Plans are currently underway to host the 100th “Agriculture and Natural Resources Week” next year, as Michigan State University and the school’s College of Agriculture will be hosting the event in East Lansing, March 7-14.
Throughout the week, educational programs on agriculture, animal science and the natural environment will be held. The annual ANR Week Luncheon is also slated to take place on March 10 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center.
Some of the participants that have confirmed 2015 attendance include the Quiet Water Symposium, Michigan’s Invasive Plant Collaborative Exchange, the Michigan Horse Council and the Pullorum Certification Workshop.
ANR Week began back in 1914 during a meeting between the Farmers’ Institute Round-Up and the Michigan Livestock Breeders and Feeders Association. ANR Week originally started out as Farmer’s Week. However, the event has always taken place at Michigan State University, which was originally known as Michigan Agricultural College.
A Look at the MFA Conference
During the week, the Michigan Farmers Association will also be hosting the 2015 Michigan Farmers Market Conference on March 10 and 11. The event will be at the Plant and Soil Science Building on the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing.
The two-day conference, which is currently open for registration, will feature three tracks led by experts in agriculture: a market manager Boot Camp Track for beginning market managers, an Advanced Track for managers looking for specialized information, and a Farmer/Vendor Track designed for farmers in the direct-marketing sector. These tracks were created based on sessions that gained the greatest response from attendees last year.
One attendee of last year’s event said, “The conference offers a great opportunity to network with other market managers. The sessions present valuable information that I can take back and implement at my market.”
In 2014, more than 130 people attended the Michigan Farmers Market Conference including managers, farmers, vendors and exhibitors. Approximately 200 people are expected to attend the 2015 event.