MASON, Ohio — Agricultural marketing opportunities are the focus of the 3rd annual Ohio River Valley Farm Marketing Conference. The event is led by Ohio State University South Centers at Piketon Ohio Cooperative Development Center, along with a host of sponsors from Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.
The conference will be held Feb. 22-23 at Kings Island Resort and Conference Center in Mason, Ohio. The conference focuses on the latest in agricultural marketing, targeted to growers, agricultural entrepreneurs, agricultural educators, community leaders and local government officials.
Workshops, sessions and presentations on assessing and evaluating new market opportunities, market development and marketing for value-added agriculture will highlight the event. Topics of discussion will include community food systems, starting a certified kitchen, developing branding programs, selling to retailers, consumer preferences and trends, and liability and insurance for direct marketers. The event also includes a trade show.
Registration is $50, which includes three meals and all conference activities and presentations. Registration begins at 4 p.m. on Feb. 22, with the conference kicking off at 5 p.m. It is scheduled to end at 5 p.m. on Feb. 23.
The following organizations are sponsoring the conference: Ohio State University Extension, Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, Purdue Cooperative Extension Service, Cinergy, Clark County Rural Electric Membership Corporation (Indiana), Commodity Growers Cooperative, Indiana Office of the Commissioner of Agriculture, Indiana Cooperative Development Center, Indiana Rural Development Council, Indiana U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, Kentucky Farm Bureau, Kentucky Center for Cooperative Development, Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Ohio Farmers Union, Ohio Department of Agriculture, Ohio USDA Rural Development and Southeastern Indiana REMC.
For more information, log on to http://ocdc.osu.edu or contact Travis West at (740) 289-2071 or e-mail west.222@osu.edu.