BY HANNAH SPANGLER
Illinois Farm Bureau is providing sponsorships for six members from diverse backgrounds to attend the National Agricultural Marketing Summit in Albuquerque, New Mexico Nov. 12-16.
The summit provides unique networking opportunities for farmers, market managers and agribusinesses.
Participants will form new partnerships and learn new business strategies that can improve the performance of their farms and businesses.
“I wanted to learn strategies about how to garner more attention and support for different markets,” said Ellen Esling, manager of FoodWorks, a nonprofit farming network in Carbondale, explaining her reasoning for attending the conference.
FoodWorks aims to strengthen the local food economy in southern Illinois through five different food programs. Esling hopes the Ag Marketing Summit will help her learn how to reach more consumers and spread the word about the opportunities available.
Additional sponsored members include:
- Vickie Renick, Randolph Street Farm, LaGrange
- Jessica Whiston, Terrapin Farms, Quincy
- Jaleigh Peterson, Pete’s Produce and Urban Farmer, Mt. Carmel
- Jason Ramert and Anne Matthews, DeMange Family Farms, Troy
- Daniela Williams, Polsgrove Hill Farm, Mount Carroll
This year’s agenda covers building partnerships and community collaboration, direct markets and community support, market research and impact, marketing and business innovation and successful approaches to managing risks. Experts from the public and private sectors will give presentations.
Renick is not currently selling her grain products but is focused on studying the soil and improving the growing process on her 15-acre farm to produce a quality crop. She plans to attend the conference to gain valuable insight to help expand her farm’s reach.
“Most of the sessions appeal to me but I really want to attend the marketing and business innovation track,” Renick said of one of the opportunities she wants to take advantage of at the marketing summit. “I also really want to understand SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) better because I want to make sure my products are available to everyone.”
Content for this story was provided by FarmWeekNow.com.