The 22nd annual Iowa Organic Conference will be held Monday, Nov. 21, at the University of Iowa in Iowa City.
The conference is a joint effort between Iowa State University and the University of Iowa. Producers and experts from across the country will share tips for transitioning into organic production and methods to enhance organic operations.
The theme is “Building Resiliency through Biodiversity and Conservation in Organic Farming,” with keynote speaker, Rattan Lal, World Food Prize Laureate and professor of soil science at Ohio State University, speaking on “Why Soil Quality in Organic Systems Matters.”
The conference begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 20, with vendor setup, and a reception featuring local and organic food and drinks at 6 p.m. The conference lunch on Monday afternoon highlights local and organic produce, meats and dairy products assembled into a gourmet meal by Barry Greenberg, executive chef, and his dining team.
Monday’s breakout sessions start at 8 a.m. and include information on transitioning into organic farming, weed management, organic livestock production, and alternative crops such as black beans and split peas. Sessions include improving soil quality, pest management, organic no-till, what you need to know for organic inspection, diversifying your rotations and more.
“The Iowa Organic Conference is the largest university-sponsored organic conference in the country,” said Kathleen Delate, professor and organic extension specialist in horticulture and agronomy at Iowa State. “Last year’s conference brought over 30 exhibitors, ranging from organic seed sales, to local food system non-profits, to government offices working with transitioning and certified organic farmers. Despite the challenges of drought this year, organic farmers are anticipating successful organic yields with organic soybean prices currently averaging $31.85 per bushel and organic corn at $11.85 per bushel.”
Conference registration is available online. Registration is $100 until Nov. 10 and $120 after.
Hotel rooms are available at the Iowa House Hotel for Sunday, Nov. 20. Guests may access room reservations by going to iowahousehotel.uiowa.edu and entering group #112122, or calling the hotel at 319-335-3513 and mentioning the Iowa Organic Conference.
For additional conference information and directions to the conference, visit the 2022 Iowa Organic Conference webpage, https://www.regcytes.extension.iastate.edu/iowaorganic/, or contact Kathleen Delate at kdelate@iastate.edu or 515-294-5116.