That’s A Wrap: 2025 OEFFA Policy Film Screening Series
On Sunday, March 23, our team wrapped up our second-annual film screening series. All in all, we had nearly 200 folks registered for screenings of Feeding Tomorrow, Organic Rising, and Farming While Black! Together, we learned about the realities of organic and sustainable agriculture and the programs and people making our food system more just, resilient, and regenerative. Here are some highlights from each film.
Feeding Tomorrow
It was a gloomy January Saturday when we headed to Yellow Springs to screen Feeding Tomorrow at the Little Art Theatre. The 2024 documentary showcases a group of visionary leaders in agriculture, healthcare, and education working toward more regenerative, resilient, and just local food systems. It got us to think differently about what we eat, and feel inspired to take action.
After the film wrapped up, we headed down the street to Yellow Springs Brewery for more conversation and a raffle, put on by our partners at Hall Hunger Initiative. It was great to meet other nonprofit leaders from the greater Dayton region and discuss how we can best support the organic and sustainable producers working to connect local communities with fresh, healthy food.
Organic Rising
After a long day of workshops, there was nothing better than relaxing with a bag of Shagbark Seed & Mill’s Ohio-grown heirloom popcorn and a screening of Organic Rising. The solutions-focused film explores the two predominant agricultural practices in the US: conventional and organic. It showcased the benefits of organic practices, like carbon sequestration and farmland restoration, while also sounding the alarm bells about the long-term impacts of pesticides on groundwater and the human body. It was a perfect watch to feature at the 2025 OEFFA Conference, especially considering its roots to our partner, the Real Organic Project.
PS. In case you haven’t heard, operations certified by both OEFFA and Real Organic Project are now able to be inspected in just one visit! Learn more here.
Farming While Black
The Nightlight Cinema is an independent movie theater in Akron, Ohio, and it was the perfect venue in which to screen Farming While Black along with our partners at the National Young Farmers Coalition. Featuring Soul Fire Farm co-founder Leah Penniman, the film examines the historical plight of America’s Black farmers, centering on the fact that in 1910, Black farmers owned 14% of American farmland and now control less than 2%.
It was uplifting to see the generation of Black farmers reclaiming land and reconnecting with their agricultural roots, and it was equally amazing to hear from Ohio Representative and member of the House Agriculture Committee Veronica Sims (D-33) and local residents who play a key role in our local food and farming systems. We all left with a better understanding of how legislators heed the requests of their constituents—and a task to let our members of Congress know about the value of programs like the recently terminated Local Food Purchasing Assistance (LFPA) Cooperative Agreement Program.
We Couldn’t Do It Without You
We would like to extend our gratitude to this series’ partners, Hall Hunger Initiative, Shagbark Seed & Mill, the National Young Farmers Coalition, Ohio Representative Veronica Sims, and YOU. Thanks to donations from people like you, we’ve been able to keep these screenings free and open to the public.
Stay tuned for details about the next series! If you have a film or theatre location, please let us know at policy@oeffa.org.