Each year our Farming for the Future conference seems to get bigger and better. In addition to our normal offering of exciting workshops and keynote speakers on Friday and Saturday, our Pre-Conference sessions have become a major part of the overall experience for many participants. Thursday evening has grown into a very special time, filled with good food and musical fun for the whole family. Sometimes our annual gathering seems more of a big family reunion than anything else!

The past year has been one of financial hardship for many Americans, both farmers and non-farmers alike. But very little momentum has been lost in terms of building food systems that feature more locally and sustainably raised farm products. Everywhere I go I hear about new farmers’ markets and existing ones going year-round, bigger CSA memberships, more stores buying from local farmers and restaurants featuring local food, and the list goes on.

But we are all increasingly aware that sales of local food are only part of the solution to the overall challenges we face as a society. There is a much larger reason why we farm, and a more significant responsibility we acquire in choosing to serve our own communities as a priority. Ultimately, our local focus has a global significance, in learning how the peoples of the world can be fed and the natural environment restored from the brink of an unfolding disaster at the same time.

We look forward to welcoming you to this, our 19th edition of one of the largest and most respected gatherings of sustainable ag enthusiasts anywhere in the country. Come join us as we explore the great sustainable challenge now before us, providing a livable tomorrow for our families, our communities and, indeed, the entire world.