The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New Jersey’s 24th Annual Food and Agriculture Winter Conference will be held on January 25-26, 2014 at the Warner Student Life Center, Brookdale Community College, 765 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft, NJ.  This is the largest agriculture and food education event in New Jersey offering a weekend full of workshops, lectures, pre-conference sessions, keynotes, exhibitors and networking for all those interested in local, organic and sustainable food production, gardening, nutrition and food rights.

Organic: A Better Way to Feed Communities, this year’s conference focus reflects NOFA-NJ’s belief that by working together, farmers, gardeners and consumers can create regionally-based, economically-viable organic, sustainable and healthy food systems to benefit New Jersey communities.  Insightful and thought provoking keynote addresses will be presented by two leading authorities on sustainable agriculture; John Ikerd, Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics at the University of Missouri and a leading expert on the economics of sustainability, and Fred Kirschenmann, Distinguished Fellow for the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State and President of Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Pocantico Hills, New York.

This year over 40 workshops will be offered, ranging from small-scale butchering and growing micro greens to foraging for medicinal herbs and the art of bartering.  Pre-conference workshops offered on Friday, January 24 include: Returning Life to Soil, Back to Roots–Reclaiming Our Health through Traditional Diets and The “Wise” and How’s of Organic Gardening. For information about the Conference, Sponsorship Opportunities or to Register call NOFA-NJ 908-371-1111 or visit  nofanj.org/winterconference.htm.