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farmers in the long run. As a result of the findings, the foundation worked with local partners to establish the Northwest Arkansas Food Systems initiative, a multi-faceted program designed to strengthen the capacity of small- and mid-size farmers to grow more fruits and vegetables locally. Farmer Education and Training The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture created the Center for Arkansas Farms and Food, which offers the hands-on Farm School and Apprenticeship programs. These programs provide experiential learning opportunities for those wanting to learn how to create a farm business by growing fruits and vegetables for local and regional markets. The apprentices work on farms as part of their education, which in turn benefits the established farmers. The Center for Arkansas Farms and Food also partners with local cooperative extension offices to support established farmers by offering continuing education classes in fruit and vegetable production. Market Center of the Ozarks: Growing Markets A critical piece is opportunities in the market. Farmers said that they would be happy to grow more fruits and vegetables if they had the markets to sell them. This means creating additional markets beyond the local farmers markets. The Walton Family Foundation is funding the development of the Market Center of the Ozarks, a 45,000-square-foot multi-use facility being built in downtown Springdale. The center will house operational partners to help connect locally grown products to Northwest Arkansas markets, and will have space for local food aggregation and distribution capabilities that connect farm-fresh food with wholesale and direct- to-consumer markets. Farmers and food entrepreneurs will also be able to use the center to process whole produce into fresh and frozen products for wholesale, retail and institutional markets, as well as access shared commercial kitchens to grow and scale their businesses. Market Center of the Ozarks is set to open in 2024. Farmers Access to Land The role of Northwest Arkansas Land Trust is to preserve farmland and provide access and support to farmers. It also provides oversight of NWA FarmLink, a free service that allows owners of farmland to connect with those seeking to eastblish a farm; and assists farmers ready to buy land with financing options and opportunities to develop their skills. "The overarching 10-year goal is to have 1,000 more acres dedicated to growing fruits and vegetables in Northwest Arkansas' four main counties," said Koehler. Northwest Arkansas Land Trust encourages established farmland owners to contact them to learn more and connect with the network they are building. For more information, visit www.thefoodconservancy.org; www.nwafarmlink.org; and https://farmandfoodsystem.uada.edu. C O M P L E T E O R E X P A N D Y O U R N U R S I N G , E D U C A T I O N O R C O U N S E L I N G D E G R E E 901 S. 52nd St., Rogers, AR • 479-268-5812 • harding.edu/nwa Northwest Arkansas Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Bachelor of Arts in Education (Degree Completion) Master of Arts in Teaching with Licensure Advanced Degrees in Educational Leadership, Professional School and Clinical Mental Health Counseling Educational Specialist in Leadership or Counseling Additional endorsement and licensure offering P R O G R A M S A V A I L A B L E https://nwafarmlink.org/ 17 Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce

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