10. Fourth Annual Michigan Family Farms Conference January 13. Lakeview High School, Battle Creek. This year's conference, "21st Century Practices for Sustainable Family Farms," is inviting small and limited-resource family farmers together to learn about government programs to help farmers, environmental stewardship, marketing tactics and value-added production practices. All of the information from previous, years will be included in a great one-day event in hopes that even more farmers will be able to attend the educational sessions and network with their peers and experts in the field. Breakout sessions include Small-Scale Marketing, Production, Business Management and Spanish-Speaking tracks to cover all the bases when it comes to sustainable agriculture and running the family farm. Registration is $30 per person. Includes lunch. For more information, contact Michigan Food & Farming Systems - MIFFS at [log in to unmask] or by phone at 517-423-0712 or visit http://www.miffs.org/ . 11. Northern Michigan Small Farm Conference http://www.msue.msu.edu/portal/default.cfm?pageset_id=26792&page_id=3546 41&msue_portal_id=25643 January 27, 2007 Grayling, Michigan Michigan State University Extension presents this conference, featuring keynote speaker George Bird, numerous educational sessions on production methods, marketing, energy and more, and a trade show. FEBRUARY 12. Seeds of Prosperity Conference February 8, Lansing Center, Lansing. A policymaking event. Seeds of Prosperity shows local and state leaders how to use the power of Michigan food to grow jobs, build health, and protect land. It presents proven, practical ideas and policy tools and offers food, farm, and health advocates a chance to demonstrate the great opportunities this exciting new area of community economic development offers. Sponsored by W. K. Kellogg Foundation and Michigan Land Use Institute. For more information visit www.mlui.org/sop. 13. Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference February 23-25. The Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference is the largest organic farming conference in the nation. Held annually each February in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the conference attracts over 2,200 people and includes over 130 exhibitors and 60 workshops. For more information please visit www.mosesorganic.org/umofc/intro06.htm. MARCH 14. MOFFA Fundraiser March 2. Kellogg Center, East Lansing East Lansing. Kicks off Michigan Organic Conference. Details to be announced. 15. Michigan Organic Conference March 2-3. Kellogg Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing. This year we will bring consumers together with farmers for a weekend focused on organic foods. Details to be announced. 16. Choices: Take it Slow March 6-7, Kellogg Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing. The conference that celebrates food and health! Food is central to our daily life. Slowing down to really focus on food allows us to re-connect with the people who produce, prepare, serve and consume our food and with those with whom we share our meals. The 2007 Choices Conference will teach us how a slower-paced life, including slower paced meals, can benefit our personal health, families and friends, schools and communities. The latest research, best practices and novel approaches to food, nutrition and health topics will be featured to help all of us take it slow! The Choices Conference is presented by the C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems at Michigan State University with support from the USDA's Food Stamp Program. For more information about the conference the flier can be viewed at www.mottgroup.msu.edu . Contact Diane Drago, Conference Coordinator [log in to unmask] (517) 663-5147 for more information on registration, sponsorship, and exhibiting. END----- Have a good week and hope you can stay warm Vicki Morrone Organic Vegetable and Crop Outreach Specialist Michigan State University C.S. Mott Sustainable Food Systems 303 Natural Resources Bldg. East Lansing, MI 48824 517-353-3542 517-282-3557 (cell) 517-353-3834 (fax) http://safs.msu.edu/ http://www.mottgroup.msu.edu/ If you would like to access previous postings to the Mich-Organic listserv you can copy and paste the following URL into your browser address bar http://list.msu.edu/archives/mich-organic.html