Registration is available for the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) annual conference, Organic Hotspots: Revitalizing Rural America. The event is scheduled for February 22 and 23 at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel in Sacramento.
The Foundation Feast will take place Thursday, February 22 beginning at 5:30 p.m., where the Organic Champion Award will be presented to Melody Meyer for her commitment to CCOF’s Future Organic Farmer Grant Fund. The annual meeting will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, February 23, followed by the educational conference starting at 9:30 a.m.
The conference is an annual tradition that beings CCOF members and supporters together to commemorate successes and make plans for the future of the organic industry. Attendees are provided with an opportunity to network, share resources, and gather information on growing organic businesses.
The event will focus on organic hotspots and how rural economies can potentially be stimulated by organic production. Topics will include partnerships between elected officials and the organic community, the role of education and research, along with the process of growing organic produce in local communities. The event will conclude with a keynote speech from Glenda Humiston, Vice President of the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Studies by Penn State Agricultural Economist Dr. Edward Jaenicke have shown that median household incomes increase while poverty rates decrease in direct response to the amount of organic food and crop production in a given county. The data suggests that when organic businesses exist in clusters referred to as “organic hotspots,” it strengthens rural economic development.
CCOF has reserved a block of rooms at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel for the event. Registration is available online for the Foundation Feast as well as the annual conference.
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