Florida Organic Growers is holding its inaugural Organic Food & Farming Summit on September 17–19 in Gainesville, Florida. Andi Emrich, summit coordinator, says she is very excited for the event and thinks it will be a huge success.
The summit will start on Sunday, September 17, with farm tours around Gainesville. Among the list of farms to be toured is Sweetwater Organic Coffee Roasters, located right in the heart of Gainesville. After the farm tours, the excitement will continue as the trade show opens. The trade show will give attendees an opportunity to partake in provided refreshments while engaging with organic farms and businesses.
On Monday, September 18, the trade show will be open all day. There will also be workshops and presentations throughout the day. The workshops will cover topics such as organic certification, emerging crops in Florida, climate change, and citrus greening. Monday will also feature several speakers throughout the day. Florida Organic Growers Executive Director Marty Mesh will be the keynote speaker during lunch. Other speakers Monday include Jennifer Tucker of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program in Washington D.C., and Ute Albrecht, a plant physiologist at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee. Emrich says Monday will be a day to learn all about organics at the workshops and by listening to the speakers.
On Tuesday, September 19, post-summit training will take place. Included are food safety training and an information session for those just beginning to farm organically. Speakers from the USDA, Florida Organic Growers and UF/IFAS will give helpful tips on how to begin farming organically.
Registration for the Organic Food & Farming Summit is now open. Early bird rates will be ending on August 1, so register soon. Emrich warns that the farm tours are filling up, so be sure to register for the tours before they are at capacity. Those who are interested in attending can register online at https://organicfoodandfarmingsummit.org/ or by calling Emrich at 352-377-6345, ext. 131.
About the Author
Share this Post
