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Join the 2023 Rhode Island Women in Agriculture Conference on March 7th!

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A farmer and an NRCS planner in the field.

Rhode Island Women in Agriculture invites farmers and agriculture professionals across Rhode Island and greater New England to join us for the 2023 Rhode Island Women in Agriculture Conference to be held Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick, Rhode Island.

Rhode Island NRCS State Conservationist, Pooh Vongkhamdy (right), visits the RI DEM Ag Division exhibit at the 2020 RI Women in Agriculture Conference.
Rhode Island NRCS State Conservationist, Pooh Vongkhamdy (right), visits the RI DEM Ag Division exhibit at the 2020 RI Women in Agriculture Conference.

Rhode Island Women in Agriculture has been hosting this conference for over 10 years, volunteering their time, heart and soul to empower and educate women (and men) who want to begin farming or expand or improve their agricultural business.

Women have been a critical part of farm and ranch operations across the country — and around the globe — for centuries. But now we have a unique opportunity to be the change we want to see in our industry, building on an incredible legacy of stewardship, innovation, and productivity to help one another succeed.

Whether it is a farm business that feeds the world, land that you leave better than you found it, or a relationship that empowers and supports your community, industry, and neighbors — there are many ways to build and grow your contribution to agriculture. The time is now for each of us to step up to the plate and take on these challenges.

RI Women in Agriculture are also working to help our community by partnering with the RI Food Bank to collect food items and donations at the conference registration table. For each item donated, donors will receive a door prize raffle ticket for an "RI basket of goodies.”

2020 Rhode Island Women in Agriculture conference attendees peruse the basket raffle prizes.
2020 Rhode Island Women in Agriculture conference attendees peruse the basket raffle prizes.

Visit Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2023-rhode-island-women-in-agriculture-conference-tickets-483354515367 for details and to register by March 3rd! A limited number of free tickets are available for those 18 and under and enrolled in a 4-H Club or High School FFA Chapter. Chapter or Club must be input at registration.

Vendors and information exhibitors, please contact Kim Coulter at 401-932-6459 or olvr1855dsl@aol.com to reserve your space for this important event.

This year’s conference will feature opening remarks from NRCS State Conservationist Pooh Vongkhamdy and RIDEM Agriculture Chief Ken Ayars; Breakout sessions on Agricultural fencing options, Compost in the unseen soil world, Marketing, USDA Programs, Shellfish & Kelp farming, Bee keeping, Tractor demonstration, and keynote speaker Joel Salatin, author and co-owner of Polyface Farm in Swoope, Virginia. Salatin’s regenerative farm was featured in the New York Times bestseller, “Omnivore’s Dilemma,” and award-winning documentary, “Food Inc.”

Farmer and author, Joel Salatin, stands among his pastured cattle on his Polyface Farm in Swoope, Virginia.
Farmer and author, Joel Salatin, stands among his pastured cattle on his Polyface Farm in Swoope, Virginia.

The conference will also include Vendor and Exhibitor booths and dozens of donated basket raffle prizes; follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RIWomeninAg for sneak peeks!

The 2023 Rhode Island Women in Agriculture Conference is organized by the Rhode Island Women in Agriculture, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, with funding from USDA-NRCS and local sponsors.

Note: Persons with disabilities who require accommodations to participate in this event should contact Julie Wright, Outreach Coordinator, at 401-822-8843, 401-786-3884 or Julie.Wright@usda.gov, or dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunication relay services.

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USDA is an Equal Opportunity Provider, Employer and Lender.

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