sustainable agriculture conference
Future of Urban Food Systems Conference Coming to Orange County in November; Early Bird Tickets Available
August 22, 2016 | seedstock
The Grow Local OC: Future of Urban Food Systems Conference takes place on November 10 – 11, 2016 at California State University, Fullerton.
Early Bird Special Tickets are now available for a limited time for the Grow Local OC: Future of Urban Food System Conference presented by Seedstock in partnership with the Orange County Food Access Coalition. The conference is slated for Nov. 10 – 11, 2016 at California State University, Fullerton in Orange County (Hosted by U-ACRE). It will focus on the community and economic development potential of urban food systems efforts across southern California and the country to improve food access and health outcomes, connect people to their food, and create new jobs and business opportunities by employing innovative business models and farming systems of the future.
Below are additional details on the two-day conference.
Day 1: Conference Day (Nov. 10, 2016):
Attendees will convene at the Portola Pavilion on the campus of California State University, Fullerton in Orange County, CA for a series of panels and keynotes that will address such topic areas as the importance of local food systems development for cities, the economic potential of indoor agriculture, the expansion of the local food marketplace, urban farming and local food access, community gardens and farms, and more.
“Grow Riverside” Urban Ag Conference Cultivates CURE Scholarship Competition Opportunity for Students
March 14, 2014 | seedstockScholars aching for an opportunity to help the environment, stimulate local urban agriculture, and, perhaps, win some financial compensation along the way have been offered a sustainable CURE.
Sponsored by the Citizens United for Resources and the Environment (CURE), in partnership with Seedstock’s “Grow Riverside: Citrus and Beyond!” conference, the CURE Challenge is open to full-time high school, college and university students. The contest charges participants with the task of developing economically viable strategies or land use plans to transform the future of local agriculture in Riverside. Scholarships in the amount of $1000, $500, and $250 will be awarded for the three best submissions.
“A young person’s ideas could be just the catalyst needed to revolutionize sustainable urban agriculture in the Riverside area,” said Malissa McKeith, CURE president. “By tapping into their passion for protecting the environment and developing a creative action plan, three students will secure scholarships for their efforts. It’s a winning opportunity for the students, the city, and the environment.”
Designed as a grassroots, community outreach program to engage youth creativity and entrepreneurship, the CURE Challenge will be launched at the “Grow Riverside: Citrus and Beyond!” conference, March 19-20 at the Riverside Convention Center. For additional information and competition rules, please visit http://www.growriverside.com/take-the-cure-grow-riverside-challenge/.
In addition to CURE, other sponsors providing support for the “Grow Riverside” event, include: Salted Pig Restaurant, Kaiser Permanente, Western Municipal Water District, UC Riverside, Riverside County Economic Development Agency, Riverside Public Utilities, Wicks Brewing Company, Galleano Winery, Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District, California Baptist University, Riverside Community Health Foundation, Netafim USA, Adkan Engineers, Burrtec, Gless Ranch, Gresham Savage, and CR&R.
Organized for the city of Riverside by Seedstock co-founder Robert Puro, the conference has been formulated as a model for cities looking to enhance local agriculture. Conference registration is filling up fast and reservations for the opening night “Citrus Circle Dinner” are limited. To register for the conference, please visit http://growriverside.eventbrite.com
About Seedstock
Seedstock is a social venture that fosters the development of robust and sustainable local food systems through consulting services and the use of a variety of tools, including the news and information blog Seedstock (http://www.Seedstock.com ) and live events. Seedstock works with government agencies, municipalities and all private sector stakeholders to create a sustainable food ecosystem of innovation, entrepreneurship and investment.
About the City of Riverside
The City of Riverside made the navel orange a symbol of bounty and a household staple in California. Today the City maintains more than 1,000 acres of citrus groves. As Riverside continues to grow, so does local pride for the City’s rich agricultural history and consumer demand for healthful local foods. A full 11 percent of the city’s total acreage is designated for agricultural use, unparalleled for a Southern California city of its size. Riverside’s growers, local government officials, and residents are at the forefront of innovation as a city devoted to sustainable local agriculture.
Limited Seats Remain: Only Six More Days Until Seedstock’s Urban Ag-Focused ‘Grow Riverside’ Conference
March 13, 2014 | Robert Puro
Only SIX more days remain to obtain tickets at for Seedstock’s urban ag-focused “Grow Riverside: Citrus and Beyond!” conference. The event, to be held Wednesday and Thursday, March 19-20, at the Riverside Convention Center, will focus on the development of urban agriculture strategies and solutions that cities, Riverside in this particular case, can use to reconnect with their agricultural roots and create economic opportunities that citizens, growers, advocates, government officials and other major stakeholders can leverage to foster a robust and sustainable local food future.
PRESENTED in partnership with the City and Community of Riverside by Seedstock, a social venture that fosters the development of robust and sustainable local food systems through the use of a variety of tools, including the news and information blog seedstock.com, live events and consulting services.
The event will feature a broad lineup of speakers ranging from urban agriculture entrepreneurs, USDA representatives from the Farm Service Agency, Rural Development program and Natural Resources Conservation Service to investors, funding and policy experts, sustainable farmers and aquaponics practitioners and buyers and distributors of local produce; Read More
‘Grow Riverside’ Conference to Focus on Sustainably Re-integrating Agriculture into Cities
February 12, 2014 | seedstock
Re-integrating agriculture into cities, developing economically viable urban farming operations on small plots of land, exploring how best to implement policy to support and foster such endeavors – these are but a few of the important issues and opportunities that will be examined in depth at the upcoming Seedstock ‘Grow Riverside’ conference on March 19 – 20 at the Riverside Convention Center in Riverside, CA.
The conference will focus on the development of urban agriculture strategies and solutions that cities can use to reconnect with their agricultural roots and create economic opportunities that investors, citizens, growers, government officials and other major stakeholders can leverage to foster a robust and sustainable local food future.
The event is PRESENTED in partnership with the City and Community of Riverside by SEEDSTOCK, a social venture that fosters the development of robust and sustainable local food systems through the use of a variety of tools, including the news and information blog seedstock.com, live events and consulting services.
Register now to receive the Seed Saver Special Rate to learn from and interact with these experts:
http://growriverside.eventbrite.com
We have an exciting list of expert speakers from across the sustainable agriculture spectrum including:
Richard Conlin – Former Seattle City Councilmember and prime mover behind Seattle’s ‘Local Food Action Initiative,’ passed in 2008, that envisions an exciting new urban agriculture model that is good for the economy, the environment, and our health.
Dr. Glenda Humiston – California State Director for U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development. Humiston brings over 25 years of experience working on public policy development and program implementation supporting sustainability.
Rodney K. Taylor – Director of Nutrition Services, for the Riverside Unified School District. A noted pioneer, and expert in farm-to-school salad bars, he is particularly known for establishing the “Farmers’ Market Salad Bar” (FMSB) program in 1997, while working as Director of Food and Nutrition Services in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District, in Santa Monica, California.
Pierre Sleiman – Founder of Go Green Agriculture, a company that builds high tech mini-farms in or near large cities. Pierre is a young entrepreneur, who has become involved in the mission of accelerating the movement towards local and sustainable farming and fostering interest in youth to choose agriculture as an exciting career.
Curt Covington – Managing Director, Agribusiness Banking Division for Bank of the West. With 34 years of agricultural banking experience, Curt is responsible for managing the growth and performance of the bank’s $1.5 billion regional agricultural loan portfolio.
Bob Knight – Founder of Old Grove Farm Share, which make local growers sustainable by connecting them to local families and school districts via direct sales.
Leah Di Bernardo – Partner in Cultivating Good and Co-leader of Slow Food Temecula Valley. Di Bernardo is also the award-winning Chef of E.A.T Extraordinary Artisan Table, a locally grown Eatery in the Temecula Valley. Dedicated to providing farm foraged, hand crafted fair, since 2002. E.A.T’s business-mission statement champions purchasing local and supporting your neighbors, as this stimulates the region’s economy and creates conviviality, loyalty & community.
Hassan Ghamlouch – Co-founder of The Grove, a 10-acre organic family farm located in the Riverside ‘Greenbelt’. The Grove is committed to Organic growing practices with an emphasis on sustainable farming and conserving natural resources.
Register now to receive the Seed Saver Special Rate to learn from and interact with these experts:
http://growriverside.eventbrite.com
Additional notable speakers include:
Representative Mark Takano – California’s 41st Congressional District
Val Dolcini – State Executive Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA)
Paula Daniels – Founder of the Los Angeles Food Policy Council
Don Webber – Partner, Cultivating Good, Inc. and Owner of Harvest 2U
Dwight Detter – Local Forager, Whole Foods Market
Etaferahu Takele – County Director/Area Advisor Farm Management/Agricultural Economics
Milt McGiffen – Cooperative Extension Vegetable Crops Specialist & Plant Physiologist
Gabriel Ruiz – Unity Farm
David Rosenstein – Founder of EVO Farm and Chair of the Aquaponics Association – Western Region
Fortino Morales III – Community Garden Coordinator at University of California, Riverside
Rickey Smith – Founder of Urban Green
Noah Fulmer – Farm Fresh Rhode Island
Rick Pruetz (FAICP) – Founder of Planning & Implementation Strategies
Gregg Warren – American AgCredit
Erika Block – Local Orbit
John Gless – Gless Ranch
Robert Hewitt – USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Clay Monroe – Principal Account Manager for the City of Riverside Public Utilities Department
… and more!
Register now to receive the Seed Saver Special Rate to learn from and interact with these experts:
http://growriverside.eventbrite.com
‘Grow Riverside’ Conference to Explore Economic Viability of Urban Agriculture
January 22, 2014 | Robert Puro
Interested in learning from Cooperative Extension experts about how to set up an economically viable small scale urban farm? Or exploring the future of urban and local agriculture in American cities? Then grab one of the limited Seed Saver Special Tickets (offer expires January 17; so hurry!) and come to Seedstock’s inaugural Grow Riverside: Citrus and Beyond! conference that will be held at the Riverside Convention Center on March 19 – 20 in partnership with the City and Community of Riverside. The event will be a two-day, outcomes-based conference designed to examine and develop solutions that will enable cities, Riverside in this particular case, to reconnect to their agricultural roots and galvanize citizens, growers, advocates, government officials and other major stakeholders around the economic opportunities that can result from employing sustainable urban agriculture.
The event will feature a broad lineup of speakers ranging from urban agriculture entrepreneurs, USDA representatives from the Farm Service Agency, Rural Development program and Natural Resources Conservation Service to investors, funding and policy experts, sustainable farmers and aquaponics practitioners and buyers and distributors of local produce; and will cover a variety of topics, including: How to Set up an Economically Viable Small-scale Urban Farm; Local Agriculture Grow Strategies, Urban Agriculture Policy, The Market Opportunity for Urban Agriculture, Innovative and Economically Viable Small-scale Agriculture Solutions and more!
Click here to purchase your Early Bird Special Ticket!
CONFIRMED SPEAKERS INCLUDE:
Glenda Humiston – California State Director at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Development
Bob Knight – Founder of Inland Orange Conservancy and Old Grove Orange, Inc.
Val Dolcini – State Executive Director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA)
Colin and Karen Archipley – Archi’s Acres and Veterans for Sustainable Agriculture Training program (VSAT)
Mark Hoddle – Biological Control Extension Specialist at UC Riverside
Erika Block and Noah Fulmer – Local Orbit
Paula Daniels – Founder of the Los Angeles Food Policy Council
Don Webber – Partner, Cultivating Good, Inc. and Owner of Harvest 2U
Leah Di Bernardo – Exec. Chef & Founder of E.A.T. Extraordinary Artisan Table and Partner, Cultivating Good, Inc.
David Rosenstein – Founder of EVO Farm and Chair of the Aquaponics Association – Western Region
Milt McGiffen – Cooperative Extension Vegetable Crops Specialist & Plant Physiologist at UC Riverside
Pierre Sleiman – Founder of Go Green Agriculture
Rickey Smith – Founder of Urban Green
Rodney K. Taylor – Director of Nutrition Services, for the Riverside Unified School District
Dwight Detter – Local Forager for Whole Foods Market
Hassan Ghamlouch – The Grove
Gabriel Ruiz – Unity Farm
Daniel Aaron Francis – Riverside Permaculture Guild
Etaferahu Takele – Riverside County Director/Area Advisor Farm Management/Agricultural Economics for UC Cooperative Extension
Robert Hewitt – USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Clay Monroe – Principal Account Manager for the City of Riverside Public Utilities Department
Fortino Morales III – Community Garden Coordinator at University of California, Riverside
Rick Pruetz (FAICP) – Founder of Planning & Implementation Strategies
REGISTRATION & TICKETS: A limited number of Early Bird Tickets remain, so register quickly to reserve your spot! http://growriverside.eventbrite.com
Click here to purchase your Seed Saver Special Ticket!
Seedstock’s “Grow Riverside” Sustainable Agriculture Conference Nears Discounted Registration Deadline
January 14, 2014 | Robert Puro
RIVERSIDE, CA– Little more than a week remains to obtain discounted registration for the “Grow Riverside: Citrus and Beyond!” Conference (http://growriverside.com). The event, to be held Wednesday and Thursday, March 19-20, at the Riverside Convention Center, will assist cities in examining and developing solutions to reconnect with their agricultural roots and unite citizens, growers, advocates, government officials and other major stakeholders around the economic opportunities that can result from employing sustainable agriculture.
In compliment to featured keynote presentations “The Economic and Societal Benefits of Developing a Local Food Systems Infrastructure in a City,” “Putting Policy into Place,” and “Health and Community Benefits of Local Agriculture,” the two-day program will offer a series of panels including: Read More
Cal State Director of USDA Rural Dev to Talk Local Food Systems at Seedstock Grow Riverside Conference
January 9, 2014 | seedstock
Dr. Glenda Humiston, who was appointed by President Obama in 2009 to serve as the California State Director at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Development, will be participating in the upcoming Grow Riverside: Citrus and Beyond! conference at the Riverside Convention Center in Riverside, CA on March 19 – 20. Dr. Humiston will discuss the economic and societal benefits of developing a local food system infrastructure.
Humiston brings over 25 years of experience working on public policy development and program implementation supporting sustainability; prior experience includes service as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tunisia, as Executive Director of nonprofit advocating farmland preservation and value-added agriculture development, and several years as a consultant on environmental and agricultural issues throughout the western states. She served President Clinton 1998 – 2001 as Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment at USDA and managed the Sustainable Development Institute at the 2002 World Summit for Sustainable Development in South Africa and the 2006 World Water Forum in Mexico City.
Humiston earned her Ph.D. from U.C. Berkeley in Environmental Science, Policy and Management in 2009 with research focused on U.S. Farm Bill policy; a Master’s in International Agricultural Development from U.C. Davis in 1989 and a Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from Colorado State University in 1983. Recently she produced a widely acclaimed guidebook on “Access to Capital” and has led efforts to bring rural issues to the forefront of the state’s Economic Summit and policymakers throughout California.
Register today and receive the Early Bird Ticket discount!
Food Systems Expert to Host Panel on Value of Local Agriculture at Seedstock Grow Riverside Conference
January 7, 2014 | seedstock
Local food systems expert and Whole Foods Market forager Dwight Detter will be participating in the upcoming Grow Riverside: Citrus and Beyond! conference at the Riverside Convention Center in Riverside, CA on March 19 – 20. Detter will moderate a panel that will examine the value and importance of setting up a local food systems infrastructure in Riverside and beyond.
Dwight has spent 20 years in the Food Service Industry in San Francisco and Los Angeles before joining the grocery industry. Dwight has been with Whole Foods Market for 14 years. As a local forager for the past 3 years he been helping local start-ups get on to retail shelves. Dwight also teaches a series of 4 classes throughout LA, Orange County and San Diego in conjunction with the Fine Foods Group on developing local artisan businesses. He works with community groups such as the Orange County Food Access Coalition, the San Diego Food System Alliance and county Farm to School groups. He is currently involved with developing a value added program with Archi’s Acres VSAT Program for returning Marines and Soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan.
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