Contact
The Kansas Rural CenterKansas Rural Center
ksrc@rainbowtel.net
785-873-3431
Sponsors:
Kansas Rural Center
Kansas Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Alternative Crops
Kansas Organic Producers Association
Organic Farming Forum:
Resources, Research, and Marketing for Organic Agriculture in Kansas
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Quality Inn
2110 West Crawford Salina, Ks.
9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Registration cost $15 per person (Covers lunch, snacks and hand-out materials)
Deadline for meal registration is Thursday November 8
Register online here, or go to www.kansasruralcenter.org for printable form
The “Organic Farming Forum: Resources, Research and Marketing Opportunities for Organic Agriculture in Kansas”, which is hosted by the Kansas Rural Center, will be held at the Quality Inn, Conference Room, 2110 West Crawford, Salina, Kansas from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on November 13.
Organic farming is one of the growth areas in American agriculture. Demand for organic grains surpasses the available supply nationwide as interest in organic products and food continues to increase, which means there is opportunity for growers. Organic farming offers producers a way to reduce production costs, adopt a cropping system that offers multiple conservation benefits, and provides a premium in the market place. Like all agriculture, it is not without challenges, and the forum provides a chance to discuss those.
Come join us at the Organic Farming Forum on November 13 to meet and share information and experiences with other organic farmers. Listen to an organic certification inspector give pointers about organic certification. Hear about current markets and prices. Discuss basics about organic practices, learn how USDA NRCS conservation programs can help your operation. Learn how as a beginning farmer, organic practices can offer you an entry into farming. Participate in a roundtable discussion of production issues, marketing and research needs with other organic farmers, researchers, and marketers.
Keynote speaker Dr. Michel Cavigelli, lead scientist for USDA’s Farming Systems Research Project at Beltsville, MD talk about the status of USDA organic research as well as research around the country. The major focus of USDA's long-term field cropping systems study is to evaluate the sustainability of no-till, conventional till, and organic cropping systems by evaluating the agronomic performance, nutrient dynamics, and soil biological activity, and predicting long-term sustainability of cropping systems. Dr. Cavigelli has Kansas ties as in the 1980’s he was an intern at the Land Institute and also worked as an intern at the Kansas Rural Center where he completed a case studies of five Kansas organic farms, prior to completing his graduate and PhD work.
Workshops sessions will focus on the challenges and opportunities for organic farming including organic cropping system plans and crop rotation basics, organic certification, USDA NRCS resources available for organic farmers, and marketing options. The day will conclude with a roundtable of organic farmers, researchers and others on the challenges and needs facing organic farmers including drought adaptation or management, production issues, and research needs.
Forum registration cost is $15 per person, which covers lunch, snacks and hand-out materials. The deadline for RSVP for the meal and registration is Thursday November 8. Register online or you can also go to KRC's website at http://www.kansasruralcenter.org and download a printable registration form to mail in.
The Kansas Organic Producers Association is also holding its annual meeting the following day, so the Quality Inn is providing a conference rate for those interested in lodging. Contact the Quality Inn directly at 785-285-2111 to make your own reservations. Tell them you are with the Organic Farming Forum.
For more information, contact Mary Fund at 785-873-3431, or at ksrc@rainbowtel.net.