March 29, 2024

Practical Farmers to host annual conference

AMES — Practical Farmers of Iowa is now accepting registrations for its 2016 annual conference, “Farmers Teaching Farmers,” which will take place Jan. 22-23 at the Iowa State Center Scheman Building, on the Iowa State University campus in Ames. All are welcome to attend.

This year’s theme celebrates the farmer-led approach to learning, teaching and sharing information that has been Practical Farmers’ hallmark for 30 years. Attendees will learn from their farming peers about land and soil stewardship; building community; creating viable farms, farmers and food systems; farm transfer; and more.

The conference — which attracted more than 800 farmers, researchers and supporters last year — will feature:

• A keynote address by John Kempf, farmer and founder of Advancing Eco-Agriculture. His keynote — “Common Characteristics of Successful Farmers” — will explore characteristics of farming operations he views as “extraordinarily successful,” and how farmers can work those same principles into their decision-making.

• Thirty-one in-depth workshops on topics that span the agricultural spectrum, such as regenerative grazing, interseeding cover crops, farm energy planning, growing vegetables in high tunnels, establishing pollinator habitat, farm transfer strategies, understanding farm rules and regulations and nine “Ask an Expert” sessions, set up as Q&A roundtables, where attendees will have a chance to engage more deeply and ask detailed questions of experts.

The 2016 SARE Farmers Forum, a traveling annual event organized by North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE). Practical Farmers is hosting the 2016 forum, which gives farmers, ranchers and others funded by NCR-SARE grants the chance to share information about their research and demonstration projects. The Farmers Forum is being offered as a special track at the conference.

Those who pre-register by Jan. 14 will save $10 per day. Special rates are also available for students and PFI members.

Register online at practicalfarmers.org, or contact Erica Andorf at erica@practicalfarmers.org or 515-232-5661.