Going Organic: Thinking Globally,
Acting Locally Conference

Alberta’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Going Organic is organizing a conference on March 17th and 18th, 2010 in Leduc Alberta.  Highlighting the potential for Alberta producers and processors in the international organic market, the program features invited speakers from Canada, the United States, Asia, and Europe. Topic areas will include product demand and new product development, consumer drivers, regulatory environments, logistics, future export opportunities, and value chain development both provincially and internationally. The conference will also feature non-traditional succession planning, scaling up the Alberta organic beef and organic oat sectors, on farm grain processing,  and discussions on the potentials of collaboration between producers and along the value chain.

The program begins at 1pm on Wednesday the 17th, includes a wine and cheese function from 7-9 pm that evening and will conclude by 5pm on Thursday the 18th. The event is at the Denham Best Western Hotel in Leduc, Alberta. Registration is $50, and includes the cost of attending all workshops, the wine and cheese function on March 17, and lunch on March 18. 

See the program and download the registration form.

To book a hotel room call the Denham Inn. The group rate is $115 for 2 queen beds, $129.99 for a King mini suite. Call 1-800-661-3327 asap. There are limited rooms available.

For more information and to register, please contact Becky Lipton at 780-271-1116 or email becky.lipton@goingorganic.ca

Marketing – What Every Rural Business Needs to Know
Learn to choose and implement essential marketing tactics and see how other agribusinesses use these techniques to boost their sales and profitability.
March 9 in Airdrie
To register visit http://marketingandpricing.eventbrite.com/

Setting a Profitable Price
Producers and small scale processors will learn the basics of costing and pricing products and how to set a profitable price point for farm direct marketing channels.
March 10 in Airdrie
For information call Elaine Stenbraaten at: 780-835-7531 (toll free dial 310-0000 first)

Capturing Opportunities in Organic Agriculture: Initiatives & Trends
Andrew Hammermeister of OACC will discuss initiatives and trends in organic agriculture.
March 15 at 2 p.m.
To register visit http://www.agriwebinar.com/Register.aspx

Calgary Go Green Expo
March 27 and 28 in Calgary.
For more information: www.calgarygogreenexpo.com

AOPA AGM
Alberta Organic Producer’s Association (AOPA) annual general meeting. Dr. Roger Epp will speak about the Augustana Campus food initiative and how it ties into broader food and land use issues.
April 17 in Namao.
Elections, educational resources, door prizes and more. All are welcome. Please reply by April 1 to the Administrator, Kathy Petterson at (780) 939-5808 or aopa@cruzinternet.com

Go Hits the Road Series - Click here for PDF Brochure

GO Hits the Road Workshop Series
Cost: Both days = $75, COG workshop only = $50 (COG members $45), GO workshops only =$35
Registration: Contact Becky Lipton, becky.lipton@goingorganic.ca, 780-271-1116.
Click here for PDF Registration form.

Alberta Organic Online Questionnaire
Click here, save the document to your computer, and then fill out the form electronically.

Upon completion please email the document to
becky.lipton@goingorganic.ca.

If you are unable to fill out the form, you need to download/update your version of adobe acrobat. Go to www.adobe.com to download the latest FREE version.