Forging Relationships, Building Bridges throughout the Sustainable Farming Community to Preserve our Local Organic and Sustainable Farms
February 5-6, Bradford Farm Conference Center
A Message from Sue Baird, MOA President...
The Missouri Organic Association (MOA) 2010 Conference was a real celebration of learning, networking, and wonderful food. If you missed the MOA Conference, you really missed an experience! I wish I could express the high level of excitement that was there!
Friday...the speakers were outstanding!
- Friday morning was dedicated to providing the producers with financial knowledge to start up and maintain their operations, including NRCS and MDA.
- Friday afternoon, producers chose from organic production methods: Dr. Joel Gruver on cover crops and Dr. Raymond Cloyd on organic pest management; or: Organic Certification Regulations by SueBaird Organics, LLC.
Saturday...the excitement level was really rocking the house!
- Melinda Hemmelgarn started us out by connecting non-organic foods with health issues in our children.
- Kevin Brussels brought us back to the basics of biological farming.
- Gary Zimmer brought the house down with his rapid fired knowledge of soil fertility.
- And, after lunch, concurrent sessions on horticulture, grains, and livestock production brought it all home.
-
And Friday night...those who attended the MOA Welcome Dinner enjoyed good food, the live auction which raised $2800, and great bluegrass music from
Ironweed.
The networking was invaluable!
We established that all of us were southerners...at least south of somewhere north. We met new neighbors and enjoyed visiting with our old friends. Chefs, health officials, consumers, producers, and processors all networked to further the organic cause.
And, with over 30 vendors representing grain brokers, input dealers, organic certifiers, retail store buyers, seed dealers and others, everyone was able to network with someone who could help their business grow.
If you missed the actual conference, you need to make plans now to attend MOA Annual Conference 2011. And, every session of the 2010 conference is available for purchase on audio recordings by
Organic Voices so you can listen to all of the sessions over and over again.
MOA Annual Conference 2010
THANKS FOR BEING PART OF IT!
Welcome Dinner Sponsors
Be sure to thank the wonderful members, friends and businesses who sponsored the MOA Annual Conference and Welcome Dinner by supporting them throughout the year.
Conference Sponsors