MT. HOPE, Ohio — The Small Farm Institute will host its first Organic Farming Conference March 21 at the Mt. Hope Auction. The conference opens with a presentation by Perry Clutts, a fourth-generation farmer from Circleville, where he operates an organic, grass-based dairy.

Morning sessions include a choice of one of three breakout sessions, including  a panel of women in agriculture sharing their experiences on the farm. It will be moderated by Ann Miller, an organic dairy farmer in the Mt. Hope area.

Kip and Becky Rondy, organic produce growers, will also discuss their produce operation, and there will a panel discussion on incorporating organic row crops into livestock farming, presented by Tim Kline, Leon Mast and Kevin Keihnau.

The afternoon session opens with a panel on the topic “Why Are You An Organic Farmer?” presented by Clutts, David Erb, Jim Gasser and Joe Schlabach. There will be a second breakout session in the afternoon with a choice of one of two sessions: “What’s New in Organic Produce Production” by the Rondys, or “Making It Work: Doing What We Believe” by Mast, an organic dairy farmer.

The final afternoon session is a presentation from George Siemon on “What’s New and Happening with Organics.” He is an organic dairy farmer and CEO of Cooperative Regions of Organic Producer Pools (CROPP).

Known by its brands, Organic Valley and Organic Prairie, CROPP is the largest organic farm cooperative in North America. Siemon was instrumental in developing the USDA national standards for organic certification.

The deadline for registrations is March 10. Cost of the conference is $45 for the first person from each farm, $30 for second and $20 for each additional person from the farm. Participants may also register for at the door, and the cost is $65.

The conference fee includes meals, breaks, registration and the vendor show. Checks should be made payable to the Small Farm Institute and mailed to: P.O. Box 214, Millersburg, OH 44654.