Forging Equitable and Climate-Smart Food Systems
Krisztian is the Director of the Farms Fund at The Conservation Fund, where he supports the transition of threatened farmland to next-generation farmers in metropolitan areas. With over a decade of experience in conservation real estate, USDA programs, and watershed restoration, Krisztian previously served as Conservation Director for Athens Land Trust.
Justin is the Georgia Farms Fund Services Specialist, helping farm businesses transition to larger production scales and land ownership. He focuses on enhancing farm sustainability, overseeing property management, and fostering partnerships for technical assistance, training, and funding. With a background in urban agriculture, program design, and community engagement, Justin brings expertise in policy, grants, and local food systems. His passion for sustainability and community outreach drives his work and service.
Zac started Fresh Harvest over 10 years ago after a cross country motorcycle trip landed him on an organic farm. Today, Fresh Harvest supplies Georgia grown food and produce to over 3300 households every week through their sourcing and operations.
Dr. Emily Burchfield is an Assistant Professor in Emory University's Department of Environmental Sciences. She leads the FACES Lab, integrating social and environmental data to promote sustainable, resilient, and equitable agricultural systems. Her research includes modeling land use impacts on agroecological outcomes and projecting climate-driven shifts in U.S. cultivation patterns. Dr. Burchfield earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Vanderbilt University in 2017.
Emily ensures The Common Market’s mission to strengthen sustainable regional food systems by coordinating procurement, logistics and partnerships. She fosters relationships between local family farms and community institutions, optimizing healthy food access for schools, hospitals, cities and businesses.
As extreme weather, land access challenges and market volatility converge, the need for a more resilient and inclusive local food system has never been more urgent. In this panel, leaders including Krisztian Varsa and Justin Nickelson of The Conservation Fund, Emily Hennessee of The Common Market SE, Zac Harrison of Fresh Harvest and Emily Burchfield of Emory University explored practical solutions to transform agriculture from the ground up—literally and figuratively.
Land Access is the Starting Point for Systemic Change
At the heart of any local food system is access to land. Yet for many beginning farmers, especially near urban centers, rising land prices make ownership or long-term leasing nearly impossible. The panelists outlined a model where farmland is purchased and leased affordably to new farmers with an eventual pathway to ownership. This approach goes beyond real estate, bundling conservation, business planning and market access support into a holistic system. Without this kind of intervention, land continues to be consolidated or sold for development, pushing aspiring farmers out and weakening regional food security.
Climate volatility—ranging from freezes and hurricanes to prolonged droughts—is no longer a future threat but a present-day reality, particularly in Georgia.
The panelists emphasized that current federal support structures, including crop insurance and climate adaptation funding, are ill-suited to diversified farms that grow multiple crops across small acreage. The recent loss of climate-smart program funding has only deepened this vulnerability. The speakers described how local and nonprofit efforts have stepped in with innovative tools such as zero-interest loans and flexible lease agreements to help producers recover after disasters. But these patches need to be scaled into more permanent, systemic safety nets if farms are to survive and thrive under climate pressure.
Strengthening Local Supply Chains and Infrastructure
Resilient food systems hinge not just on what is grown but on how it moves from farm to plate. One speaker discussed how cooperative delivery models and nonprofit distributors help bridge the gap between small farms and institutions like schools or hospitals. Models that guarantee advance purchasing—referred to as forward commitments—allow farmers to plan with greater security. Yet the panelists stressed that physical infrastructure remains a key bottleneck. Cold storage, transport logistics and food safety facilities are often out of reach for smaller farms without targeted investment. Strategic grants and policy support for such infrastructure can unlock the ability of local farms to serve broader markets while maintaining their autonomy.
Equity, Adaptability and Consumer-Centered Models
A truly sustainable food system must work for all communities. As one panelist noted, affordability remains a barrier for many consumers, even as demand for local food increases. Programs that enhance SNAP EBT purchasing power or direct local food into school meals are critical to ensuring equitable access. Meanwhile, another speaker highlighted how evolving CSA models—allowing customers to customize weekly boxes—have made local food more appealing and retained consumer engagement. This approach keeps distribution regional, strengthens farmer-consumer relationships, and builds long-term viability without scaling beyond the local context. It’s a reminder that flexible, community-driven business models can coexist with broader systemic goals when equity and accessibility are prioritized.
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