2024 IOA Annual Meeting

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SCHEDULE   PRESENTATIONS   DINNER   BE AN EXHIBITOR
   OUR SPONSORS

Each year, Iowa's organic community gathers to celebrate the growing organic movement in Iowa with presentations that highlight new and emerging issues within the organic industry. The Annual Meeting also features a uniquely-curated dinner and networking with presenters, exhibitors, and other Iowa Organic Association members.

This year's focus will be the connection between Organic and Regenerative, and the impact this has on building healthy soils, protecting biodiversity, and supporting the climate through farming practices.

 

2024 Tickets

$40 for IOA Members and $60 for Non-Members

Become a member or sponsor today to receive member pricing!

LAST DAY TO PURCHASE TICKETS IS FRI. NOVEMBER 29th OR WHEN TICKETS RUN OUT

GET TICKETS

 

Philip O. Hinson, Ph.D. presentation Full room of attendees and sponsors

Photos from the 2023 Annual Meeting

 


 


2 p.m. - Doors open

2:30 - 3:45 p.m. - Presentations

3:45 - 4 p.m. - Break

4 - 5 p.m. - Presentations

5 - 6:30 p.m. - Networking & Dinner

6:30 - 7:30 p.m. - Presentations

 

Event is held at the Story City Community Center
at
501 Elm Avenue, Story City, IA 50248

Just 45 minutes north of Des Moines

 

 


"Organic is Regenerative"

Presented by Ashley Dulaney (OFRF)

This presentation covers the Organic Farming Research Foundation's (OFRF) "Organic is Regenerative" toolkit, which bridges the gap between organic and regenerative practices. We'll explore how organic farming builds healthy soils, protects biodiversity, and contributes to climate resilience, moving beyond buzzwords to demonstrate the science-backed benefits of organic agriculture. You'll also get a quick overview of OFRF's mission and ongoing work to support organic farmers. This presentation is designed to empower organic advocates with the tools to communicate the value of organic systems effectively, using OFRF's comprehensive toolkit as a guide.

Farmer Panel: Regenerating Soils with Organic Agriculture

including Caleb Akin (A&W Farms), Jordan Clasen (Grade A Gardens), Ortrude Dial (Three Sisters Farm), Kate Mendenhall (Organic Farmers Association), and Noah Wendt (A&W Farms).

TOPP Organic Mentorship: Year in Review

with Denise O'Brien, and Gary Welsh

Iowa Organic Association Update from the Board

with Margaret Smith, Ph.D., IOA Board President

 

About the Keynote Presenter

Ashley Dulaney

Ashley Dulaney, Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF)

Ashley Dulaney is the Communications Director at the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), where she brings over a decade of marketing expertise to advancing the organic movement. She leads the advancement of OFRF's Organic is Regenerative toolkit, equipping farmers and advocates with the tools to communicate the benefits of organic practices effectively. With a background in strategic communication across diverse sectors, Ashley is committed to engaging with organic producers, researchers, and partners to amplify their efforts in building a thriving future for organic farming.

 

About the TOPP Organic Mentorship Panelists

 

Patricia Daigle

Patricia Daigle

New to farming in the last year. Raising hogs, chickens and have a small herd of Herefords and the start of our organic milking Jersey herd. Long time home organic gardener and I love dirt. Big believer in organic farming and organic livestock. Happy to be helping my other half make the transition of the family farms to organic methods and to organic milking with Jersey cows. As a nurse I see patients with cancer, auto-immune diseases and obesity and believe it is related to the quality, nutritional value and genetic engineering of our food.

Denise O'Brien

Denise O'Brien

Denise is an organic farmer at Rolling Acres in Atlantic, Iowa. Denise and her husband, Larry, have been involved with organic production and cultivating local food for over 36 years. Denise is also founder of Women’s Food and Agriculture Network, was a candidate for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture in 2006, and former agriculture adviser in Afghanistan, and founder of the Women, Food and Agriculture Network.

Gary Welsh

Gary Welsh

Gary and his two sons Clay and Clinton own and operate Welsh Family Organic Farm in Lansing. The Welsh family raises approximately 120 beef cattle and 12,000 turkeys while farming 600 acres of crops in one of Iowa's leading organic family farming operations. Gary organizes a monthly organic farmer meetings sponsored by the Iowa State University Extension Office. These meetings are roundtable discussions on organic farming practices and techniques to learn what is working and what is not working through this network of organic farmers.

 

About the Regenerative Organic Farmer Panelists

Jordan Clasen

Jordan Clasen

Jordan Clasen, of Grade A Gardens, began working with produce at the age of 14 at a local grocery store. Before taking the leap to full-time farming, Jordan spent 5 years managing the produce department for the Gateway Market & Cafe, a specialty grocery store in Des Moines. During that time he developed an interest in growing garlic and that led him to want to grow all kinds of fruits and vegetables. Now Grade A Gardens grows fruits and vegetables on 30 acres in Earlham, Iowa. They market through a CSA, the Downtown Des Moines Farmers Market, and Des Moines' finest restaurants and specialty grocers. Recently Jordan has begun to add livestock to his vegetable farm and is a strong proponent of cover crops and reduced tillage.

Noah Wendt & Caleb Akin

Noah Wendt & Caleb Akin

Noah and his farm partner, Caleb Akin, started A&W Farms in 2006. Their farm is located near Cambridge, IA. As a farm team, they feed cattle, produce conventional corn and soybeans on 1,100 acres and also grow a variety of organic grain on 1,800 acres.

 

 

Kate Mendenhall

Kate Mendenhall

Kate Mendenhall owns and operates Okoboji Organics, an 18.5 acre farm in Okoboji, IA, Dickinson County. The farm is in perrenial pasture and she raises certified organic pastured pigs, turkeys, and broilers. She also raises laying hens. Her market is local with an on-farm store and local online sales. She purchased the farm in 2016 and was certified organic in 2019. In addition to running her small farm, Kate is the Executive Director of Organic Farmers Association, of which Iowa Organic Association is a member and serves on the policy committee. At OFA Kate works to make sure the priorities of organic farmers nationwide are heard in Washington, DC and that farmers continue to drive the U.S. organic market. Operating a certified organic farm helps her do a better job representing organic farmers on the Hill.

 


 

A Uniquely-Curated Dinner by Hoffmann Farm & Forage

The dinner features a menu that's designed with ingredients sourced exclusively from Iowa farmers and producers-- down to the flour and spices.

Hoffmann Farm & Forage

Andrew of Hoffmann Farm and Forage is a professionally trained chef, licensed forager, and diverse produce farmer. With over 15 years in the restaurant industry he possesses a deep passion for locally sourced, sustainable, and in season Iowa ingredients. His focus is on cultivating a strong community of local farmers, chefs, and beverage makers with a desire to build connections to further develop the local food movement. He and his wife, Sarah, operate a produce farm on his family farm just outside of story city where he is the 4th generation to tend the land.

 


 

This year's Annual Meeting will also feature an extended opportunity for attendees to connect with a variety of IOA Sponsor Exhibitors within the Iowa Organic Association network.

Albert Lea Seed logo

Blue Stem Enterprises

Ferticell logo

Optimum Service Group

Prairie Hybrid Seeds

 

Mad! Capital

Riverside Feeds

 


 

Sponsor this year's 2024 IOA Annual Meeting by contributing to the Gift Bag or through an In-Kind donation. Please reach out to Kristi Kasper for details, at [email protected]

In-Kind Sponsors

Des Moines Printing

Printing Sponsor

A/V Sponsor


Midwest TOPP

This event is based upon work that is supported by the USDA's Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the TOPP and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

 

WHEN
December 03, 2024 at 2:00pm - 7:30pm
WHERE
Story City Community Center
501 Elm Ave
Story City, IA 50248
United States
Google map and directions
CONTACT
Kristi Kasper ·

Will you come?

$790.00 New Sponsor Membership - $750 Steward Level
Includes a ticket to Annual Meeting
$540.00 New Sponsor Membership - $500 Seeder Level
Includes a ticket to Annual Meeting
$140.00 New Sponsor Membership - $100 Friend Level
Includes a ticket to Annual Meeting
$90.00 New Individual Membership - $50 Level
Includes a ticket to Annual Meeting
$60.00 Non-Member Ticket
$40.00 IOA Member Ticket