Northeast Iowa Community College will host the first annual Local Food and Farmers Market Summit

Registration is open for the first annual Local Food and Farmers Market Summit to be held from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. February 9th at Northeast Iowa Community College's Calmar Campus.

The summit aims to help farmers, market vendors, farmers market managers, community development and tourism departments, and community leaders make the most of growing interest in local foods. It is a joint project of Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation & Development and NICC.

Food System Director at Iowa Valley RC&D and owner of Grimm Family Farm Jason Grimm says, "As the 2017 growing season approaches, it is time for farmers and food entrepreneurs to consider best practices of diversifying their customers list. I look forward to sharing pros and cons of each type of customer to consider; between selling at a farmers market, to a local school district, to restaurants and local retailers."

Participants will learn about different topics related to local foods and markets and will have the opportunity to attend breakout sessions on more than a dozen different topics. The full schedule and agenda is available at www.northeastiowafarmersmarkets.org/local-food-farmers-market-summit.

Registration is $55 and includes a local foods lunch. The summit runs from 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. at the Wilder Business Center on the NICC Calmar Campus. To register, visit www.nicc.edu/solutions or call 800-728-2256, extension 399.