SU Ag Center holds successful 11th Annual Louisiana Small Farmers Conference
Baton Rouge, La. – The Southern University Ag Center held its 11th Annual Louisiana Small Farmers Conference, themed “Sustaining Small Farms with Innovative Practices,” at the Hilton Hotel – Baton Rouge Capitol Center on September 21-23, 2022.
More than two hundred participants gathered at the hotel to network and gain a better understanding of USDA programs, and attend innovative educational sessions to help them succeed in Agriculture.
The three-day event kicked off with a tour of Avery Island and a meet and greet reception.
The second day of the conference began with welcomes by Mike Strain, Ph.D., Commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry; Billy Nungesser, Lieutenant Governor of the state of Louisiana; Orlando F. McMeans, Ph.D., Chancellor of the Southern University Ag Center and Dean of the College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences. Dewayne Goldmon, Ph.D., USDA Senior Advisor for Racial Equity to the Secretary of Agriculture, served as the opening speaker of the conference.
Small farmers engaged in several sessions that included USDA programs, funding your agriculture business through the SBA, selecting the right breed for your chicken operation, and climate-smart agriculture: why is it smart?
The evening ended with the 15th Annual Louisiana Living Legends Banquet. This banquet honors individuals who have made significant contributions to Southern University in the areas of teaching, research, and extension. The 2022 honorees were Yadong Qi, Ph.D., Professor of Urban Forestry and Master Program Leader in the SU College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Science (Teaching); Zhu Ning, Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Urban Forestry and Natural Resource in the College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences (Research), and Julia Gage, former Coordinator of Staff Operations and Executive Assistant to the Chancellor in the SU Ag Center’s Cooperative Extension Program (Extension).
On the final day of the conference, small farmers were able to network, visit with exhibitors, and participate in sessions that included navigating the computer to improve your farming while sharpening your computer skills, an introduction to produce safety, and funding your agriculture project with a SARE grant!
Sponsors for the Small Farmers Conference included the National Black Growers Council, USDA OPPE, the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program, and BASF.