Local Non-Profit To Host Eco-Agriculture Conference

Want to know more about what the Farm Bill means to consumers, how to butcher your own meat, or ways to better market your organic products?

The local Ecological Farming Association is hosting the oldest and largest ecological agricultural gathering in the West from Jan. 24 to 26 in Pacific Grove in Monterey County. 

The 33rd Annual EcoFarm Conference – this year with the theme of ‘Feed the World You Live In’ – will be filled with four days of workshops on production, marketing, business, ecological conservation and social issues such as the GMOs  and biodynamic farming, according to the event organizers.

The conference is supported in part by Watsonville's Driscoll's. 

With over 1,500 participants, EcoFarm will host artisanal food tastings, live entertainment, and an Exhibitor Marketplace showcasing over fifty organic and ecologically-based businesses and organizations.

There will also be farmer mixers, an awards ceremony, farmer roundtable discussions, and office hours giving farmers and ranchers the opportunity to discuss their challenges one-on-one with experts and non-profit organizations.

Participants can also register for a pre-conference session on Jan. 22 on Butchery Skills, hosted by master butchers Rian Rinn of Wyeth Acres and Loren Ozki of Flea Street Café/CoolEatz.

The conference has counted 72,000 participants over the past 32 years, according to organizers.

To register, visit the conference's 2013 website.