7th Annual Immigrant and Minority Farmers Conference
Minority and Immigrant farmers are invited to participate in the 7th Annual Immigrant and Minority Farmers Conference February 3-4, 2012. Hosted by The Association for the Advancement of Hmong Women in Minnesota, Minnesota Food Association and USDA-Farm Service Agency and USDA-NRCS, the two-day conference provides education and resources to small farm operators and fosters relationships between farmers and community partners.
Major sponsors of the conference include: AgStar, Farmers’ Legal Action Group, Land Stewardship Project, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, USDA - Risk Management Agency, USDA-Office of the Assistant Secretary of Civil Rights, CHS, United Financial Services Cooperative, and University of Minnesota Extension.
Women and immigrants are among the fastest growing sector of farmers. The conference supports these new and aspiring farmers and their contribution to an adequate supply of local foods, local economic development and healthy communities. The 7th Immigrant and Minority Farmers Conference will be held on February 3-4, 2012 at the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters Event Hall, 710 Olive Street, St. Paul, MN.
The theme of the conference is “Planting Seeds for Success on your Farm.”
Registration is on-line at www.mnfoodassociation.org, or by calling MFA at 651-433-3676, or the Association for the Advancement of Hmong Women in Minnesota at 651-222-0475 or for Spanish speakers call the Main Street Project at 507-786-9900. The conference is free to farmers, and language interpretation is available. The cost for other interested parties is $50 a day. Please register by Monday, January 23, 2012. Interested farmers and CBOs who have questions should contact Ly Vang, at 651-222-0475, e-mail: lyvangaahwmn@yahoo.com; Joci Tilsen at 651-433-3676 ext. 14 or e-mail: jtilsen@mnfoodassociation.org; or Nigatu Tadesse at 651-6
