Annual Conference
Saturday, February 11, 2023
Gorecki Conference Center
College of Saint Benedict, St. Joseph
Early bird registration is now open!
$50 for current SFA members, $75 for nonmembers. Ends December 31, 2022. Prices go up by $25 on January 1, 2023!
Emerging Farmers: Free
Children's program (ages 5-12): $10
Lunch ticket in St. Ben's excellent cafeteria: $15. (You may also do lunch on your own.)
Register HERE.
With topics including:
- Fruit & Vegetable Soil Health and Profitability
- Grazing Strategies
- "Burn the Box" Changing Ag Paradigms
- Beekeeping
- Farm Profitability
- Emerging Farmer Resources
- Climate Adaptability
- New Cooperative Marketing Models
- and more!
Full schedule coming soon.
Sponsor and Exhibitor Opportunities
Please consider partnering with us on SFA's flagship event for farmer-to-farmer education and networking.
More information and an application form are HERE.
Our 2023 Sponsors
BLOOM SPONSORS
Afternoon Social Sponsor
A community owned grocery store with 3 locations in the Twin Cities Metro area, Lakewinds' mission is to promote sustainable agriculture, support local makers. and nourish our community. No membership required to shop, and all are welcome!
Opening Plenary Session Sponsor
SAPLING SPONSORS
A voluntary opportunity for farmers and ag landowners to take the lead in conservation practices that protect our water while obtaining regulatory certainty for 10 years.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture mission is to enhance all Minnesotans' quality of life by equitably ensuring the integrity of our food supply, the health of our environment and the strength and resilience of our agricultural community.
SEED SPONSORS
Solar Electric (PV) design, sales and installation.
A look back at our 2022 conference:
Why attend our Annual Conference? Take it from these farmers:
Our Blog
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Editors note: Following the “Agriculture in the Metro” session at our Annual Conference last week, Minnesota Department of Agriculture Assistant Commissioner Patrice Bailey phoned in with some resources he wished to share with emerging farmers. The Department of Agriculture was started as the Minnesota State Dairy Commission in 1885 by a department head, a single…
Read More“I think the future of farming looks more collaborative. It looks like working together, and it’s about stacking enterprises.” Meghan Filbert of Practical Farmers of Iowa (and a beginning farmer to boot) joins Dirt Rich to talk about an online tool facilitating just that. Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) is a nonprofit in Ames, Iowa…
Read MoreFor many farmers, winter is a time when we are able to slow down. Here at Dry Creek Farms harvest is over, and we are still several months from planting. Last year’s calves are weaned, many are gone, and calving is months away. It’s really just been a great time for me to reflect on…
Read MoreWhen I first was thinking about what I wanted to write to kick off the new year, I was going to write a piece about snow—how important it is to recharge our aquifers, insulate the soil, and provide protection for plants and wildlife to name a few benefits. But given the current times, I think…
Read MoreAs we begin a new year and a new season of Dirt Rich, we thought it would be fitting to start with seeds. Zachary Paige farms and operates North Circle Seeds in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. North Circle Seeds is newly certified organic and is committed to creating an ecologically diverse, equitable, and inclusive food…
Read MoreLast week I shared an overview of the new program we are kicking off with Renewing the Countryside and NRCS. Today I want to share a little bit about why this program is so valuable. Here at SFA we continually share about the benefits of implementing soil health management practices on your farm, and if…
Read MoreBy Doug Voss, SFA Grazing Lead SFA has long been an active participant in the Minnesota Dairy Initiative, which has a 20-plus-year history of working with dairy farms throughout Minnesota to improve their farms. Using a team approach with expert farmers and professionals, MDI addresses issues that come with dairy farming. The MDI Coordinator’s role…
Read MoreOh what a year we’ve had together. It’s easy with all the stress swirling around us to forget what we have right in front of us. Through all the ups and downs, twists and turns, and unexpected events, we are part of a carefully woven fabric. More intricate and complex than any man-made fiber. Woven…
Read MorePictured: Part of the SFA team at a winter staff retreat in 2019. It’s the last CONNECT of 2020, and a great opportunity to say “thank you” to the amazing team of staff and consultants who make SFA such a solid organization. Here’s who’s wearing the “boots on the ground” at SFA. Katie Feterl, SFA…
Read MoreWith a goal of supporting historically underserved farmers in Minnesota and Wisconsin, a new project led by Renewing the Countryside and the Sustainable Farming Association builds connections between these farmers and resource support. Conservation Connections: Linking New & Underserved Farmers with Conservation Resources uniquely utilizes a “boots in the field” team of Farmer Connectors to…
Read MoreOur Blog
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Drink for a Cause!
On Tuesday, May 21 from 4:00-7:00 p.m., you can support a sustainable future for Minnesota farmers (and eaters like you) just by grabbing a drink or dinner at Wooden Hill Brewing Company in Edina. 10% of all taproom sales will go directly to SFA’s programming! Wooden Hill has an extensive selection of beers, hard seltzers, ‘beertails,’ and several non-alcoholic options.…
Read MorePasture Walk Series to Begin in Otter Tail County
It’s safe to say that spring is here (although, you never know in Minnesota), and we are excited to be kicking off our season of pasture tomorrow! On the fourth Thursday of each month, SFA will host an engaging pasture walk with a specific focus at various Minnesota farms. All of the walks will be free to…
Read MoreGrowing sales while building up a farm and a family
Market more effectively with Charlotte Smith on April 18 By Jonathan Kilpatrick • Farmer Education Director Before working for SFA, I managed a ranch that sold grass fed meats direct-to-consumer. It was around the time I started that position that I came across some of Charlotte Smith’s marketing resources and podcast, “The Profitable Mindset Podcast.”…
Read MoreTwo new Member Benefits are live!
Members of SFA now have access to a Member Directory and Bulletin Board when they log in to their account portal. Here’s how to use them. If you haven’t used your account before, please click here to set up a password. The Member Directory The directory is designed to be another avenue of connection for…
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The Let’s Farm Well Retreat at the Abbey of the Hills Retreat Center in Marvin, South Dakota, has been postponed. Watch for a new date later this year so you can join us for some relaxation, reflection, and connection! You can also sign up for our Connect e-newsletter to get updates on this event and…
Read MoreShape the future of SFA
By Liz Morris-Otto, SFA Board President SFA has been hard at work for months now, crafting a strategic plan to guide our work for the next few years. To guide that effort, we’d like to know who you are, where you come from, where you are headed – and how we can help you get…
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Ford: They pay me, but I’d go anyway. By Jerry Ford • Chapter & Events Coordinator Why have I gone to 9 of the 10 Midwest Soil Health Summits so far? Well, yes, as many of you know, they pay me to. After all, I’m the EVENTS & Chapter Coordinator for SFA, and I manage the logistics…
Read MoreLuhman: What I’m looking forward to at the Midwest Soil Health Summit
By Jared Luhman • Soil Health & Grazing Lead Over the past year I have taken a significant step back from my responsibilities with SFA to focus on farming with my family! However, I have stayed involved to assist Jonathan and the team in the planning of our Midwest Soil Health Summit! This is one of…
Read MoreVolunteer at the Annual Conference
By Jerry Ford • Chapter & Events Coordinator The SFA Annual Conference is Saturday, February 10, 2024 in St. Joseph, and we’re looking for some volunteers. Most needed are people to help with our Conference Kids program. This is the only volunteer position that comes with free registration for the conference, so sign up early. Shifts are 90…
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