Zinnias bloom next to green beans in a field at Sandhill Acres in rural Chelsea, Iowa. (photo/Cindy Hadish)

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Iowa Organic Conference returns Nov. 20-21, 2022, to Iowa City for its annual event.

This year’s theme is “Building Resiliency through Biodiversity and Conservation in Organic Farming,” with keynote speaker, Rattan Lal, World Food Prize Laureate and professor of soil science at Ohio State University, speaking on “Why Soil Quality in Organic Systems Matters.”

The conference begins Sunday, Nov. 20, with vendor setup at the University of Iowa Memorial Union and a reception featuring local and organic food and drinks at 6 p.m.

A conference lunch on Monday will highlight local and organic produce, meats and dairy products assembled into a gourmet meal by executive chef Barry Greenberg and his dining team.

Monday’s breakout sessions start at 8 a.m. and include information on transitioning into organic farming, weed management, organic livestock production, and alternative crops such as black beans and split peas. Sessions include improving soil quality, pest management, organic no-till, what you need to know for organic inspection, diversifying your rotations and more.

Registration is $120.

Find more information and a link to register on the conference website.

Iowa’s farmers markets have moved indoors for the season. See the Homegrown market list to find one near you.