Registration Open for 2024 National Agricultural Marketing Summit: Food with Purpose

By sther Crompton and Bre Miller et.al

The 2024 National Agricultural Marketing Summit, scheduled for Nov. 13-15 at the Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is open for registration. Agricultural marketing practitioners attending the summit will have the chance to connect with peers, form valuable partnerships and discover new business strategies to enhance the performance of their farms and businesses.

“What sets the summit apart is its practical focus,” notes Bre Miller, a communications specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach’s Food Systems team and support on the Ag Summit committee. This year’s theme, “Food with Purpose,” will give participants the chance to engage with businesses, organizations and USDA. They will learn practical ways to improve marketing strategies, use data effectively for decision making and build stronger collaborations with community partners.

Small-to-large-scale farmers, businesses, nonprofit organizations and government agencies involved in food systems and agricultural development will benefit from this summit. There will be multiple opportunities for relationship building — how to cultivate partnerships between the public and private sectors and how to make those relationships work to boost the local food economy.

“We are intentional to create space for farmers, food entrepreneurs, government agencies and academics to connect — whether that’s through exhibitor sessions, receptions or even the awards banquet,” says Courtney Long, food systems program manager with ISU Extension and Outreach and coordinator of the Ag Summit. “Networking is built into every part of the agenda because we know how important those relationships are. We want people to create valuable connections that can lead to lasting collaboration across sectors.”

The summit features a variety of partners and breakout sessions ranging from discussions on direct market development and innovation to building partnerships and market research, as well as ways to successfully manage risk. Additionally, the summit includes plenary sessions on National Guard local food procurement, urban agriculture best practices and innovations from the Intertribal Agriculture Council.

“Urban Agriculture: A Growing Movement” is one of the featured plenaries, led by Leslie Glover from the USDA’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Programs. Glover and other experts will explore how urban agriculture is reshaping cities by linking local food systems with underserved populations.

Registration is open

Registration for the National Agricultural Marketing Summit is open and will remain open through Nov. 13.

Scholarships are available for students interested in attending. Contact Bre Miller at millerb@iastate.edu for more information on rates and the registration process.

For more information about the summit, contact Courtney Long at court7@iastate.edu or Miller regarding agenda or presentations at millerb@iastate.edu.