Diversity of Urban and Hydroponic Farms of the Future to Highlight Seedstock Annual Conference Field Trip
San Diego, CA (PRWEB) August 04, 2015 -- Seedstock’s 4th Annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference, “Innovation and the Rise of Local Food,” scheduled for Nov. 3 – 4, 2015, at UC San Diego, will explore innovations that farmers and entrepreneurs are embracing to grow food sustainably, create new businesses, improve food access, and manage resources efficiently against the dueling backdrop of a lingering Western drought and burgeoning local food marketplace.
The “Future Farm Field Trip” on Day 1 (Nov. 3) of the conference offers an excursion into the diversity of urban and state-of-the-art indoor agriculture operations in Southern California. Tour participants will be treated to lectures and sessions from pioneering farmers who are embracing innovative business models and growing systems to both increase food security and take advantage of the escalating demand for local food.
“With such a wide variety of cutting edge farming ventures in the area - from innovative controlled environment agriculture operations to small farms advancing business models that enable them to sell more produce locally and direct to consumers - San Diego County provides the perfect backdrop for our fourth annual conference,” stated Seedstock co-founder Robert Puro. “The local agricultural landscape in San Diego is one from which all conference attendees can learn efficient, effective and successful ways to bolster local food systems in their own home towns.”
Presently scheduled stops on the field trip are:
• Home Town Farms – a three-acre indoor hydroponic farming operation in San Marcos, CA, that grows certified organic crops as diverse as tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, peppers, and strawberries. The farm is capable of producing more than 1.5 million pounds of produce each year.
• Seeds@City Urban Farm – a one-acre working farm located in the heart of downtown San Diego that serves as the outdoor classroom for the Sustainable Urban Agriculture program at San Diego City College.
• Sundial Farm – a family-owned farm that utilizes state-of-the-art hydroponic systems to produce high quality, organic leafy greens, including arugula, basil, butter leaf, kale and romaine. Sundial Farm chooses to use hydroponic growing methods because of the imperative need for water conservation in Southern California.
On Day 2 (Nov. 4) of the conference, attendees will convene at the Beyster Auditorium at the Rady School of Management in San Diego for a series of panels and keynotes that will address the economic impact of a burgeoning and diverse small farm economy that is embracing innovation, sustainability and community to take advantage of a growing local food marketplace in cities and counties across the country. Program presenters will explore indoor agriculture and the expansion of the local food marketplace, urban farming and local food access, water management, and more.
For additional information and to purchase early bird tickets prior to the Aug. 21 deadline, please visit: http://seedstockconference.com
For sponsorship opportunities, please send inquiries to: sponsor [at] seedstock [dot] com. If you are interested in participating as a conference speaker, please send your request to: participant [at] seedstock [dot] com
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About Seedstock:
Seedstock is a social venture that fosters the development of robust and sustainable local food systems through consulting services and the use of a variety of tools, including the news and information blog Seedstock (http://www.Seedstock.com) and live events. Seedstock works with government agencies, municipalities and all private sector stakeholders to create a sustainable food ecosystem of innovation, entrepreneurship and investment.
Denis Wolcott, The Wolcott Co., http://www.thewolcottcompany.com, +1 (213) 200-1563, [email protected]
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