It’s fast approaching … this year’s Ag Summit in Yuma. If you’ve never been or missed last year’s event, you need to not only put it on your calendar this year but get registered before the middle of this month.

Held during Yuma's Ag Week, the Southwest Agriculture Summit is an agriculture industry show held February 24-25, 2016 in the Winter Vegetable Capitol of the World, Yuma, Arizona.  The Summit schedule includes keynote speakers; trade show; educational seminars; field demonstration; networking; golfing; social events and more.  Register before January 15, 2016 for discounted registration fees.

The 2016 Summit schedule will begin with a field demonstration event and continue through February 25th ending with the Harvest Dinner, a celebration of Yuma agriculture and the partnerships with other agriculture communities. The Yuma Fresh Vegetable Association, in partnership with Arizona Western College; University of Arizona; and Yuma County Farm Bureau, are working diligently to ensure the Summit is current, relevant and valuable for all in attendance.

Held at Arizona Western College, the Summit will kick off on the 24th with a delicious burrito breakfast and the field demonstration event.   The demo event will include hands-on opportunities to see new equipment, systems and strategies in action.  In addition, there will also be a farm welding seminar where new and valuable applications to repairing and strengthening farm equipment will be presented. The afternoon will include a golf tournament and reception.

Thursday's events will kick off with the morning keynote speaker, Dr. Roland Fumasi, vice president and senior analyst for Rabobank's Food & Agribusiness Research and Advisory (FAR) group. Following the morning educational sessions and exhibitor show, the Southwest Ag Summit keynote speaker will be Dr. Roberta Cook, Cooperative Extension Marketing Economist at University of California, Davis.   Dr. Cook currently serves on the Board of Directors of Ocean Mist Farm and was honored as one of the top 25 produce industry leaders for 2011 by The Packer.

Pest and Disease Management; Fresh Produce Safety Update and Talking Points; Marketing and Technology; Crop Management; Sustainability 101; Technology Updates and Fertility and Ag Business Management are just a few of the scheduled session topics. A complete list of events and description of breakout sessions are available online at www.swagsummit.com.   


The Summit will close with the sold-out Harvest Dinner, held at the Yuma Quartermaster Depot State Historic Park. Be sure to stay for Yuma Lettuce Days, an agri-culinary show that will take place February 27-February 28, 2016 at the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension Farm (www.yumalettucedays.com)

To register as a participant, exhibitor or sponsor for the Southwest Ag Summit, please click here or call 928-317-6178.  
 

For Harvest Dinner sponsorship, please call Kristan Sheppeard, 928-246-9108.

  Join our Family!

The Arizona Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Consultation and Training has funded all or a portion of this Project using Specialty Crop Block Grant funds provided by the USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service.