Great plains 2024 - innovating Midwest agribusiness

By Scout Nelson

The 2024 Great Plains Growers Conference is a crucial event for commercial fruit and vegetable producers from the Midwest.

This conference is designed to provide research-based information, blending expertise from vegetable research specialists with practical experiences from local growers. The aim is to offer valuable insights and strategies to enhance farm productivity and sustainability.

This year's conference boasts a diverse range of topics, catering to a wide array of interests and specialties in agriculture. These include:

• Business Development and Marketing: Learn innovative strategies for expanding your farm business and marketing your products effectively.
• Tree Fruits and Small Fruits: Gain knowledge about the latest trends and techniques in fruit cultivation.
• Vegetable Production: Dive into advanced practices for growing a variety of vegetables.
• Integrated Pest Management: Explore eco-friendly and effective ways to manage pests in your crops.
• Organic and Regenerative Agriculture: Understand the principles and practices of organic farming and how to regenerate soil health.
• Greenhouse and Hydroponics: Discover the benefits and methods of controlled environment agriculture.
• High Tunnels: Learn about the advantages of using high tunnels for extending the growing season.
• Cut-Flower Production: Explore the rapidly growing market of cut-flower farming.
• North-Central Region SARE Farmer Forum: Participate in discussions about sustainable agriculture research and education.
• Forest Farming: Understand the concept of cultivating high-value crops under the forest canopy.

Several hands-on workshops will be offered, including -

• Agritourism: Strategies to enhance farm tourism and diversify income.
• Worker Protection Standards and Produce Safety: Important guidelines for maintaining a safe and compliant farming operation.
• Farm to School Grower Training: Techniques for supplying fresh, local produce to schools.
• Specialty Corn: Insights into cultivating unique corn varieties.
• Beekeeping: Basics of beekeeping and its benefits to agriculture.

The Great Plains Growers Conference is a crucial platform for commercial growers to improve farming practices and stay updated on the latest agricultural advancements. It provides networking opportunities, expert learning, and knowledge to help farms thrive in today's competitive agricultural landscape.

Photo Credit - pexels-aiselin82