21st Annual MOSES Organic Farming Conference February 25 - 27

The nation’s largest annual Organic Farming Conference is coming again to La Crosse, Wisconsin, on February 25 – 27, 2010. Several thousand farmers involved in organic and sustainable farming meet to learn, share, network and enjoy locally sourced organic food.
 


Organized by the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), the Organic Farming Conference (OFC) is now in its 21st year.
 


Attendees can participate in more than 60 workshops and visit over 140 exhibitors of products and services that serve the organic and sustainable farming community.
 


Held in conjunction with the OFC on Feb. 25, the Organic University features 10 intensive, day-long courses for growers interested in in-depth look at specific organic farming practices.
 


Keynote speakers are:


Chuck Hassebrook, Executive Director of the Center for Rural Affairs. Throughout thirty years of rural activism, Hassebrook has tirelessly championed family farming and ranching, small business, and entrepreneurial rural development.
 


Dr. Margaret Melon, Director of the Food and Environment Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, which promotes a transition to sustainable agriculture. Included in that approach is a focus on critical evaluation of the use of biotechnology in plant and animal agriculture and assessing animal agriculture’s contribution to the rise of antibiotic-resistant disease.


MOSES is pleased to announce the second Organic Research Forum, also to be held as part of the OFC. The Organic Research Forum offers a unique opportunity for students, scientists and farmer researchers investigating topics related to organic agriculture to engage and share their work with the conference audience. A poster session will follow the research workshops and continue throughout the conference.


New to the conference this year will be a seed swap hosted by the Organic Seed Alliance. Swapping seeds helps ensure open access to genetic resources, preserving and increasing biodiversity. Attendees are encouraged to bring seeds to share, but no seed or seed experience is required.
 


Registration is $195, which includes breakfast, lunch, snacks, workshops, general sessions, admission to the exhibit hall, and evening entertainment. Supper is available at the conference for $15. 
 


For those who want to attend the in-depth Organic University sessions on Feb. 25, the cost is $150.
 


Visit www.mosesorganic.org to register and learn more details about the conference, Organic University the Organic Research Forum and the seed swap.