From Food to Flowers: Everything Local Hybrid Conference

Don’t miss out on the first annual From Food to Flowers: Everything Local Hybrid Conference, to be held Jan. 11-13 at the Crowne Plaza in Springfield. This combined Illinois Food, Farmers Market and Specialty Crop Conference is a collaboration among the Illinois Specialty Growers Association, Illinois Farm Bureau and Illinois Farmers Market Association to bring together more people than ever from across Illinois’ local food, specialty crop and farmers market supply chains. Available in both in-person and virtual formats, this unique gathering combines the best parts of the events previously known as the Illinois Specialty Crop Conference and the Live Local: Local Food and Farmers Market conference. This one-of-a-kind event brings together specialty crop producers and buyers from across the state with other partners throughout the Illinois local food supply chain. By more efficiently connecting the supply chain,?more income is generated; fewer businesses handle the product in processing and transit; and the products are harvested and packaged at a fresher stage. These improvements benefit the local economies and food opportunities of communities across the state.? You asked, and we listened. Producers want to know more about getting the most from their farms. Local food interests and farmers markets want to work with excellent producers to promote our state’s local food systems. These efforts to build relationships don’t stop at the fencerow or market gate. So, we’ve found a way to connect the right people to enhance the robust Illinois local and specialty agriculture system.

Aside from the networking opportunities to develop and share new ideas, attendees of the From Food to Flowers: Everything Local Hybrid Conference will have the chance to:

- Hear perspectives from general session keynote speakers who understand and champion the specialty and local food markets.

- Engage in breakout tracks ranging from grower production practices and business development to farmers’ market management and community food systems.

- Attend workshops on agritourism, hydroponics, sweet corn production and more.

- Interact with vendors, associations and non-profits at the conference's trade show.