ANKENY, Iowa – The Iowa Specialty Producers Conference is scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 19-20, 2021. This second joint gathering of the Iowa Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and the Iowa Wine Growers Association will take place entirely online. In addition. the Iowa Wine Growers Association is hosting a virtual Wine Marketing Workshop on Thursday, January 21, 2021 for industry members.

Keynote speaker Hugh McPherson will share best practices for incorporating “agri-tainment” into a farming operation. He owns Maize Quest Fun Park near York, Pennsylvania, and advises a network of 80 more agritourism farms in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom.

Five breakout sessions will focus on fruits, vegetables, viticulture, enology, business/marketing and other specialty crops. Speakers include producers, industry experts and specialists from Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

“We are excited for the opportunity to offer this year's conference virtually to our members and specialty producers in our state and beyond. We have a great lineup of speakers giving talks on a wide variety of specialty crop management, business, and marketing,” said Kendra Meyer, an education extension specialist with Farm, Food and Enterprise Development in ISU Extension and Outreach.

While the event was held in person last year, shifting to a virtual conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic was the safest option.

“We realize that networking and creating those connections in person among the various industries at this conference is invaluable and this conference has served as sort of a re-energizing opportunity for businesses, however we hope to still provide the same quality educational sessions and highlight our sponsors in a meaningful way until we can gather again in person safely,” said Nicole Eilers, marketing director with the Iowa Wine Growers Association.

The event will feature virtual exhibitors offering products and services of interest to Iowa’s specialty producers. For information on sponsoring or showcasing your business or product to conference attendees, contact Christie Jensen. To learn more about the Wine Marketing Workshop, check out Events section for updated event information.

This event is supported by grant funding from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS). Learn more and register at the conference website, www.iowaspecialtyproducers.com.