Virginia Farm to Table Conference 2023

Nourishing and (Re)Imagining Collaboration, Conservation, and Community

Tuesday, December 12, 2023 & Wednesday, December 13, 2023

8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Blue Ridge Community College

Plecker Workforce Center

One College Lane, Weyers Cave, Virginia 24486

Link to register: https://tinyurl.com/2023VAF2TConfReg

The Virginia Farm to Table Conference was held annually from 2012 to 2019 with a purposeful focus on soil health and resource management. Conference partners and collaborators aimed to encourage practices and awareness of the four core principles of soil health management, which led to the creation of the Virginia Soil Health Coalition and the 4 The Soil initiative. Partners and collaborators include Virginia Cooperative Extension, USDA-NRCS, VDACS, Agua Fund, Shenandoah Valley Buy Fresh Buy Local, Social Impact Studios, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and USDA-Ag Marketing Services. The Virginia Soil Health Coalition and 4 The Soil are excited to partner with Virginia Cooperative Extension and others to bring back the Virginia Farm to Table Conference in 2023.

Conference at a Glance and Registration Form: https://69497858-be74-4d69-bea8-9519f23ccb87.usrfiles.com/ugd/79d740_1611d59ee827498c9b69922a9a5fe4d6.pdf

Conference hosts

Eric S. Bendfeldt of Virginia Cooperative Extension and the VT Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation

Mary Sketch Bryant of Virginia Tech and the Virginia Soil Health Coalition

Cost

Early Bird Rate (available through November 30, 2023): $45 per day

Regular Registration Rate (available starting on December 1, 2023): $65 per day

Registration Deadline: December 8, 2023

Refunds will be not issued after November 30, 2023. Any refunds issued may incur a processing fee.

Questions:

About this program, please contact Eric S. Bendfeldt, ebendfel@vt.edu, 540.383.5393

For assistance with registration, please contact our helpline at vceprograms@vt.edu.

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 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. to discuss accommodations 5 days prior to the event. *TDD number is 800-828-1120.

Speakers and Topics

After a three-year hiatus, Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE), 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 2023 Virginia Farm to Table Conference December 12 –13, 2023, at Blue Ridge Community College’s Plecker Workforce Development Center, Weyers Cave, VA. The theme for this year’s conference is Nourishing and (Re)Imagining Collaboration, Conservation, and Community.

This year’s conference will feature Dr. Elizabeth Heilman of Wichita State University, Dale Strickler, farmer, co-founder of Regenerative Wisdom, and author of the Drought Resilient Farm and the Complete Guide to Restoring Your Soil, Dr. Gail Myers of Farm to Grow and director of Rhythms of the Land, Daniel Austin of Green Sprig Ag and Little Red Hen Farm, Dr. David Montgomery and Anne Biklé authors of What Your Food Ate, Ken Meter of Crossroads Resource Center and author of Building Community Food Webs, Pedro Aponte of Saint Isidore Homestead & Permaculture, Social Impact Studios, and others.

Conference topics will include presentations, conversations, and discussions around regenerative agriculture, safety trauma, drought resilience, managing pasture, local and regional food system development, community food webs and clusters, connections between soil health and human health, diversifying and stacking complementary enterprises, and value chain connections and market development where producers and practitioners share their local and regional expertise and perspectives.

On Tuesday afternoon, there will be a special exclusive screening of Rhythms of the Land, a multimedia documentary film directed by Dr. Gail Myers, a cultural anthropologist, farmer, and co-founder of Farms to Grow Inc.

The 2023 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: Three continuing education credits are approved for Virginia Certified Nutrient Management Planners.