December 15, 2008

Conference helps growers learn the ins and outs of organics

"Participants will leave the conference with a better understanding of organic production techniques," said Jim True, Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service educator and co-conference planner. "Once a grower can produce the product, they'll need to market it and we've got sessions explaining different marketing strategies such as community supported agriculture and how to sell to wholesalers."

The conference will cover topics ranging from composting and cover crops to livestock production and food safety regulations. The program will begin at 8 a.m. Jan. 21 and wrap up with an organic dinner that evening. The conference will run from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. the following day.

Early registration, due Jan. 14, costs $95 per person or $85 for the second person from the same family. Registration after Jan. 14 costs $145 per person or $135 for the second person from the same family. Students receive a discount and can attend for $25, which does not include meals. Online registration is available at https://orgconf.sustainability.uiuc.edu/.

Topics and speakers include:

* Transition wisdom: What I have learned and what I would change, Dave Campbell, Illinois farmer; Stacye Johnson, Purdue Extension educator; and Dale Rhodes, Indiana producer.

* Farm bill update: New developments in organic agriculture, Mark Keating, University of Kentucky horticultural specialist.

* Organics 101: certification, Cissy Bowman, organic farmer and chief executive officer of Indiana Certified Organic.

* MarketMaker, Maria Marshall, Purdue Extension small business development specialist and project coordinator.

* Composting, soil fertility and vegetables, Matt Kleinhunz, Ohio State University horticulture and crop science specialist.

* High tunnels: organic management, Kleinhunz.

* Organic fruit production, Rick Foster, Purdue vegetable and fruit crops pest management specialist.

* Food safety, Sheri Plimpton, program manager for the Center for Innovative Food Technology.

* Marketing and economics of organic grain, Corinne Alexander, Purdue Extension ag economist, and Gary Reding, organic producer from Greensburg, Ind.

* Wholesale success: Selling, post harvest handling and packing produce, Jim Slama, president of FamilyFarmed.org.

* Heirloom tomato production, Walter Claridge, Missouri producer.

More conference information and a complete listing of the sessions are available at https://orgconf.sustainability.uiuc.edu/.

Individuals can reserve a room at the Adam's Mark Hotel, located at 2544 Executive Drive, by calling (800) 444-2326 and asking for the special Indiana Horticulture Congress room rate.

The Midwest Organic Production and Marketing Conference and Trade Show is sponsored by Purdue Extension, University of Illinois Extension and U.S. Department of Agriculture's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education.

Writer: Julie Douglas, (765) 496-1050, douglajk@purdue.edu

Source: Jim True, (812) 385-3491, jtrue@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
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