The Ecological Farming Association (EcoFarm) will present the 39th Annual EcoFarm Conference, January 23 - 26, 2019 at the Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, California.

Building upon its farmer-to-farmer education model, EcoFarm Conference is a prime networking and educational hub - the convergence of all sectors invested in growing a healthy food system and world.

“As the oldest and largest organic farming conference in the West, EcoFarm Conference is an essential organism in the body of agriculture that feeds the heart and soul of many farmers - an important tool for relationship building, coming up with strategies, gaining new skills, and unifying our goals.” - Farmer, Sonoma, CA

EcoFarm - supported in part by Patagonia and Earl’s Organic Produce, will be 3-4 days of 70+ workshops and events where conference-goers learn from leading experts on topics addressing both technical and big picture issues facing the organic industry and agriculture at large.

A powerhouse panel of women leaders Malaika Bishop, Denisa Livingston, and Karen Washington will launch EcoFarm’s opening keynote session about how we can empower each other to heal and transform our food and farming system - perhaps beyond what we could even imagine.

Other noteworthy speakers include soil scientist Dr. Kris Nichols who is amongst a vanguard of scientists who have more recently revealed the myriad biological life forms underfoot. She will take the stage together with Dr. John Reganold, Regents Professor of Soil Science and Agroecology from Washington State University about What 40 Years of Science tell us about Organic Agriculture.

The Successful Organic Farmers keynote is an annual tradition when attendees can learn from three leading farms whose founders will share their stories and what they’ve learned along the way.

The closing keynote will be presented by Nikki Silvestri, CEO of Soil and Shadow, who will explore the complexities that exist in different approaches to farming, with the goal of finding common ground.

Pre-Conference intensives will be offered on Tuesday, January 22 and Wednesday, January 23 including Women in Regenerative Agriculture Field Day at Paicines Ranch, a PSA-Approved Food Safety Workshop for Produce Growers in both English and Spanish, and Advancing Equity in Ecological Farming.

An all-day Bus Tour, Organic Farming in the Pajaro Valley will take attendees to Dirty Girl Produce, Blossom’s Biodynamic Farm, Monkey Flower Ranch, and High Ground Organics with an organic lunch prepared by acclaimed chef Jim Denevan of Outstanding in the Field.

 Attracting over 1,700 participants, EcoFarm Conference offers a diverse schedule including an exhibitor marketplace, artisanal tastings, seed swaps, live entertainment, an annual awards banquet, and opportunities for farmers and ranchers to discuss their challenges one-on-one with industry experts.

Attendees can choose single or multi-day passes including locally-sourced meals and on-site lodging at the Asilomar Conference Grounds. 

The non-profit organization is fundraising to provide scholarships for new and beginning farmers who seek to attend EcoFarm at a reduced cost.  

“EcoFarm was everything I hoped it would be! Farmers, distributors and retailers, all coming together to share their knowledge and passion for the organic farming movement and the industry it’s created.  Many of the seminars I sat in on were, of course, educational, but also inspiring and encouraging!” - Quality Control Specialist, San Francisco, CA

To learn more about EcoFarm Conference and to register,

Visit www.eco-farm.org/conference 

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 The Ecological Farming Association nurtures healthy and just farms, food systems, communities and environment by bringing people together for education, alliance building, and celebration. Over the past 38 years, EcoFarm and its education programs have reached more than 83,000 participants