Join us for the ultimate Wyoming local-food-centered, networking and education event, with even more tracks and educational opportunities than our last conference!

Learn from experts in the western community on Food Safety and Regulations, Local Food Legislation, Composting Meat Byproducts, Programs for Up and Coming Professionals in Meat Processing, Beginning Farmer Rancher Opportunities and Resources, Perennial Agriculture Options for Wyoming Farmers and Ranchers, Local Food Marketing and Storytelling, a Farm to School Producer Training, Buyer-Grower Networking Opportunities, a Tour of Casper School and Community Greenhouses, and more!

Our keynote speakers include Ron Rabou (Author and Owner/Operator of Rabou Farm, and Local Food Distribution and Infrastructure Champions Jesse and LeAnn Miller.

Enjoy three days of workshops, discussions, seminars, and tours.

Our conference will begin at The Lyric theater, on Thursday afternoon with our Buyer-Grower Showcase and Connection Event, Farm to School Panel and Training, Mixer, and Keynote Speaker.

The Lyric - The Lyric – Casper Wyoming | (casperlyric.com)
Buyer/Grower Event

We highly encourage producers interested in learning more about school sales, and schools interested in purchasing local foods to attend the conference on Thursday.
Both groups will have a chance to hear from schools purchasing local and producers selling to schools.

Attendees will also receive training on how to make farm to school successful for your school or food business.
Local foods buyers and producers will have several opportunities to network and make those connections that may lead to a procurement relationship!
Other additional opportunities for upscaling local foods businesses and Securing large-scale contracts will also be highlighted!

11AM-12PM
- Producer Showcase, Local Food Sampling in lobby
- Wy Table and Statewide local Foods Directory Overview
- Regional Food business Center Resources for Producers:
Get Your Recipe to Market, Local Food Marketing Course
WY Producer Experiences from The 2024 Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas

12-12:20pm
claudia carter: kick off wheat to school
12:20-1:20PM
Farm to School Panel Facilitated by Andrea Alma with USDA:
-WY Schools purchasing local foods
-Bobby Lane: WY Farm to school, Department of Education
-WY Producer(s) currently participating in Farm to School
-Nik Ritter: Equality State Farms, WY seller and Distributor- hear suggestions from Nik on which local produce is a good fit for larger scale contracts

1:30-3:30PM (2 Tracks)

Track 1-
Hear from Wyoming’s Farm to School Coordinator, the developers of the Bringing the Farm to School Curriculum, Wyoming Food Coalition, and more. This session will cover:

• School Food Service and Producer Peer-Sharing 
• Discussions and problem solving around seasonal availability, delivery, processing, and storage gaps 
• Getting to know the farm to school supply chain 
• What makes farm to school different from other channels 
• Advance planning, scale, and price point.

Track 2-
Local Sourcing to feed WY Neighbors- Odessa Ooldham, Food Bank of WY

Large Contracts Between Producers, Pantries, Local businesses and other buyers

Buyer/Grower Mixer: cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union

Keynote: WY Local Food Infrastructure and transport trends, Roadblocks, and Successes- Jesse and LeAnn Miller


Then we will kick off our educational sessions Friday morning, with a Round table Discussion on the WY Food Freedom Act and other food safety ins and outs in Wyoming.

Friday's sessions will consist of 3 Tracks, running for a full-day with an Agritourism panel over lunch.

Join us Friday evening to hear from Keynote Speaker Ron Rabou, and enjoy a Locally-Sourced Dinner at The Tate Pumphouse- prepared and served by Heirloom and Native.

On Saturday we will close out the conference with a Casper Greenhouse and Farm Tour ending with a session on Storytelling and Marketing with a Locally-Sourced Brunch served at the Bloomery.

We are excited to bring together ag and local food professionals from around the state and beyond.

Complimentary childcare will be available on Thursday and Friday, at the conference venue, with a CPR-trained babysitter. Please indicate if you will be needing childcare when you purchase your tickets.

Room blocks are available until October 31st, at the Ramkota and Hampton in Casper.

See you in November!

#WYFoodMatters