MINNEAPOLIS — Hear conversations with Beth Dooley, Alan Guebert, Twin Cities Metro farmers, and learn best practices for making great hay, ways to improve quality of life on the farm and much more at the Sustainable Farming Association’s Annual Conference, to be held virtually Mon., Feb. 8 – Sat., Feb. 13, 2020.
With a dozen sessions held throughout the week – many topics chosen by SFA members, and the majority hosted by farmers — the SFA Conference provides relevant, accessible education for all farmers, chefs, food buyers, eaters and anyone interested in local food.
Session topics include:
- The Economics of Silvopasture
- Agriculture in the Metro
- NRCS Programs for Your Farm
- Farm to Rural Grocery
- SFA – A Look Behind, a Leap Ahead
- The Perennial Kitchen Cookbook
- A Conversation with Alan Guebert
- Loving Farming Again: Ways to Improve Quality of Life
- Side Hustles: Creative Ways to Add Offseason Income
- Soil Health: Hay – Why and How
- and a social hour with performances by SFA musicians.
Also planned are plenary sessions with state officials on meat processing and packing. On the morning of Sat., Feb. 13, Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner, Thom Petersen, will discuss initiatives and challenges in expanding processing opportunities laid bare by COVID-19. Closing the Annual Conference is Minnesota Attorney General, Keith Ellison, interviewed by SFA’s Executive Director, Theresa Keaveny, on the state’s response to meatpacker concentration and antitrust enforcement.
SFA members may register for free and nonmembers for $40 on the SFA website. SFA members will need to log in to their account to receive the discount. Free registration is also offered to those who are emerging farmers, please email Katie Feterl at katie@sfa-mn.org to register.
For a complete schedule, attendee registration, sponsor registration and much more, visit sfa-mn.org/conference.
SFA Annual Conference sponsors include Lakewinds Food Co-op, Compeer Financial, Minnesota Agriculture Water Quality Certification Program, Minnesota Department of Agriculture Ag Marketing and Development Division, Minnesota Farmers Union, Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, and North Central Region SARE.
— Sustainable Farming Association
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