NW-DO-ANR-01 - 2024 Virginia Farm to Table Conference: “Connecting Food, Farms, and Health”

Description

Course Schedule: Thursday, December 5 and Friday, December 6, 2024, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: Blue Ridge Community College Plecker Workforce Center, One College Lane, Weyers Cave, Virginia 24486

Conference hosts: Eric S. Bendfeldt of Virginia Cooperative Extension and the VT Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation and Mary Sketch Bryant of Virginia Tech and the Virginia Soil Health Coalition.

If you need any assistance with registration, please contact our helpline at vceprograms@vt.edu.

To learn and enjoy collaboration, conversations, and community with farmers, practitioners, and researchers, plan to attend the 2024 Virginia Farm to Table Conference. Virginia Cooperative Extension, in partnership with the Virginia Soil Health Coalition, the VT Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, Virginia Beginning Farmer and Rancher Coalition, Virginia Sustainable Agriculture Research Education (SARE), Blue Ridge Community College, and community partners, presents the 2024 Virginia Farm to Table Conference December 5 – 6, 2024, at Blue Ridge Community College’s Plecker Workforce Development Center, Weyers Cave, VA. The theme for this year’s conference is “Connecting Food, Farms, and Health.”

This year’s conference will feature Clarenda “Farmer Cee” Stanley of Green Heffa Farms, Nicole Masters of Integrity Soils, Maureen McNamara Best of the Local Environmental Agriculture Project (LEAP), Professor Emeritus Dr. David Kohl of Virginia Tech’s Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics, Elisha Barnes of Pop Son Farm, and others.

Conference topics will include presentations, conversation, and discussions around regenerative agriculture, soil health, business marketing and promotion, market trends, business planning IQ, local and regional food system development, different market channel models including sole source production, heritage varieties, and alliances, regional value chain connections, and everyday opportunities to impact local governance. Producers and practitioners will share their local and regional expertise and perspectives on concurrent session panels.

On Thursday afternoon, an offsite networking time will be held at The Granary at Valley Pike Farm Market.

Who Should Attend?

The 2024 Virginia Farm to Table Conference will be of interest to farmers, producers, buyers, restaurateurs, food entrepreneurs, community organizers, agricultural development officials, nutrition and dining service directors, dietitians, policymakers, educators, regional food system stakeholders, technical service providers, and regenerative agriculture stakeholders.

Note: We are applying for Certified Nutrient Management Planners, Certified Crop Advisors, and continuing education credits for nutritionists and dietitians.

Notes

Cost: The Conference Registration Rate of $50 per day.

Conference Registration Deadline: December 2, 2024, at 12:00 p.m.

The registration fee to attend the Thursday evening Virginia Farm to Table Networking event and 4 The Soil Jam at The Granary at Valley Pike Farm Market is $20.

WAYS TO REGISTER

Preferred Method – Register Online with a Credit Card

Click on the appropriate Add to Cart button on this page, and follow the on-screen prompts to complete your registration. If you have any trouble with registration, please contact our helpline by email at vceprograms@vt.edu.

Register with Check

This system is designed to process credit card payments only. If you wish to pay by check, please mail check (payable to Treasurer of Virginia Tech) to VCE Northwest District Office, 2322 Blue Stone Hills Drive, Harrisonburg VA 22801. There is a $50 return check fee. Your registration is not complete until payment is received and processed.

Any refunds issued may incur a processing fee. Additionally, a $20 refund processing fee for refunds requested after December 2, 2024, at 12:00 p.m.

If you have any questions about this program, please contact: Eric S. Bendfeldt, ebendfel@vt.edu, 540.232.6006

If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact your local Extension Office during the business hours of 9:00a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to discuss accommodations 5 days prior to the event. *TDD number is 800-828-1120.