WHO WILL FOLLOW IN OUR FARMERS' FOOTSTEPS?
Succession Planning the Topic of February Conference
Craryville, New York, December 5, 2013 - "Succession" refers to farmers handing the reins to the next generation, or to the next farmers, and stories about succession from the Hudson Valley and the Tri-State region will be highlighted in the keynote speech by Don R. Rogers at the third annual Farming Our Future conference on Saturday, February 22nd in Columbia County, New York. Rogers, an expert in the field of helping farmers move their operations into the future, began his career with Cornell Cooperative Extension before joining Farm Credit East, the number one financial services cooperative for the Northeast agricultural industry. He's worked with more than 2,000 farm operators and owners on everything from family farms, to labor management, to funding.
Conference speakers will share practical strategies and some intriguing new concepts for ensuring that farms will continue to thrive in our region for many years to come. Workshops scheduled throughout the day will cover topics related to succession planning, bee-keeping (because bees are the best at succession planning), the restaurant-community link to locally produced food, farmer-training programs, and vital skills training for new farmers.
Ginsberg's Foods is the conference Platinum Sponsor. Gold Sponsors include: Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Columbia - Greene Media, Farm Credit East, Farm On! Foundation, and Valley Oil. Exhibitors and sponsorships for the conference are encouraged. Proceeds will go toward Taconic Hills' nationally award-winning H.A.R.V.E.S.T. Club (Healthy Agricultural Resources by Volunteers & Educators in Science & Technology) and the Taconic Hills Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). The thriving H.A.R.V.E.S.T. program engages youth in the process of growing healthy fruits, flowers, and vegetables in a school-based garden.
The conference will take place Saturday, February 22nd, 2014, from 9 am-4:30 pm at Taconic Hills Central School, located in Columbia County, just a short drive from the Capital Region, the Berkshires, and western Connecticut and the lower Hudson Valley. Morning refreshments, lunch, and snacks are provided with a $20 registration fee.
More information can be found online at www.FarmingOurFuture.org.