The annual Emerging Farmers Conference (formerly the Immigrant & Minority Farmers Conference) serves to advance the success and sustainability of farmers who traditionally face barriers to the education and resources necessary to build profitable agricultural businesses, including immigrant farmers and farmers of color.
This innovative conference focuses primarily on the needs and interests of these farmers and supports their contributions to local economic development and building healthy communities. It does so by connecting farmers, farm advocates, educators, professionals, experts, and agency officials.
The conference is FREE for all farmers and language interpretation is available in Spanish, Hmong, Karen, Nepali, and Somali. (Interpretation is based on registration.)
Continental breakfast, lunch, and snacks will be provided on Saturday. Children are welcome but childcare is not provided.
WHEN:
FRIDAY, JANUARY 26, 2018, Check-in 6:00 p.m.; Workshops 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. AND
SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 2018, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
WHERE: Continuing Education and Event Center, University of MN
1890 Buford Ave., St. Paul, MN
SCHEDULE
NEW! - Friday, Check-in 6 p.m.; Workshops: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. workshop topics:
-- Success starts with a plan: financial and business planning
-- Growing healthy transplants: get your hands dirty in the greenhouse
-- High tunnel systems: how to grow your farm with high tunnels
Saturday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. workshop topics:
-- Weed management
-- Grow the best tomatoes
-- Grow the best brassicas
-- Goal setting for beginning farmers
-- Farmer-to-farmer problem solving
-- Marketing
-- Wholesale contracts and food safety
-- Production practices for specialty crops (hot pepper, Asian eggplant, others)
-- More!
MORE INFORMATION: http://mnfoodassociation.org/about-efc
SPONSORS
AgCountry Farm Credit
Asian Economic Development Association
CoBank
Compeer Financial
Crossroads Resource Center, Inc.
Farmers' Legal Action Group
Healthy Foods Healthy Lives Institute
Hmong American Partnership
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Lakewinds Coop
Latino Economic Development Center
Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service, Inc.
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Minnesota Farmers Union
Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture
Mississippi Market
Central Minnesota Young Farmers Coalition
Organic Valley
Renewing the Countryside II
North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
The Good Acre
University of Minnesota Extension
USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service
USDA- Farm Service Agency
A program of the Minnesota Food Association, the EFC is planned and hosted by a collaborative of farmers and volunteers, government, nonprofit, and University of Minnesota personnel.
