The complete pre-conference and conference program,
with registration information, is now posted on the Southern SAWG website: www.ssawg.org.
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We have an exciting program for you this year. Always aiming to give you just what you are requesting, we have added new courses to our pre-conference offerings, developed conference sessions and special presentations on the hot topics of the day and have selected a line-up of great presenters. We’ll have two full days of pre-conference activities starting Wednesday morning, including a good variety of courses and field trips. The two full days of general conference sessions will start Friday morning and conclude with the big banquet dinner Saturday evening. On Sunday, there will be a special post conference meeting. We couldn’t be more thrilled with our program offerings this year. We highly recommend you bring a partner so you can split up and get the most from this program! Read on to see what we mean! |
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In This Special Conference Issue:Pre-Conference Events and Courses
Pre-Conference Mini CoursesThursday afternoon Our ½ day Mini Course this year is Sustainable Pest Management for Vegetable Crops. This Mini Course will give participants an opportunity to get more in-depth information about Sustainable Pest Management. The course will have an interactive learning component, so be sure to bring your pests and learn what they are and how to control them. |
Special Guest PresentationsThursday evening, January 21, 2010 “Ready to be a Hero? We Have the Power to Change the Relationship Between Climate Change and Agriculture”Tim LaSalle, Rodale Institute We know agriculture contributes to climate change and we’re already seeing the impacts of climate change on agriculture. Can we do anything about this? Dr. Timothy J. LaSalle, CEO of Rodale Institute, will show that an understanding and emphasis on sustainable soil management practices is even more important than we realized. According to LaSalle, “…agriculture is an undervalued and underestimated climate change tool that could be one of the most powerful strategies in the fight against global warming.” Those using sustainable farming practices and those supporting sustainable farmers as consumers, advocates, teachers, researchers, etc., may very well become our climate change heroes. Are you ready to be a hero? Read more… Saturday evening, January 23, 2010 “Eyes on the Prize: Looking Back to Effectively Move Forward”Hollis Watkins, Southern ECHO
Hollis grew up on a farm in Mississippi and became active in the civil rights movement as a young man in 1960. Early on, seeing the connections between community empowerment and food and agriculture, Hollis got involved in creating a more sustainable and just food system. The legendary Hollis Watkins will remind us how far we have come and will inspire us to keep up the good fight. Read more… |
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Pre-Conference Field TripsThursday afternoon
1. Organic Livestock, Vegetables & Row Crops Click here to learn more about these outstanding field trips. |
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Special Pre-Conference Training for Ag Professionals in Organic HorticultureWednesday all day and Thursday morning |
Special Pre-Conference Meeting of USDA Program Managers with OrganizationsWednesday all day and Thursday morning Organizations working with farmers or on any other aspect of creating vibrant local food systems will have the opportunity to meet with a variety of USDA program managers to discuss funding options in this special 1 ½ day meeting. Participants must register separately for this special meeting. Limited scholarships are available. To learn more about this meeting and to register, please email Southern SAWG executive assistant Julia Sampson at jsampson@ssawg.org. |
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Special Pre-Conference Networking Session:
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56 Educational SessionsThe general conference, running all day Friday and Saturday, will offer a variety of 1.5 hour sessions covering: organic and sustainable production of vegetables, flowers, seeds, honey, poultry, hogs and beef; direct marketing strategies such as farmer’s markets and CSAs; successful farm stories; community food systems; new farm programs for sustainable farmers; and much more! There will be a broad range of offerings for start-ups and seasoned producers alike. We will run 8 sessions concurrently throughout the two day conference. To help make it easier for you to choose among the outstanding selection of sessions, some sessions will be repeated. But still, you’d better bring a partner to get the most from this program! Click here to see the full description of sessions on this year’s program. |
Expert PresentersEach year conference participants tell us the great line-up of presenters with their practical experience is what makes our conference program so valuable. These people know their stuff and are willing to share their expertise. One older farmer said “I sure wish I had had access to this kind of expertise when I got started. I’d have gotten a lot further a lot faster!” We have an outstanding array of presenters again this year. All conference sessions, pre-conference courses and field trips will be led by successful producers and well-respected educators and organizers from around the region with extensive knowledge and most importantly, that practical experience. Click here to see the incredible expertise our presenters are bringing to this program! |
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Virtual Farm Tour ExtravaganzaEach of the nine 20 minute videos in Southern SAWG’s Natural Farming Systems in the South series will be shown. Tour nine farms without leaving the convention center! Learn about Cut Flowers, Organic Vegetables, Meat Goats, Pastured Turkeys, Pastured Broilers, Pastured Beef, Pastured Dairy, and Cheesemaking. Videos will all be shown pre-conference on Thursday afternoon in a special viewing room and at the Southern SAWG Booth during the General Conference. (no ticket required)
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26 Networking SessionsThis year our conference program will offer the usual 13 state networking sessions on Friday afternoon so you can get together with those from your state to discuss issues of importance in your state. In addition, on Saturday morning we will offer another set of networking sessions so you can get together with people from around the region to discuss other issues of importance to you: Youth in Agriculture, Women in Agriculture, Aging & Retiring Farmers, Young Farmers, Organic Farmers, Mid-Scale Farmers, Flower Producers, Vegetable Producers, Poultry Producers, Beef Producers, Meat Goat Industry and Social Justice in Agriculture. We’ll provide the facilitator. You make the discussion useful. |
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Silent AuctionThe terrific selection of auction items and the generosity of donors and bidders make this an exciting event every year. This fun event helps raise funds to support the critical work of Southern SAWG. Donations of farm related items— supplies, tools, equipment, value-added products, books, etc.— are greatly appreciated (as are high bids!). Please consider making a donation to this worthy cause. Click here to learn how you can make your donation. |
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Taste of Tennessee Dinner
Each conference registration includes a ticket for the Taste of Tennessee Dinner. |
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Registration and Fee WaiversThe Southern SAWG Conference is always a great bargain, given the quality of the information to be gained and the networking opportunities that come with such a large turnout of the South’s most innovative and successful producers, organizers and advocates in sustainable agriculture. Your farming operation or local foods organization can’t afford to miss this event. For a listing of fees and the registration form, click here. We will provide a limited number of fee waivers to qualified applicants. To learn more about fee waivers, click here. |
Lodging and Getting ThereWe have fantastic lodging rates again this year. We have the information about all 3 hotels listed on our website. In addition, we have provided a website link for you to post a notice if you are looking for a roommate. Click here for lodging information. Chattanooga is centrally located and within a half-day drive of much of our region. We encourage carpooling to the conference, if possible, and have provided a website link for you to post a notice if you are willing to provide someone in your area with a ride, or if you are looking for a ride to the conference. Click here for more information. |
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How Low Can You Go?
As an extra incentive for conference participants to travel sustainably, this year we will again give a prize to the conference registrants who travel from outside of Hamilton County, Tennessee using the least amount of fuel per mile per person (sorry, motorcoaches are excluded). Here’s how it works: Pile as many conference registrants into the most fuel efficient vehicle you have amongst you. Keep a record of the number of gallons it takes from departure to arrival at the Chattanooga Convention Center. Register for the HLCYG prize by providing the names of conference registrants who traveled in one vehicle, how many gallons of fuel was used, and the distance you traveled. We’ll have a drawing to break a tie. Show us how low you can go. |
“Green” ChattanoogaWe’re going to feel right at home in Chattanooga. The community has made great strides in creating a sustainable local food system. At the conference, you can learn more about these efforts and visit some of the farms critical to this movement. Plus, Chattanooga is situated in a beautiful natural setting and the city’s efforts to protect their natural resources is commendable. There is a fleet of zero-emission buses providing FREE shuttles around downtown that conference participants will appreciate. The Chattanooga Convention Center is one of the first convention centers in the nation to incorporate sustainable practices such as natural lighting, recycling, rainwater catchment and donating leftover food to local food banks. To give you an example of the impact of these type practices, they can direct up to 5 million gallons of rainwater a year from the Convention Center roof into an underground cistern and then use it to irrigate downtown landscaping. To learn more about the conference location, click here. |
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Post-ConferenceSunday Morning Interest Meeting for New Organic Breeding Coalition: Breeding for Organic Production SystemsNCSU and RAFI-USA will convene a coalition of organic farmers, public plant breeders, and other members of the organic community to address the need for organically adapted varieties, and to open channels of communication between organic farmers and public plant breeders. This is part of a grant received by NCSU for the development of organic varieties for soybeans, wheat, peanuts and corn. This meeting requires separate registration. To register for this meeting, or for more information contact: sally@rafiusa.org, or visit the RAFI website: www.rafiusa.org. |
“Good practical info with real examples delivered by people with real experience.”
“I learned a ton about many different aspects in profiting off a farm operation.”
“Most useful thing was the affirmation and validation from others like myself. Renewed confidence in my initial decision to farm.” |
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Conference Supporters
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While over 90% of past attendees reported they learned something they would use immediately, even higher numbers say meeting so many folks doing so many great things around the South is the highlight of this popular conference. With the high-rated practical sessions and pre-conference offerings and the great networking opportunities, this conference is an absolute must-attend event for those serious about sustainable and organic farming and creating more vibrant community food systems! 
We are offering five fantastic field trips this year. There is a field trip for everyone!
Trade Show
Always a highlight of the event, food produced by sustainable and organic farmers across Tennessee will be featured at this plated dinner Saturday evening at the close of the event. If you’d like food from your farm featured in the Taste of Tennessee dinner, 
Plan to come see why so many return to participate in this conference year after year! Come learn from and exchange ideas with the most innovative people in sustainable agriculture!
