Guelph Organic Conference Celebrates 33 Years
January 30, 2014 - Campus Bulletin
The 33rd annual Guelph Organic Conference will take place at the University of Guelph today through Sunday. International speakers and sessions will discuss everything from genetically engineered foods, organic production/certification and pollination to climate change, farmland protection and food security.
Begun by graduate students as an afternoon seminar more than three decades ago, the conference and trade show now attract thousands of people to the U of G campus each year.
This year’s theme is “Catching the Wave: Are You on Board?” Events will take place in the University Centre and Rozanski Hall.
A free organic expo/tasting fair will be held Saturday or Sunday in the University Centre, with more than 160 exhibitors offering samples.
The Ontario Agricultural College and Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food will have booths at the event.
A student-run booth will highlight U of G’s organic agriculture major and all aspects of organic and alternative farming activities.
“We want to increase awareness of the University's contribution to education and research in the field of organics, sustainable agriculture and permaculture within the organic community,” says Torin Boyle, a master’s student studying organic soybean breeding and a 2013 graduate of the organic agriculture undergraduate program.
The student booth will focus on contributions of organic agriculture students and grads. “We also want to show that students in the major are active and engaged but also that the major leads to an array of opportunities,” said Boyle. He organized the booth with Michelle Lamarre, a fourth-year organic agriculture student.
The display will also feature the Guelph Centre for Urban Organic Farming (GCUOF) and an applied learning course taught by GCUOF director Martha Gay Scroggins.
Details about the 2014 Guelph Organic Conference are available online.
