Conferences

The Drake Forum: America's New Farmers: Policy Inovations & Opportunities

Washington DC - March 4 and 5, 2010
Johnston, IA- August 16 and 17, 2011

Rural Lands Rural Livelihoods Conference

Using Land and Natural Resources to Revitalize Rural Iowa- September 20 and 21, 2007

The Role of Law in Promoting Sustainable Farming and Rural Development: An International Perspective

Des Moines, IA- October 15 and 16, 2007

The National Workshop on State & Local Food Policy

Each September, the Center hosts a comprehensive educational event that explores unique topics relevant to state food and agricultural policy, The National Workshop on State & Local Food Policy. The workshop engages farmers, non-profit organizations, businesses, academics, and policy makers to share and learn from one another how the U.S. food system can be improved. The workshop offers an extensive line-up of renowned, expert speakers which has attracted participants throughout the U.S., Canada and abroad.

The 2005 National Workshop, supported with funding from the USDA Risk Management Agency, Community Outreach and Assistance Partnership Program, will highlight operational and legal issues related to joint producer initiatives including financing, ownership and risk management techniques. Additionally, the state partners of the 2004-2005 Drake-RMA State & Local Food Policy Project will provide reports about issues unique to their respective states.

Food policy council coordinators from Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin, and the Hopi Nation will share the impacts and outcomes of convening the many stakeholders in food and agriculture that would not otherwise have the opportunity to work together to research, develop and recommend public policy change.

For details about the 2005 National Workshop, please see the program website.

Rural Attorneys & Agriculture Conference

Each year this conference attracts attorneys from across the Midwest to discuss recent developments in agricultural law.

Presentations

Food and the Future: Helping USDA Create 100,000 New Farms, presentation by Prof. Neil D. Hamilton, November 20, 2010, Black Farmers & Urban Gardeners Conference

Food Policy Affecting Food System Development, presentation by Matt Russell, September 4, 2009, Fairfield Arts and Convention Center

Promoting Food Policy Councils, presentation by Matt Russell, August 25, 2009, UNC Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Chapel Hill, NC

Taking Advantage of Iowa’s Local Food Movement, presentation by Matt Russell

Local and Regional Foods: Policy and Institutions, presentation by Matt Russell

2008 Farm Bill: Fifty Provisions to Know about Rural Development, Conservation, Food, and Energy, presentation by Prof. Neil D. Hamilton

County Regulations & Legal Issues Affecting Agritourism, presentation by Matt Russell

Sustainable Agricultural Land Tenure: Issues for Iowa , presentation by Prof. Neil D. Hamilton

Agriculture and Food Production 101, presentation by Prof. Neil D. Hamilton

Feeding our Sustainable Green Future: Legal Issues in Agricultural Land Tenure, presentation by Prof. Neil D. Hamilton 

Organic Agriculture and the 2008 Farm Bill, presentation by Prof. Neil D. Hamilton

The Changing Face of Agricultural Health and Safety NAAC and ICASH, presentation by Matt
Russell