The Southwest Agricultural Conference to be held Jan. 3 and 4 at the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and its reputation as the leading conference in agriculture education in North America. This year’s conference theme is “The Future of Agriculture.”
The Ridgetown Campus had a long tradition of providing educational opportunities for farmers when the two-day conference format was adopted 20 years ago in partnership with the southwest branches of the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. The roster of speakers routinely includes leading experts in agriculture and agri-food from across North America and around the world.
This year’s keynote speakers are Stephen Lewis, former United Nations envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, and David Chilton, author of The Wealthy Barber and a judge on Dragon’s Den. Lewis will discuss the role of agriculture in feeding the world; Chilton will provide common-sense advice on financial planning.
A full conference program and registration details are available online. OSCIA offers discounted rates for U of G students: $50 for one day, $75 both days.