Annual Conference

Annual-Conference-Logo

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.

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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

Lakewinds Co-op

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

Compeer

SAPLING SPONSORS

MAWQCP

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.

MN Department of Agriculture

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 Farm LLC

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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New Funding to Support Our Farmer-to-Farmer Mission

By SFA of MN | Jun 4, 2025 |

By Jonathan Kilpatrick, Farmer Education Director SFA is excited to announce two new grant awards that will significantly strengthen our work of transforming agriculture, farmer-to-farmer consulting, and providing adaptive grazing support across the Upper Midwest. First, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) has awarded SFA a $260,000 grant: “Expanding Regenerative Grazing in the Upper…

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Facing Drought: Tough Decisions and Smart Solutions for Graziers

By SFA of MN | May 12, 2025 |

As we look at the weather forecast and study the drought monitor, it appears that we are in for another dry spring and summer in the upper Midwest. According to the drought monitor, about 75% of the state is experiencing abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions and it’s only the beginning of May. In a…

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Preparing for Drought in the Pasture

By SFA of MN | May 7, 2025 |

By Kent Solberg • Senior Technical Advisor Even with pastures greening up fast, 2025 is shaping up to be another drought year.  Much of Minnesota (>74%) is still rated as Abnormally Dry or Moderate Drought according to the US Drought Monitor.  Most of Minnesota was dry last fall and the snowpack for much of the…

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Five Summer Festivals

By SFA of MN | May 7, 2025 |

By Jerry Ford • Chapter & Events Coordinator Five SFA chapters host a local foods-centered festival each year, and they are all busily preparing for their 2025 events. Learn more about each one at www.sfa-mn.org/festivals. Here are a few ways you can get involved: ADMISSIONS:  Tickets are on sale or will be soon. BE A…

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Farm Day Growers & Makers Markets

By SFA of MN | May 7, 2025 |

This summer, SFA and Lift Bridge Brewing Company are partnering to host a series of monthly local Growers & Makers markets! Every third Saturday from June through September, we will be showcasing the best in local produce, meat, cheese, pickled veggies, and hot sauce, as well as amazing talented artists, craftspeople, and vendors. Market Dates:…

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Learn how to raise your own meat chickens this summer!

By SFA of MN | Apr 7, 2025 |

You’ve probably heard that chickens are the gateway into Homesteading life. There’s a reason! Raising your own chicken meat and eggs requires fairly minimal inputs and infrastructure to begin on your own.  With egg and meat prices on the rise, this summer sounds like a great time to begin raising your own! We’ll talk specifically about: This…

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Expanding our perspectives, addressing pressing issues at the Midwest Grazing & Soil Health Summit

By SFA of MN | Mar 6, 2025 |

By Jonathan Kilpatrick  • Farmer Education Director It’s hard to believe that in just two weeks, we’ll be right in the middle of the inaugural Midwest Grazing & Soil Health Summit! Still on the fence (no pun intended) about attending? Let me give you a few reasons—beyond our all-star lineup of speakers—why you should reconsider. Beyond the session…

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Member Spotlight: Caroline Hegstrom & Growing Organic Farming

By SFA of MN | Mar 6, 2025 |

By Katie Feterl • Communications Director Like all SFA farmers, Caroline Hegstrom wears many hats. She is a very active member of our Association Board, serving both as the delegate for the Lake Superior Chapter and the Board secretary. Out in the field, she runs The Boreal Farm in Duluth (organic vegetable and flower CSAs;…

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New Member Discount with Red Wing Shoes

By SFA of MN | Mar 4, 2025 |

We’re excited to announce another great benefit to SFA membership, a 10% discount on Red Wing Shoes! This member-exclusive discount will save SFA members 10% on all IN STORE purchases of regularly priced Red Wing Brand footwear. When you visit a Red Wing retailer, you’ll be measured for an accurate fit to ensure maximum comfort…

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New year, new dues, and a new member benefit!

By SFA of MN | Jan 22, 2025 |

If you haven’t met Suzanne Miller-McFeeley yet, allow me to introduce her!Suzanne joined our team of consultants in 2023 and was recently named our Development & Membership Manager. She is now our go-to person for all things membership, and has hit the ground running in implementing our new board-driven membership dues structure. A South Dakota…

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Our Blog

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Beyond Your Backyard: Little Things That Make the World Go ‘Round

By mbenage | Jun 24, 2020

June 22-28 is National Pollinator week. One week to celebrate the little things that make the world go round. What’s all the buzz? Pollinators are a huge group of insects with species that have different life histories, biologies, and needs. They boggle the mind at all that they’re doing right under our noses and we…

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Get Growing this Summer

By kfeterl | Jun 20, 2020

Even mid-way through June, it’s not too late to start growing some of your own food this season. Growing a garden in your yard, your windowsill, or at any other scale can be empowering. And it doesn’t have to be an overwhelming venture! Episode 3 of Dirt Rich is a bite-sized listen to help get…

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Take Action in Wake of Timely Report Illustrating Challenges to BIPOC Farmers

By SFA of MN | Jun 18, 2020

Our friends at Green Lands Blue Waters shared “Leveling the Fields: Creating Farm Opportunities for Black People, Indigenous People, and Other People of Color,” a new report being issued by the Union of Concerned Scientists and HEAL Food Alliance. I encourage you to read the report then take action in observation of Juneteenth, tomorrow’s holiday…

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A Growing Culture of Soil Health

By kfeterl | Jun 15, 2020

On the latest episode of our Dirt Rich podcast series, Theresa Keaveny calls up Troy Daniell, NRCS State Conservationist. Personally, I really enjoyed listening to their conversation unfold on soil health work in Minnesota, the role livestock play, and land healing and resilience. An ecologist by training and passion, he says “we’ve always got to be in…

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Beyond Your Backyard: Diversity and Connection

By mbenage | Jun 9, 2020

Editor’s Note: Megan Benage of New Ulm is an ecologist who works to conserve and restore prairies, grasslands, and savannas with a focus on diversity, pollinators, and working collaboratively with agriculture producers to integrate conservation across the landscape. This will be a recurring feature. Hear more from Megan at the Prairie Pod. I’ve been thinking…

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New SFA Feature: ‘Beyond Your Backyard’ With Megan Benage

By mbenage | May 27, 2020

Editor’s Note: Megan Benage of New Ulm is the Regional Ecologist for the Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources, where she works to conserve and restore prairies, grasslands, and savannas with a focus on diversity, pollinators, and working collaboratively with agriculture producers to integrate conservation across the landscape. This will be a recurring feature. Beyond Your…

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Dirt Rich Hits the Airwaves

By kfeterl | May 23, 2020

We’re excited to announce the debut of SFA’s new podcast series: Dirt Rich. Each episode will bring you a seasonal conversation on food and farming, and highlight the regenerative agriculture work in Minnesota. As you know, there’s a wealth of knowledge in the farmer-to-farmer network, and plenty of people willing to share their experiences. Farmers,…

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One Farm’s Spring Update: Herbs, Laying Hens, and Bed-Building

By dzimmerli | May 18, 2020

A few weeks ago I asked for you to share what you’ve been doing on your farms with me and I wanted to share this short story of what Bil and Alise of Under The Sun Herbs have been up to on their farm. Below follows their account of their farm projects this spring. It’s…

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DGA Update: Develop, Improve Skills With Our New Borrower Training Program

By awalter | Mar 13, 2020

The Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship has some exciting news to share! DGA has been approved as a national vendor for FSA’s Borrower Training Program. Farm Service Agency, which requires financial management training for its beginning farmer loan agreements, has approved DGA to provide that training nationwide. FSA works with local and national vendors to help borrowers…

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