2012 Michigan Family Farms Conference

“Building Your Success with Local Products, Partnerships and Planning"

When: Saturday, January 14, 2012
9 a.m. - 4:40 p.m.
Registration and trade show open at 8 a.m.

Where: Lakeview High School
15060 Helmer Road South
Battle Creek, MI, 49015

Thanks for everyone who attended the 9th annual Michigan Family Farms Conference on Saturday, January 14, 2012 at Lakeview High School in Battle Creek, MI.

This year’s theme was “Building Your Success with Local Products, Partnerships and Planning”, and the day-long conference was packed with 18 educational sessions to help participants succeed on their family farms.

Dan Carmody, President of the Eastern Market Corporation, was this year’s keynote speaker. His presentation was titled "Healthy Food Hub Development: A Statewide Perspective and an Update on Eastern Market." Eastern Market has been feeding Detroit since 1891 and is one of the nation’s oldest and largest public markets. It has grown and evolved with the times, from the boom of the automotive industry to today’s recession, and is still offering fresh produce to Michigan families each Saturday.

Special guest, Senator Debbie Stabenow, also made an appearance at the conference and spoke to participants during the closing session about the importance of agriculture to Michigan's (and the nation's) economy. One in four jobs in Michigan is connected to agriculture, she said. She also spoke about the 2012 Farm Bill and how it will impact small and mid-size family farms and specialty crop producers.

"We are steadily moving forward even in a climate of deficit reduction," she said, with efforts that promote farmers markets, local food access and small growers.

Congratulations to our 2011 Michigan Family Farms Stewardship Award winners, Julia and Michael Studier of Tower Hill Farm in Sodus, Michigan, located in Berrien County. The Studiers are relatively new to farming but have demonstrated their commitment to stewardship and sustainability by getting verified in the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP) Farmstead and Cropping Systems and recently having their farm organically certified. They are always eager to learn at events like the Family Farms Conference and eager to share their knowledge and experiences with others. Thanks, Julia and Michael!

Mission Statement: The Michigan Family Farms Conference is a forum for beginning, small-scale and culturally diverse farmers to network, learn and build sustainable family farms.

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Thanks to the 2012 Conference Partners and Sponsors:

Planning Partners:

• Michigan Food & Farming Systems (MIFFS)
• the Farm Research Cooperative
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
• USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA)
• Michigan State University (MSU) College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
• MSU Extension
• the Calhoun Conservation District
  
  

Platinum Sponsors:

• C.S. Mott Chair for Sustainable Agriculture at MSU
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
• W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Gold Sponsors:

• GreenStone Farm Credit Services
• MSU Product Center for Agriculture and Natural Resources

Silver Sponsors:

• Fraleigh Law Firm, PLLC
• Michigan Organic Food and Farming Alliance (MOFFA)
• Morgan Composting
• Sauk Trails Resource, Conservation & Development (RC&D) Council

Please contact the MIFFS office at 517-432-0712 or miffs@msu.edu for more information about the conference.