Southern Rocky Mountain Ag Conference to take place on February 4-6 in Conejos County

The upcoming 43rd annual Southern Rocky Mountain Agriculture Conference and Trade Show is quickly approaching, scheduled to take place from February 4-6 in Monte Vista. This event is organized by the Colorado State University San Luis Valley Area Extension Office in collaboration with the Monte Vista Chamber of Commerce and CSU San Luis Valley Research Center at the Ski-Hi Complex in Monte Vista.

The theme for this year’s conference is “Holding Our Ground, Securing the Future of Our Water, Land, Businesses, and Families.” Larry Brown, the Director of the CSU SLV Area Extension Office, expressed his enthusiasm for the conference and mentioned that there will be something of interest for everyone attending.

The conference will feature a variety of workshops and key speakers. The activities on February 4 will kick off with federal and state legislative updates in the morning, followed by a United Potato Business Summit. This segment will include presentations on Potato Consumption, Frozen Potato Processing, North American Potato Market Outlook, Prices in the Doldrums, and Fresh Market Outlook. There will also be Livestock Producer Workshops, Farm and Ranch Family Health Classes, and Small Farm and Ranch Commercial Garden and Greenhouse Classes offered in English and Spanish. Additionally, participants can look forward to a social hour, the United Potato annual meeting, and dinner.

On February 5, the keynote address will be delivered by Stephen Nicholson from Rabobank. In his presentation titled “Our Challenges and Opportunities: There is Much to Consider,” Nicholson, who serves as the Global Sector Strategist–Grains and Oilseeds for Rabobank, will discuss the current landscape in the agricultural sector. The afternoon sessions will cover topics like Ag Business Succession and Estate Planning Workshop, Revegetation, Alternative Crops Information, and SLVRC Potato Research and Breeding Updates.

The program on February 6 will be dedicated to water-related discussions, including updates from the Colorado Division of Water Resources and their collaborating partners. The trade show is scheduled to run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on February 4 and 5, and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on February 6. Attendees can register in advance for the Rocky Mountain Agriculture Conference online or in person at the CSU SLV Extension Office in Monte Vista. Preregistration is strongly recommended to ensure sufficient food availability for breakfast and lunch during the conference.