Registration is open for West Virginia University Extension Service’s 11th annual West Virginia Small Farm conference, which helps West Virginia farmers grow their farm enterprise and cultivate a brighter future for the state’s agriculture industry.

The conference takes place Feb. 26-28 at the Charleston Civic Center in Charleston and offers rigorous sessions and valuable information to suit a variety of farm-related interests and needs.

“With the ever-growing topic of buying local, eating local foods and shopping at farmers markets, there’s no better place to learn, collaborate and help grow West Virginia’s small farm and agriculture industry than the Small Farm Conference,” said Tom McConnell, program leader for WVU Extension Service Small Farm Center.

He said the conference educates farmers how to better understand their farm business, how to effectively market their products and more.

The West Virginia Small Farm conference encourages farmers to learn both from one another and from industry-based and university-based professionals about how to seek out farmers markets, agritourism and wholesale marketing opportunities.

“The conference is a great platform for leaders in agriculture and individuals who are getting started in the field to come together and network while learning from university professionals and experts from across the nation,” McConnell said.

Specialists from several universities will present more than 180 sessions during the conference. Some of the main topic areas include animal and plant production, marketing, alternative energy, youth in agriculture, pest management and concepts such as Farm-to-School.

On Thursday, Feb. 26, the West Virginia Department of Agriculture will host the Winter Blues Farmers Market and Locals Foods Dine-around to provide conference attendees the opportunity to learn about and purchase West Virginia goods and foods.

“The importance of locally sourced and grown foods is more important now than ever before,” McConnell said. “It helps drive West Virginia’s economy and supports our state at a fundamental level.”

The registration deadline for the conference is Feb. 25. On-site registration is available after the deadline.

The cost to attend is dependent on attendance duration and admission-type. Cost for a three-day general admission ticket is $180 for adults and $90 for students. Daily admission is available at a rate of $60 for adults and $30 for students.

For a complete list of conference rates, visit www.smallfarmcenter.ext.wvu.edu.

Stay up to date with the Small Farm Conference by following the WVU Extension Service Small Farm Center on Facebook. You can also be a part of the event through social media by following the hashtag #WVUSFC.

–WVU–

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CONTACT: Cassie Thomas, WVU Extension Service
304.293.8735, Cassie.Thomas@mail.wvu.edu.

Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.