ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The annual Great Plains Growers Conference offers updates on technology, production and safety in commercial fruit and vegetable production.
The event is Jan. 9-11, 2020, at the Fulkerson Center on the Missouri Western State University campus, St. Joseph.
“It doesn’t matter if you are an experienced farmer, new to specialty crop production, or someone who is dreaming about growing and selling produce – there will be something for you,” says Debi Kelly, a University of Missouri Extension horticulturist and member of the 2020 conference organizing committee.
Workshop topics include food safety grower training, honeybees, drip irrigation and legal basics for farm operations. One of the new topics this year is industrial hemp. The conference also offers networking opportunities and a trade show with more than 50 vendors.
Program tracks include business management and financing; tree and small fruit production; organic, conventional and greenhouse production; invasive species; and cut flower production.
Friday’s keynote speaker is Charlotte Smith, founder of 3CowMarketing.com and the author of book “Farm Marketing From the Heart.” She will tell “3 Steps to a Profitable Farm.” Smith and her husband own a seasonal pastured poultry farm in Oregon.
Learn more at www.GreatPlainsGrowersConference.org or contact MU Extension in Buchanan County at buchananco@missouri.edu or 816-279-1691.
MU Extension, Lincoln University Cooperative Extension, Iowa State University Extension, Kansas State University Research and Extension, and Nebraska Extension work together to offer the conference and trade show.
— Linda Geist, University of Missouri Extension
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