Jan 10, 2022

Iowa Specialty Producers Conference Is Feb. 9-10

Specialty crop producers can hone their skills and receive timely updates Feb. 9-10, as the Iowa Specialty Producers Conference returns for the third year, at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny.

The two-day event will feature keynote messages by John Kennedy, founder of agritourism.life, along with educational breakout sessions both days.

Kennedy is an international speaker, author and strategist who will speak about “the why” of sales and service, and “creating an opportunity to buy,” during his 9 a.m. opening address.

He will also present a breakout session on “the what” involved with “driving employee engagement and motivation.” On Feb. 10, he will address “the how,” a 90-minute strategic plan: Vision, Values and Volition.

Session topics will include viticulture, enology, fruits and vegetables, floraculture, and business and marketing.

“We are excited for the opportunity to network and engage with specialty producers in person again this year,” said Kendra Meyer, agritourism coordinator with the Food, Farm and Enterprise Development program at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “We have a wide variety of sessions relating to specialty crops, business and marketing to provide valuable information for all those who attend.”

The Specialty Producers Conference is organized by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, along with the Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, the Iowa Wine Growers Association and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

Pre-registration is encouraged to receive the best rates. The early-bird rate for the full conference is $200 and single-day registration is $110. Reduced rates are available for members of the Iowa Wine Growers Association and the Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association. Rates increase after the Jan. 11 early-bird deadline.

Register at https://www.iowaspecialtyproducers.com/ispc-registration.

For more information, Meyer can be reached at [email protected] or 515-294-9483. In addition to ISU Extension and Outreach, she serves as executive secretary of the Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association.