Organic Produce Network and Western Growers Announce First Education Intensive Session for Organic Grower Summit 2021; Tonya Antle and Brise Tencer Comment
MONTEREY, CA - Following its successful Organic Produce Summit 2021 (OPS), Organic Produce Network (OPN) has partnered with Western Growers to present the 2021 Organic Grower Summit (OGS) education program scheduled for December 1–2 in Monterey, California. Gearing up for the event, the associations have announced the first in-depth workshop, “Building Resilience through Organic Farming Systems.”
“In partnership with Western Growers, this year’s OGS will provide up-to-date resources and information to support the continued success of organic producers, with an emphasis on the role of ag technology,” said Tonya Antle, Co-Founder of Organic Produce Network. “From seed to soil to harvest, our goal is to present the most relevant information on the most important subjects and issues facing organic production.”
This will be the fourth annual OGS event, designed to provide information for organic growers and producers, as well as an overview of the opportunities and hurdles in organic fresh food production. According to a press release, the recently announced session will be part of an extensive educational program created to inform and engage organic producers, their service providers, and supply chain partners.
The in-depth two-hour workshop will focus on soil health practices and strategies used in organic production systems that can build resilience to climate shock. It will be hosted by the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), and moderated by Brise Tencer, Executive Director of OFRF, and Haley Baron, Partnership and Development Manager for the foundation.
“Climate change has become one of the most pressing issues in the agricultural industry. Rising global temperatures have already intensified droughts, heat waves, and storms, making crop production more difficult. Intense rainstorms have accelerated soil erosion, which contributes to nutrient runoff and losses, and higher temperatures contribute to rapid oxidation of soil organic matter,” added Tencer. “This intensive will focus on the importance of building Soil Organic Matter (SOM) for long-term resilience and address the breadth of benefits that cover crop implementation and diversification has to offer.”
Other panelists for the session include Joji Muramoto, Assistant Cooperative Extension Organic Production Specialist at University of California, Santa Cruz; Eric Brenan, Research Horticulturist and Lead Scientist at USDA Agricultural Research Service; and Tom Wiley, Policy Advisor to the Cornucopia Institute.
OGS 2021, which will be held at the Monterey Hyatt Conference Center, has opened exhibition and generation registration. Currently, only eight trade show booths are available before the OGS trade show floor sells out.
Exhibitors include soil amendment, ag technology, food safety, packaging, and equipment manufacturers connecting with organic field production staff, supply chain managers, pest management advisors, and food safety experts.
For more information, and to register, click here.
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