AgEBB-MU CAFNR Extension
Green Horizons
Volume 20, Number 3
September 2016
2016 Green Lands Blue Waters Conference
By Mike Gold | Center for Agroforestry
Green Lands Blue Waters (GLBW) is a regional organization based in Minneapolis, MN, with the mission to "support the development of and transition to a new generation of multi-functional agricultural systems in the Mississippi River Basin and adjacent areas that integrate more perennial plants and other continuous living cover into the agricultural landscape." For more information on GLBW: http://greenlandsbluewaters.net/
This year's GLBW conference is hosted by the Center for Agroforestry and will be held on November 29th and November 30th at Memorial Union in the University of Missouri Campus. The conference theme is: "Going Green with Conservation-Based Farming: Market-Based Approaches to Promote Soil Health and Water Quality."
The 2016 GLBW conference brings a market-based focus to complement innovative, science-based approaches to conservation of soil and water quality. Landowners react positively when their "bottom-line" is enhanced. Proven, market-based options, including cover crops and perennial-based practices (i.e., agroforestry, perennial grains, biomass, forages, and winter annuals) support the deployment of "continuous living cover," and speak directly to the bottom line. Farmer-to-farmer strategies are required to scale up conservation for large scale impacts on soil and water quality.
In addition to working sessions on cover crops, agroforestry, perennial biomass crops, perennial forage / pasture systems, and perennial grains, as well as the perennial favorite "Tour of Watersheds in the Midwest", we have recruited local and regional experts to present at the conference including:
Opening keynote speaker -- Bill Buckner, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Noble Foundation. Closing keynote speaker -- Sean McMahon, Executive Director of Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance.
More information and registration details can be found here: http://snr.missouri.edu/green-lands-conference. Specific questions can be directed to: Michael Gold at 573-884-1448; goldm@missouri.edu.