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8:30 a.m. Registration opens
9:00 a.m. Welcome -- Mary Fund, Interim Executive Director, Kansas Rural Center
9:15 a.m. Keynote: Feeding the World: Billions of Farmers or Very Few? Choosing the Path Wisely -- Dan Nagengast, owner, Seeds from Italy; former Executive Director, Kansas Rural Center
Everyone is concerned about the ability of the earth to sustain our ever-increasing population and ever-increasing consumption. Based on his 20 years with KRC, in farming and working in global hunger relief, Dan will present an intriguing, alternative vision for how the projected 9 billion people walking the planet by midcentury will be fed.
10:15 a.m. Break
10:30 a.m. Response to Keynote -- Paul Johnson, KRC, moderator
Can Dan’s vision for our food and farming future succeed? Panelists will offer their views from their roles in Kansas agriculture and food production. With Marci Francisco, ranking minority member of Kansas Senate ag committee; Chris Wilson, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture; Mike Callicrate, Callicrate Cattle Co. and Ranch Direct Foods; David Coltrain, River Valley Extension Horticulture Agent; and Eileen Horn, Douglas County Food Policy Council.
12:00 p.m. Local Food Lunch -- provided by the Flint Hills Tech culinary program
1:00 p.m. Workshops: Session I
Producer Panel: Growing Vegetables for Retail & Direct Marketing
Producers from different areas of the state discuss the logistics of growing specialty crops for market. Featuring Jill Elmers of Lawrence, John Crisp of Americus, and Maria Stewart of Lebanon.
Consider a Co-Op to Grow Your Farm Business
Elaine Cranford of the University of Nebraska – Lincoln Cooperative Development Center will share successful model examples for producer co-ops as well as provide tips and advice for start-up co-ops.
Extending the Sales Season Beyond the Farmers Market
Lessons learned and opportunities from winter markets, online winter ordering, new CSA models, and more. Presented by Jay Sleichter of Clay Center, Robin Kelley of Hanover and Tracy Simmons of Emporia.
10:30 a.m. Response to Keynote -- Paul Johnson, KRC, moderator
Can Dan’s vision for our food and farming future succeed? Panelists will offer their views from their roles in Kansas agriculture and food production. With Marci Francisco, ranking minority member of Kansas Senate ag committee; Chris Wilson, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture; Mike Callicrate, Callicrate Cattle Co. and Ranch Direct Foods; David Coltrain, River Valley Extension Horticulture Agent; and Eileen Horn, Douglas County Food Policy Council.
12:00 p.m. Local Food Lunch -- provided by the Flint Hills Tech culinary program
1:00 p.m. Workshops: Session I
Producer Panel: Growing Vegetables for Retail & Direct Marketing
Producers from different areas of the state discuss the logistics of growing specialty crops for market. Featuring Jill Elmers of Lawrence, John Crisp of Americus, and Maria Stewart of Lebanon.
Consider a Co-Op to Grow Your Farm Business
Elaine Cranford of the University of Nebraska – Lincoln Cooperative Development Center will share successful model examples for producer co-ops as well as provide tips and advice for start-up co-ops.
Extending the Sales Season Beyond the Farmers Market
Lessons learned and opportunities from winter markets, online winter ordering, new CSA models, and more. Presented by Jay Sleichter of Clay Center, Robin Kelley of Hanover and Tracy Simmons of Emporia.
Mentoring and Apprenticeships for Farm Transitions
Laura Christensen of Kansas City’s Growing Growers program and Beloit grazier Calvin Adams will share their experience, information and advice about establishing internship programs that benefit beginning farmers, established farmers looking to lighten their load, and older farmers looking to retire.
Laura Christensen of Kansas City’s Growing Growers program and Beloit grazier Calvin Adams will share their experience, information and advice about establishing internship programs that benefit beginning farmers, established farmers looking to lighten their load, and older farmers looking to retire.
Where from Here? Next Action Steps from the Keynote
A more detailed follow-up discussion on how we will feed the world’s billions in a sustainable way, focusing on formulating a plan of action. Featuring Dan Nagengast, Rhonda Janke, Chris Wilson, and Marci Francisco; moderated by Paul Johnson.
2:15 p.m. Break
2:30 p.m. Workshops: Session 2
Building Soil
DeAnn Presley and Rhonda Janke of the KSU sustainability program will cover important aspects of stewardship pertaining to the fundamentals of soil -- for plant and animal producers alike.
Mobile Meat Processing: The Ranch Foods Direct Story
Ranch Foods Direct operator and northwest Kansas cattle producer Mike Callicrate will describe how the unit was brought into production, how it is operating now, the challenges it has faced, and the future potential of this processing option.
Alternative Business Structures for Local and Regional Food Entrepreneurs
KSU agribusiness economist Vincent Amanor-Boadu will discuss alternative business structures for local and regional food entrepreneurs. Information about business planning and financing options from the KU Small Business Development Center and the Kansas Development Finance Authority will also be available.
Producer-Buyer Panel: Selling to Retail Markets
Buyers and producers will cover opportunities and obstacles from both sides of the fence, including how to enter this market, their business history, recommendations for success, and potential for expanding in the coming years. Representatives from PrairieLand Partners, Cedar Valley Farm, Harvest Cafe, and more.
Grassroots Organizing 101
Learn how to stimulate local and sustainable food opportunities, with tips on attracting the right collaborators, raising funds, coalition-building and more. Including real-world success stories from Eileen Horn and Our Local Food – Kaw River Valley coordinator Julie Mettenburg.
3:30 p.m. Break
3:45 p.m. Workshops: Session 3
Growing Salads (or Crops) for Happy Cows and Healthy Soils
How to utilize cover crops to enhance your grass-based or integrated livestock and crop system, with Dale Strickler, Star Seeds and a producer, and Don Koster, producer.
Hoophouse Production: Realities & Possibilities
Horticultural specialist Carey Rivard of KSU will discuss logistics and potential of hoophouse production, to aide producers in deciding whether a hoophouse is a feasible alternative for their farms, and how to get the most out of the investment.
Processor Panel: Make a Partner of Your Meat Processor
Small meat processors are vital to direct marketing of meats, yet they face a number of daily challenges, from regulations to lean margins to finding good help. Learn how you can build a mutually beneficial relationship, from Mike Callicrate and Julie Ehler, KDA program director over state inspected plants.
Value-Added Processing: Getting Started
Connie Pantle, Glacial Hills Food Center, and Gary Satter, Glacial Hills RC&D, will report on their local produce processing center. She will discuss why it was developed, how producers can use it to process their products to add value, and success stories from the center.
High-Tech / Low-Tech Direct Marketing
An exploration of the many tools available for marketing products direct from the farm, presented from the perspective of two farm direct marketers coming from opposite ends of the technological spectrum. Including an overview of the latest in local food web sites, social media apps and more, by Julie Mettenburg and Rosanna Bauman.
The 2012 Farm Bill: Opportunities for New Farm and Food Coalitions
A roundtable of Kansas farm and conservation groups will review the likely contents of the new farm bill, including an assessment of what major ag and commodity organizations are advocating, with a focus on message-crafting to prevent an “ag vs ag” conflict presented to legislators and their staff.
4:45 p.m. Conference concludes
