Tuesday, August 25, 2026
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Yavapai College Prescott Campus
1100 E. Sheldon Street
Prescott, AZ 86301

Strengthening Arizona’s Local Food System, Together

The Good Food Forum is where change makers in Arizona’s food economy come to connect, collaborate and drive real solutions. From producers and chefs to advocates and educators, this Local First Arizona signature event brings together voices from every corner of our region to build a more resilient, inclusive and accessible local food future.

Through interactive panels and hands-on workshops, attendees gain knowledge, build relationships and take away actionable strategies to strengthen Arizona’s food system — from farm to table and everywhere in between.

If you care about the future of food in Arizona, the Forum is where the work — and the movement — comes to life.

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2025 Themes & Agenda

2026 Keynote Xochitl Torres Small

Xochitl is a sunny New Mexican who loves the land. The granddaughter of farmworkers, Xoch went on to serve her home as an attorney practicing water and natural resources law, a United States Representative, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary.

In Congress, Xoch represented the largest district that wasn’t a whole state. She changed complex regulations to support collaborative water conservation and made White Sands a National Park. During COVID, she helped keep farmers, small business owners, and rural hospitals from bankruptcy. At the Department of Agriculture, Xoch first worked at Rural Development, overseeing an annual $40 billion to connect people to high speed internet and water systems, invest in rural health care and businesses, build homes, and expand clean energy. As deputy secretary, Xoch served as chief operating officer for over 100,000 civil servants. During her tenure, she helped make permitting more efficient and created the USDA’s first drought program financed through the Commodity Credit Corporation. She’s been confirmed by a bipartisan United States Senate twice.

Xochitl lives in Las Cruces, New Mexico with her husband, horses, dogs, and cats. They spend as much time as possible hunting and exploring the great outdoors. Now, she’s proud to continue forging solutions as Executive Director of Quivira Coalition, which fosters resilience on working lands.