National leaders in value-added agriculture will be convening in Madison, Wisconsin, for the 18th Annual National Value-Added Agriculture Conference. The theme of this year’s conference is “Agriculture, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship: Developing Thriving Rural Communities.”

Conference topics include agritourism, rural and urban economic development, food waste, food safety, marketing, policy, local and regional food systems, labor issues, alternative energy, technology, supply chain management and more.

The 2016 National Value Added Agriculture Conference is hosted by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection & University of Wisconsin – Dane County Extension. The conference runs on Thursday, July 21st through mid-day on Friday, July 22nd, with a welcoming reception the evening of Wednesday, July 20th and tours Thursday afternoon. The deadline to register is July 7th.

For more information, visit the conference website.