Each year, The Food Group, along with their partners, plan and host the Emerging Farmers Conference. The conference helps to connect immigrant farmers and farmers of color to resources, educational opportunities, and to foster a community of growth and knowledge. This year marked the 20th anniversary of the conference, and we were excited for the opportunity to be a sponsor for the first time.
Conservation Minnesota believes farmers are key partners in solving some of our state’s biggest conservation and water problems. We believe that small, community-focused farming methods are an important part of a healthy economy. Community-based farms use less water than their larger industrial counterparts, and locally grown food reduces the need for transportation that contributes to pollution and climate change.
We were able to connect with farmers at the conference about the important role they play in ensuring our water is drinkable, fishable, and swimmable. Folks were excited to see us there, and we had a lot of good conversations about the work we’re doing to build a broad clean water coalition that will fix some of our biggest water problems.
It was wonderful to meet so many new and enthusiastic emerging farmers and learn more about their desire for a clean water future. We look forward to continued sponsorship at future Emerging Farmers Conferences.