Sustainable Ag Partnerships Forum Set

Mark your calendar. On March 27-28, 2001 at the Heidrick Agricultural History Center in Woodland, Calif., SAREP will co-host the forum Partnerships for Sustaining California Agriculture: Profit, Environment, and Community. The conference will include discussion by ag leaders in industry, research, policy, and advocacy about successful strategies to increase sustainable approaches.

“This conference will highlight innovations in agricultural production, research and extension, featuring farmer groups and leaders implementing ‘win-win’ practices that are profitable as well as environmentally friendly,” says Sean L. Swezey, SAREP director.

Activities include plenary presentations, panel discussions, and practical hands-on workshops. Conference topics include reduced-risk production practices, partnership approaches to enhance the adoption of and support for biologically integrated farming systems, marketing issues in biological farming, and policy issues. Hands-on workshops are being organized in methodologies for evaluating and monitoring biologically integrated farming projects, practical methods for creating and maintaining healthy farmer-research partnerships, policy challenges and opportunities, marketing innovations, soil fertility, and funding opportunities.

Co-sponsors include SAREP, US Environmental Protection Agency Region 9, California Department of Pesticide Regulation, USDA Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (SARE), California Association of Winegrape Growers, California Department of Food and Agriculture, California Integrated Waste Management Board, California Prune Board, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission, California Agricultural Working Group, and the Almond Board of California.

For more information, see the conference Web site www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/agpartners. To register, contact UC Davis University Extension (800) 752-0881. Enroll in section 003AGR104