Urban Ag Conference
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We are excited to host the second annual Urban Ag Conference on Saturday, February 22 at St. Paul College.
Event Address: St. Paul College City View Cafe, 235 Marshall Ave, St. Paul
Parking: Parking will be available for free in the adjoining lot to the campus building.
Schedule (subject to change)
9 a.m. – Registration Opens
9:30 a.m. – Welcome
9:45 a.m. – Knowledge Share and Networking
Tabling organizations include: University of Minnesota Extension, USDA, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Farm Business Management and more.
11 a.m. – Panel – How to be an Advocate
A lot of decisions are made by elected officials that impact urban agriculture, including zoning, water restrictions, etc. Hear from a panel of legislative representatives on tips of how to connect with your elected officials to share your story and help shape policies affecting your community.
Noon – Lunch and Networking
1 p.m. – Panel – Growing the Next Generation
For agriculture to thrive into the future, it’s important to engage the next generation, and develop a plan to keep them farming. Hear from leaders engaging youth in schools and the community for strategies to get the next generation active in agriculture.
2 p.m. – Panel – Making Your Urban Farm Economically Viable
Building and supporting local food systems is an important part of urban farms, but what can farmers do outside of produce to help sustain their farms and develop additional revenue streams. (cut flowers, processing, wholesale, etc.)
3 p.m. – Closing Remarks
3:15 p.m. – Optional Knowledge Share and Networking
Tabling organizations include: University of Minnesota Extension, USDA, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Farm Business Management and more.
The inaugural Urban Ag Conference took place on January 13, 2024 on the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities St. Paul campus. It was a capacity crowd, with over 130 attendees connecting with local and state leaders on the issues facing those involved in urban agriculture and food systems, including land access, water access, funding and more.
Recordings of the three afternoon panel discussions are available on our YouTube playlist.
The conference was made possible by a grant from the USDA Urban, Indoor and other Emerging Agricultural Production Research, Education and Extension Initiative (UIE).