Registration is now open for the Indiana Uplands Winter Food Conference, which is set from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 30 at Stonegate Arts and Education Center, 931 15th St., Bedford.
The focus will be on supporting a homegrown food system and the potential to produce, move and buy more locally grown and created food products in the region.
Bethany Daugherty, health and wellness education specialist for Schneck Medical Center in Seymour, said this is the first year for the conference.
"The Indiana University Center for Rural Engagement is hosting this conference for anyone involved in the food system, all the way from farmers to restaurant owners to consumers," Daugherty said.
The center also partnered with Schneck in November 2019 in Seymour to promote brainstorming, networking and collaboration to strengthen the local food system.
The conference is designed to help farmers, food-related businesses, health coalitions and organizations, farmers markets and food access organizations.
Community organizations, tourism boards, health department agents, economic development officers, technical assistance agencies and elected officials could learn valuable information at the conference, too.
Anyone interested in food systems as a component of economic, environmental and community resiliency is encouraged to attend.
Strategy sessions include business and economic development in the food system, shared-use kitchens and meat processing infrastructure for farm and food businesses and Indiana Grown for Schools.
Information about value chain coordination and creating networks of connectivity, community and nonprofit innovations for markets and food councils and agritourism for the Indiana Uplands also will be shared.
The event will be conducted in partnership with the Appalachian Center for Economic Networks, or ACEnet, and is designed to connect people with state agencies, organizations and other community members working toward similar goals.
Also, the conference could be conducive for those wanting to share successes, express ideas and learn more about developing a regional food economy in south central Indiana.
Speakers include Leslie Schaller, Adam Kody and Carrie Carson from ACEnet sharing data and strategies and leading discussions on the development of successful rural regional food economies in Ohio.
Representing Indiana Grown for Schools will be Heather Tallman from the Indiana State Department of Agriculture and Naima Gardner from the Indiana State Department of Health.
They will present and facilitate discussion among food buyers, administrators, teachers and parents on connecting schools with fresh local food through strategic food purchasing and education practices.
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What: Indiana Uplands Winter Food Conference
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 30
Where: Stonegate Arts and Education Center, 931 15th St., Bedford
Who: Farmers, food businesses, chefs, food service directors, economic development officers, technical assistance agencies, elected officials, community organizations, health coalitions and organizations, farmers markets and food access organizations
Register: rural.indiana.edu/events
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