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January 20, 2016 | seedstock

Keynote speakers with expertise in local economics, urban farming, innovation and growing local food systems are set to converge on the City of Riverside for the upcoming 3rd Annual GrowRIVERSIDE Conference: Cultivating the Future, which will take place on March 21 – 22, 2016 in the Highlander Union Building at University of California, Riverside. The keynote speakers include a who’s who list of agriculture luminaries in the state of California – from current California Secretary of the Department of Food and Agriculture, Karen Ross, and Vice President of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Glenda Humiston, to Solutions from the Land chair and former California Secretary of the Department of Food and Agriculture, A.G. Kawamura, and Michael Shuman, Founding Fellow at Cutting Edge Capital.

This year’s conference is being organized by the City of Riverside. The event’s objectives according to the City of Riverside’s registration page are as follows:

• Equip attendees with knowledge and tools to create vibrant local food systems
• Generate opportunities for economic development and community engagement
• Advance public policy related to food and agriculture
• Provide a venue for stakeholders to network
• Present undergraduate and graduate research projects in food and agriculture

Here is more detail on the 3rd Annual GrowRIVERSIDE Conference: Cultivating the Future keynote speakers:

Karen Ross – Secretary of California Department of Food and Agriculture

Karen Ross was appointed Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture on January 12, 2011, by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. Secretary Ross has deep leadership experience in agricultural issues nationally, internationally, and here in California. Prior to joining CDFA, Secretary Ross was chief of staff for U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a position she accepted in 2009. Read more here!

Michael Shuman – Founding Fellow at Cutting Edge Capital

Michael H. Shuman is an economist, attorney, author, and entrepreneur, and one of the world’s leading experts on community economics. He has authored, coauthored, or edited eight books. His most recent book, published by Chelsea Green, is Local Dollars, Local Sense: How to Move Your Money from Wall Street to Main Street and Achieve Real Prosperity. Read more here!

Dr. Glenda Humiston – Vice President of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources

Dr. Glenda Humiston was appointed vice president of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Aug. 3, 2015. Humiston was born in California and raised on a cattle ranch in Colorado, where she was a member of 4-H. She came to UC ANR with more than 25 years of experience working on public policy development and program implementation supporting sustainability. Read more here!

A.G. Kawamura – Former Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture

A.G. Kawamura is a third generation fruit and vegetable grower and shipper from Orange County. He is co-chair of Solutions From the Land, a non-profit organization that collaborates with farmers, ranchers, foresters and stakeholders to implement climate smart land management practices and strategies. Read more here!

You can register for the 3rd Annual GrowRIVERSIDE Conference: Cultivating our Future on March 21 – 22, 2016 at the Highlander Union Building at University of California, Riverside by going to this URL: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-growriverside-conference-tickets-20479422504