New Ideas Take Root at Winter Conferences

February 20, 2015

When the ground is frozen, many people might imagine that those who work in the agriculture industry have little to do. Tools are cleaned and put away, jackets hung by the wood stove. We hope to rest and, perhaps, enjoy a tropical getaway. But while our bodies might be at ease, our minds are cranking at full tilt. Winter is a time for planning and networking, and at no place is that more evident than the dozens of conferences that populate the calendar.

A group of AGNR students and I hit the conference seen with full force this January. We attended both the 16th annual Future Harvest CASA Conference at the College Park Marriott and the first annual Food Tank Summit at The George Washington University.

IAA students were among 550 farmers, food business workers, and service providers in attendance at Future Harvest CASA’s “Cultivate the Chesapeake Foodshed” conference January 15-17.  From hands-on workshops in cheese making and apple tree grafting to sessions on food hubs and profitable cover crops, the atmosphere was buzzing with inspiration. “There were so many interesting sessions, that I had such a difficult time deciding what to attend,” said Lindsay Barranco, a Sustainable Agriculture major at the IAA.

Keynote speaker Lindsay Lusher Shute “drove home the message that it is crucial to find ways to support young farmers who are committed to farming and sustainable practices,” reflected Lindsay. That evening, chef Spike Gjerde regaled dinner guests with tales and tastes of 100% local food – from popcorn to tacos to oysters (including the salt!).

“The atmosphere was alive and warm, the people were interesting and the workshops were informative and valid to the subject of the conference. I had plenty of opportunity to network with other beekeepers and farmers and learn a few new things,” said Sustainable Agriculture major Bob Borkowski.

Just one week later, the students and I were on the Metro headed to the next big thing: the first annual Food Tank Summit. The atmosphere and style were quite different, speaking to the diversity of approaches used to address food and agriculture issues. Two days of TED Talk-style panels featuring over 60 speakers explored topics such as farm and restaurant workers’ rights, true cost accounting in the food system, and food waste. While only a few hundred people packed the auditorium, thousands more joined in via a livestream.

Said Jason Poole, another IAA student majoring in Sustainable Agriculture, “I was overwhelmed by the number of brilliant and passionate individuals from all over the world, each one a specialist in their field.  Food is something so many people take for granted, but the entire food system is so utterly complex, from growers to policy makers, legislature, environmentalists and so much more.  I highly recommend anyone that cares for food and what direction it is heading on a local or global scale to get involved in the discussion.  The Food Tank Summit is a good place to start.”

While winter may be a period of rest and rejuvenation, it also provides valuable time for planning and learning. After participating in these two inspiring events, IAA students have many ideas and projects ready to take root and bloom come spring. Here’s to a productive 2015 season.