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Informative Programs in Wisconsin and Illinois Will Include Networking Mixers
The rise of “Good Grain” production is one of the biggest farming developments over the past decade or more. The increase in the number of farmers choosing organic and regenerative practices has led to a concurrent increase in the volume of sustainably produced grains and flours accessible to bakers, food and beverage processors and consumers.
Local Food Forum commends your attention to two annual winter conferences in the Chicago region if you are already engaged in the sustainable grain sector or want to learn more about it.
The first of these is the OGRAIN Winter Conference, which will be held in Madison, Wisconsin January 24 and 25, with an optional regenerative farming discussion and dinner on the 23rd. OGRAIN, which stands for Organic Grain Resource and Information Network, is a program of the University of Wisconsin’s flagship campus in Madison.
According to the organizers, attendees will “learn from local organic grain growers, hear about the latest research, and connect with other organic, transitioning-to-organic, or inquisitive-about-organic grain growers and end-users.” The conference will “feature cutting edge ideas from farmers, researchers and industry experts. Farm and research-focused success strategies will be discussed by a range of speakers leading sessions on organic grain production in the Upper Midwest.”
The second gathering, presented by The Land Connection non-profit, is the Organic Grain Conference & Trade Show, which will be held February 5 and 6 at the University of Illinois’ flagship campus in Champaign.
The organizers say the event “will once again bring together diverse stakeholders and farmers to explore advancements and emerging issues in grain farming from a practical perspective.” The conference will feature four presentation tracks, panel discussions and a trade show on both days.
Both conferences will feature a new partnership between the Rodale Institute and the Organic Trade Association to grow the organic marketplace via the National Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). which supports transitioning and organic producers with Market resources.
The collaboration will take the form of Supplier/Buyer Discovery mixers facilitating connections between organic sellers and buyers. The TOPP mixer will take place in Madison on the afternoon of January 25 and in Champaign on the evening of February 5.
Click the first button below to learn more about and register for the OGRAIN Conference in Wisconsin, and the second to learn more about and register for the Organic Grain Conference and Trade Show in Illinois.
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