Seedstock’s “Grow Riverside” Conference Nears Discounted Registration Deadline
Riverside, CA (PRWEB) January 10, 2014 -- Little more than a week remains to obtain discounted registration for the “Grow Riverside: Citrus and Beyond!” conference. The event, to be held Wednesday and Thursday, March 19-20, at the Riverside Convention Center, will assist cities in examining and developing solutions to reconnect with their agricultural roots and unite citizens, growers, advocates, government officials and other major stakeholders around the economic opportunities that can result from employing sustainable agriculture.
In compliment to featured keynote presentations “Putting Policy into Place” and “Health and Community Benefits of Local Agriculture,” the two-day program will offer a series of panels including:
• Local Ag Strategies – a look at the infrastructure needed to grow new farmers, including recommended educational programs, farmer training, incentives for entrepreneurs, and more;
• The Market Opportunity for Local Agriculture – an exploration of market demand for locally produced food and the challenges to procurement faced by sourcing agents, distributors and retailers;
• Local Agriculture Innovation – an examination of various technologies (aquaponics, irrigation technology, et al) as well as new business models (CSA, direct marketing) enabling the development of economically sustainable small-scale farming operations;
• Funding the Future of Local Agriculture – an investigation of the various investment routes (VC, crowdfunding, USDA loans and grants) that startups, from new farmers to digital technology solutions providers, can take to launch their businesses; and
• Citrus and Beyond! – an analysis of the economic viability of citrus in Riverside, and other citrus-growing cities, along with its challenges, opportunities, threats and weaknesses.
The program, organized for the City of Riverside by Seedstock co-founder Robert Puro, has been formulated as a model for any and all cities looking to enhance local agriculture. The deadline to purchase tickets at the “early bird” price ends Friday, Jan. 17. For additional information pertaining to the event, ticket prices, program speakers, and registration, please visit http://www.growriverside.com.
About Seedstock
Seedstock is a social venture focused on innovation and sustainability in agriculture. Through the use of a variety of tools, including the news and information blog Seedstock ( http://www.Seedstock.com ) and live events, the company promotes agricultural startup companies, university research, urban agriculture initiatives, and farmers employing innovative new techniques and approaches.
About the City of Riverside
The City of Riverside made the navel orange a symbol of bounty and a household staple in California. Today the City maintains more than 1,000 acres of citrus groves. As Riverside continues to grow, so does local pride for the City’s rich agricultural history and consumer demand for healthful local foods. A full 11 percent of the city’s total acreage is designated for agricultural use, unparalleled for a Southern California city of its size. Riverside’s growers, local government officials, and residents are at the forefront of innovation as a city devoted to sustainable local agriculture.
Denis Wolcott, Seedstock.com, http://www.seedstock.com, +1 (213) 200-1563, [email protected]
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