building a GANTT chart Writing a compelling narrative How to partner with collaborators
Bio: Dr. Leah Windsor is the Director of the Institute for Intelligent Systems and an Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics at The University of Memphis. Her research broadly examines how what we say reveals who we are, and her work on regenerative agriculture addresses how farmers think and talk about agricultural changes and stressors. She is a fourth generation farmer with 450 acres of row crops (no-till and cover crops) in Southern Illinois. She served as co-PI on a USDA renewable energy grant and is currently PI on an NCR-SARE grant supporting a regenerative farmer network (Southern Illinois Farmers for Soil Health). She is a frequent collaborator with Understanding Ag and the Soil Health Academy, and was accepted into the 2025 AgLaunch Virtual Bootcamp for an innovative app for farmers. Dr. Windsor is a current member of the Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Partnership’s Soil Health Leadership Program, co-led by the American Farm Trust. She has expertise in mentorship, co-authoring two books (the PhD Parenthood Trap and Chutes and Ladders) and is founded the mentorship network at the UofM in 2019. Dr. Windsor received her Bachelor of Science in Linguistics degree from Georgetown University in 1998, her Master’s degree in Political Science at The University of Memphis in 2005, and her Ph.D. in Political Science from The University of Mississippi in 2012.