Gear up for the 2024 Oklahoma Local Agriculture Summit (OKLAS) on February 28- March 1st at the Hilton Garden Inn Edmond Conference Center in Edmond, OK! This multi-day conference will feature hands-on workshops, panel discussions, and traditional conference sessions of interest to farmers market managers, producers, community support organizations and agritourism site managers. OKLAS is hosted by the Oklahoma Department of Ag, Food, and Forestry in partnership with the Oklahoma Local Ag Collaborative.
Associate Farm Editor, Reagan Calk, had the chance to visit with event coordinator, Diana Prieto about this year’s schedule and more. Prieto is the Outreach Coordinator of the ONIE Project, which focuses on promoting healthy living through innovative strategies for communities, families, and individuals.
The conference will begin on Wednesday, February 28th with OKLAS workshops, including Innovative Farm Practices by Langston University and a marketing workshop.
“This year’s focus, we really wanted to help producers with the business aspect, and this is something we have been asked of a lot,” Prieto said.
As part of the OKLAS workshops, Prieto said attendees will have the chance to have one-on-one consultations with agricultural business managers.
“We also have a USDA programs workshop at the end of the day from 1-4, and that is allowing producers to talk to NRCS and learn to utilize their programs to grow their business,” Prieto said.
On Wednesday evening, there will also be a Farm-to-Table dinner at 6 p.m. in Piedmont, OK.
Thursday will be a full summit day, featuring over 20 breakout sessions including topics on building your farm business strategy, liability insurance for producers, meat processing and more.
The conference will conclude on Friday with the Agritourism Bus Tours. Stops include Chester’s Party Barn & Farm, Lakeview Market, Clauren Ridge Vineyard & Winery, and Parkhurst Ranch.
Overall, Prieto said the event covers various topics of interest for producers, market managers, support organizations, and those involved in agritourism.
“Anybody is welcome to attend, and it is free,” Prieto said.
For more information about OKLAS 2024 and to see registration info, visit https://oklac.org/oklas. To visit the OKLAS Facebook page, CLICK HERE.
