February 2026 Local Growers Meeting

Written By MaryJayne Zemer

2/28/26 Meeting NOTES:

Attending: MaryJayne, Wendy Gloffke. Paul Plum, Kevin and Sherry

“Local area” is defined as Bradford, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Susquehanna, and Wyoming counties

Key Takeaways

1.Convenience is a key barrier for both consumers and producers and affects different aspects of behavior, though a lack of convenient locations for distribution/pick up is common to both.

  • Consumer convenience-related barriers

    • Location and limited access geographically to local/fresh food

    • Limited year-round food options

    • Limited staple selections

    • Delivery options

    • Cooking at home is not convenient for many people

  • Producer convenience-related barriers

    • Distance to markets due to geography

    • Access to more conveniently located food hubs that would increase reach 


2. Education for consumers across multiple domains is needed to: 

  • Increase foundational knowledge about food: where it comes from, how it is produced, who controls food productions, food-industrial complex, benefits of eating real food

  • Increase awareness of the benefits of supporting local food producers and building a local/regional food economy

    • The story of local food and the people behind it

  • Build confidence in skills that support selecting and using local fresh foods (e.g., how to select and use seasonal foods, how to prepare foods in the home (e.g., equipment, skills), how to stock a pantry with staples, etc.

  • Where and how to find local food sources


3. Education for producers across multiple domains is needed to: 

  • Increase access to producer “experts” to support newer producers or those who want to expand into other areas

  • Improve understanding of how to navigate local, state, and federal agencies and systems that are involved in food regulation, policy, licensing, etc. 

    • Information “hubs”


4. Identify potential partners to support educational collaboration or dissemination, for example:

  • Wyoming County HealthCare Association

  • Dietrich Theater

  • Local libraries

  • Penn State Extension 

  • Food pantries and food-focused groups

  • Donna LaBar and similar health/nutritional counselors

  • Food-focused events and seasonal “gateways”


5. Identify potential resources that support consumer access, for example:

  • Azure Standard

  • Weston Price Foundation

  • PASA

  • Slow Food

  • Food Dignity


6. Identify potential resources that support  producer needs, for example:

  • Cooperative groups that share production, processing, storage and distribution facilities or equipment

  • Licensed kitchens or facilities that can be used for processing food

  • Groups that provide or facilitate grants that support growing, processing, or distributing local food

  • Advocacy groups for small/local farmers/food producers

  • Financial information and support

  • Marketing information and support

  • Regulatory, licensing, and legal information and support


Action Items

  • Develop a local resource guide for both consumers and producers

    • Food hubs, food producers, farm markets, CSAs

    • Equipment and facilities that support production (e.g., licensed kitchens, co-ops, etc.)

    • Groups that are food/access focused (e.g., Food Dignity)

  • Develop educational programs that can be offered to consumers throughout the market season


2/28/26 Growers Meeting AGENDA:

This is a convening of local Pennsylvania farmers and food growers in Wyoming, Bradford, and Susquehanna counties to identify needs and opportunities within our regional food system. 

Our goal is to help support a thriving regional food system here in Northeastern PA in order to grow markets, increase grower wages, and improve food access. 

Meeting Agenda: We’ll focus our discussion to help identify….

  • The most important and successful aspects of our current food system

  • The challenges within our current food system that are a top priority to address 

  • New resources, or changes to existing resources, that are needed locally

  • Opportunities for farmer and grower collaboration this growing season 

  • Date, Time, and Agenda for next meeting


When: 10am - 11am on Saturday, February 28th 2026


Where: Tunkhannock Public Library, 220 W Tioga St, Tunkhannock, PA 18657


Core Premise:

  • Farmers and growers deserve to earn a thriving wage

  • Thriving wages are possible in a thriving community food system that is designed to meet the needs of growers and consumers 

  • Fellow growers are our collaborators, not our competitors 

  • Together we can cultivate and advocate for more efficient systems for Growing, Processing, Preparing, Retailing, Distributing, and Waste Management (the pillars of a community food system).


If you’re unable to attend but would like to receive an email with meeting notes after the event, please drop your contact info below- we’ll only email you about growers meeting notes and future events.


A regional food system is made up of all the local people, places, and processes involved in growing, making, and moving local food.*

*definition inspired by The Michigan University State Extension’s GOOD FOOD CHARTER: https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/what_is_a_community_food_system.


MaryJayne Zemer
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March 2026 Local Growers Meeting