In 2013, the Michigan Family Farms Conference celebrates its tenth year on Saturday, January 19 at Lakeview High School in Battle Creek. This year’s theme, “Family Farming – It’s in our Roots”,
will focus on Michigan’s farming heritage and growing opportunities for farmers in the future.
Online registration is now open at www.miffs.org/mffc.
The Michigan Family Farms Conference is a forum for beginning, small-scale and culturally diverse farmers to network, learn and build sustainable family farms. For ten years, it has helped connect
farmers from across the state connect with important resources and learn how to make their farms more sustainable and more viable.
This year’s 18 breakout sessions cover just about everything in the world of local food and sustainable agriculture, like pastured poultry, hoophouses, social media, the Farm Bill, estate planning,
growing mushrooms and much more! Special youth activities focused on agriculture, too, make this family farms conference truly a family event. A full list of sessions and speakers is available online at
www.miffs.org/mffc/sessions.asp.
Kareemah El-Amin, the executive director of the Food Bank Council of Michigan, is this year’s keynote speaker and will be talking about her roots in family farming and how they’ve impacted her
vision for local food systems and access for those in need.
The early-bird registration fee is $35 per person or $25 for youth until December 21, and group discounts are available. Registration rates go up to $40 per person on December 22, and the deadline
for registering is January 13. MIFFS members receive a $5 discount – join now at
www.miffs.org/join.asp! Limited scholarships are available.
For those interested in sponsoring the event or being a conference exhibitor, more information is available at
www.miffs.org/mffc under the “Sponsors” or “Exhibitors” tabs.
Partners and Sponsors so far include: Michigan Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS), the Farm Research Cooperative, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA),
USDA Farm Services Agency (FSA), Michigan State University (MSU) Extension, MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, MSU Product Center and the Calhoun Conservation District.
For more information, contact Michigan Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS) at (517) 432-0712 or
[log in to unmask].
Thanks!
Emily (Buckham) Beutel
Communications and Events Manager
Michigan Food & Farming Systems - MIFFS
Bringing Farmers and Communities Together
480 Wilson Road, Room 172
East Lansing, MI 48824
Ph: (517) 432-0712
Fx: (517) 353-7961
www.miffs.org
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