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Schedule at a Glance

The 2023 Conference will feature 30+ educational workshops including farmer-led sessions and food system deep-dives, inspiring keynotes, and plenty of opportunities for good conversations, meaningful connections, and fun socializing.

Schedule is subject to change.

Download the Conference Program

Hot off the digital presses, check out the 2023 Conference Program with full schedule and session information.

Friday February 3	Saturday February 4
Registration 10:30am - 11am Welcome Address & Opening Plenary 11:00am - 11:30am	Registration 7:30am - 8:30am Welcome & Breakfast 8:30am - 9am
Breakout Session A  | 11:30am-12:30pm  Get Connected: USDA Provides States with Funds to Purchase Local Foods Food Systems Financing Hydroponics as an agricultural enterprise for urban and rural entrepreneurs How to Use USDA Programs Successfully in Your Farming/Ranching Operation Lunch & Keynote with Katie Nixon  |  12:30pm-1:30pm Breakout Session B  |  1:30pm-2:30pm Bringing the Farm to School: Getting your products into school cafeterias Double Up Food Bucks Planting a Profitable Pollinator Habitat with Native Nebraska Plants Managing the Risk of Conservation Implementation Snacks & Social in the Exhibit Hall   |  2:30pm-3:30pm Nebraska Fruit & Vegetable Growers Meet-Up Breakout Session C  |  3:30pm-4:30pm Nebraska's Rural Farmers Market Toolkit Explore Beekeeping, To Bee or Not to Bee? Workshop Part I Vegetable and strawberry research at UNL: Weed and insect barriers, climate-smart practices, off-target herbicide injury, and variety evaluation Partnering in Conservation: Engaging Women Farmland Owners and Their Tenants in Collaborative Conservation Planning Breakout Session D  |  5:00pm-6:00pm Local Food Policy in Nebraska: Recent Wins and Future Opportunities Explore Beekeeping, To Bee or Not to Bee? Demo Part II Incorporating a Fodder System on a Small-Scale Livestock Operation Regenerative Agriculture: Recognizing the Inherent Common Ground between Conventional, Sustainable and Organic Agriculture Social & Dinner  |  6:00pm - 9:00pm	Morning Yoga with Maggie  |  7:00am - 7:50am Breakout Session E  | 9:00am-10:00am  On-Farm Conservation Plans from Beginner Farmers The 2023 Farm Bill and Local Food Priorities Organic No-Till Soybeans and Corn: Things to Know Before Trying Systems Approach to Weed Control in Organic Farming Breakout Session F  | 10:30am-11:30am  Combating the Inner City Food Desert Nebraska Sustainable Specialty Crop Initiative Prescribed Burning: Landowner Perspectives Mulching Systems for Specialty Crop Operations Lunch & Live Auction with NSAS | 11:30am - 12:30pm Keynote with Bob Quinn  |  12:30pm - 1:30pm NSAS Member Meeting  |  1:30pm - 2:15pm Breakout Session G  | 2:30pm - 3:30pm Farm Financials for a Diversified Farm Cover Crops for the Small Farm Growers' Stories: Resilience and Change for Three Different Farm Businesses Carbonomics - The Amazing Economy of the Soil Snacks & Social in the Exhibit Hall   |  3:30pm-4:30pm Silent Auction Ends @ 4:00pm  Breakout Session H  |  4:30pm-5:30pm A Producer's Guide to Biochar Weed Control, Nutrient Management, and Rotations – insights on questions frequently asked by transitioning and organic grain growers Demystifying Organic Certification; Pathways to a Sustainable Future

Keynote Speakers

Katie Nixon
February 3 Keynote Address
Advancing the Local Food System

From the seed that was planted from Katie’s childhood backyard garden, a love for home grown goodness has emerged and matured into the work that she does today.   Her hands, head, and heart are dedicated to growing good food and building a strong resilient food system.  In her keynote, she will talk about running Green Gate Family Farm with her Husband and how that informs the other work she does with West Central Missouri Community Action Agency and the Kansas City Food Hub to improve our food system.  She will discuss emerging markets and how we can advance the local food system.

Katie co-operates Green Gate Family Farm, a certified Organic diversified market farm where they produce vegetables, fruits, bedding plants, eggs and flowers. Katie is a founding member and current President of the KC Food Hub, a farmer-owned and farmer-run cooperative serving the wholesale market. For West Central Missouri Community Action Agency, Katie serves as the Food Systems Director. In this role, she has brought in over $2 million in USDA and other funding to improve the regional food system. 

Bob Quinn
February 4 Keynote Address
Regenerative Organic Farming
for a Resilient Food Future

The future of food begins on the farm and ends on your plate. Building on the past and the evolution of the organic movement, how can we preserve the most important ideals of the movement and move toward a more resilient, regenerative food future?

Robert “Bob” Quinn is a leader in promoting organic and sustainable agriculture and co-author of the book "Grain by Grain: A Quest to Revive Ancient Wheat, Rural Jobs, and Healthy Food." After finishing a PhD in plant biochemistry, Bob took over his family's conventional grain and cattle farm in 1978, started experimenting with organic production in 1986, used the last chemical application on the farm in 1988, and was 100% certified organic by 1991. As demand for organics grew, Bob discovered that with time-tested practices like cover cropping and crop rotation, he can produce successful yields—without pesticides.