ST. CLOUD, Minn. — The 2023 Minnesota Fruit and Vegetable (MFV) Expo will be held January 18-20, 2023 in St. Cloud, Minn. The expo offers a streamlined schedule, plenty of networking opportunities, and reimagined education opportunities – including a special agritourism session on opening day – for attendees and vendors. Home base for the MFV Expo will be River’s Edge Convention Center in downtown St. Cloud.
“We’ve got a wide range of educational offerings, new grower workshops, and a mix of expert speakers and farmer panelists at the expo,” said MFVGA President Terry Nennich, Ter-Lee Gardens. “In addition, we’re kicking things off in a big way with a special agritourism session on opening day. We think this session – and the entire MVF Expo – is truly a one-stop shop for fruit and vegetable farmers throughout the upper Midwest.”
Agritourism Opening Session
MFV Expo is hosting a special Agritourism Opening Session on Wednesday, January 18 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. Keynote speaker Catherine Garrison of Denver Downs Farm in South Carolina, will share why agritourism has been a game changer for her farm business. Afterwards, a panel of Minnesota farmers with agritourism elements on their farms will take the stage, share their own experiences, and answer questions from the audience.
Education Program
The MFV Expo program includes dedicated sessions for fruits, vegetables, marketing, business skills, and new grower workshops on berries and apples as well as topics pertaining to all attendees:
- Exhibitor Solutions Stage– A more informal way of learning – think of it as a show-and-tell where an exhibitor talks about a “solution” to an issue or shares information on a product that might be beneficial for your business. These will be held on the trade show floor at designated times.
- Lunch & Hot Topics– Catch up with friends and colleagues at lunch and then sit back and learn from our lunch keynote presenters, Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Peterson (January 19) and Minnesota Grown staff (January 20).
View the full education program here: https://mfvga.org/education-program/.
Registration and Hotel Reservations
Registration is open to both members and non-members of MFVGA, and membership renewal is also available during the registration process. Attendees may register online until January 17 (or onsite registration at the conference will be available at a higher rate) and visit www.mfvga.org/conference to find information about hotel rooms.
Booth Sales and Sponsorships
Booths and sponsorships are still available but going fast. Interested vendor companies may visit www.mfvga.org/exhibits/ or contact mfvga@mfvga.org to request more information.
Watch www.mfvga.org for additional details on speakers, topic descriptions and more coming in January.
About MFVGA
MFVGA, formed in 1952, is a nonprofit organization committed to supporting Minnesota’s fruit and vegetable growers and related agri-businesses through a variety of education opportunities, communications, research, and cooperative efforts with state and federal institutions.
–MFVGA