Organic Farming Conference set

Details

Published on 04/02/2012 - 10:09 am

Written by Business Journal Staff

California State University, Fresno will host the San Joaquin Valley Organic Conference at 8:30 a.m. April 4 in the conference room of the California Agricultural Technology Institute on Barstow Avenue, just west of Chestnut Avenue in Fresno.

The daylong conference will consider soil, plant diseases, food safety, insect control, cover crops and weed management, with presentations by Fresno State faculty and other experts on latest research and on best practices.

The conference begins with registration followed by Ganesan Srinivasan, director of Fresno State agricultural operations.

After lunch, the remainder of the conference will be held at the Organic Farm just east of the university’s student-operated Rue and Gwen Gibson Farm Market on the southeast corner of Barstow and Chestnut avenues. A 3 p.m. tour of the market concludes the conference.

Registration is $20 and can be done at the door on a first-come, first served basis.

In 2008, land on the University Farm laboratory was certified organic by the California Certified Organic Farmers and is utilized by students to grow organic seasonal produce including tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers and cantaloupe, which are sold at the Gibson Farm Market.

California Certified Organic Farmers, the University of California Small Farm Program and California State University, Fresno, are conference sponsors. The Organic Farm can be reached at (559) 278-2828.