MANHATTAN, Kan. — Organizers of a three-day conference drawing growers, researchers and community leaders from across the Midwest say the early January event will help strengthen regional food systems.
The 2026 Great Plains Growers Conference, scheduled for Jan. 8–10, 2026, at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri, will focus on building resilience in local and regional agriculture through diversified family farms that feed the communities around them.
The regional planning committee consists of extension agents from Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska.
This year’s featured keynote speaker is Curtis Millsap, a first-generation farmer and owner of Millsap Farms in Springfield, Missouri. Since 2007, Millsap has built his 25-acre vegetable and flower operation into a cornerstone of the Ozarks’ local food network, supplying a 200-member community-supported agriculture (CSA) program, local restaurants and farmers markets.
In his keynote address, “Farming as a Sacred Trust: Building Community at the Intersection of Land, Food & People,” Millsap will reflect on how stewardship of the land, nourishment of people and strong relationships form the heart of resilient agriculture. Drawing from 17 years of experience, he will discuss how cultivating food also cultivates connection, belonging and hope.
“These are the enduring relationships that have been the cornerstone of American agriculture,” said conference chair Margit Kaltenekker, an agriculture agent with the K-State Extension office in Douglas County. “Communities must support family farmers to ensure local food security — one field, one farm and one family at a time.”
Registration for the conference is now open. The event draws growers from the four-state region and is known for offering research-based sessions led by university specialists and experienced producers.
The conference kicks off Jan. 8 with three full-day preconference workshops: a CSA School, an introduction to starting small livestock operations, and Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety training and certification. Kaltenekker said the workshops provide practical skills for beginning and established farmers, from launching a market garden to ensuring produce safety from field to consumer.
Sessions on Jan. 9-10 will cover a range of topics, including tree fruit and small fruit production, vegetable and cut flower growing, agricultural technology for specialty crops, business management and regenerative soil health. Additional tracks will focus on high-tunnel production, integrated pest management and organic practices.
A trade show featuring regional vendors, equipment dealers and nonprofit agencies will run throughout the conference. Attendees can also look forward to networking events, including the popular Grower’s Innovation Night — a friendly competition showcasing creative, on-farm problem-solving — complete with pizza and prizes.
Kaltenekker said one new event is a one-hour Farmer Network Forum designed to help growers connect with key resource people in their areas of need. Participants will rotate through stations, meeting with speakers and colleagues to strengthen professional relationships and share expertise.
Lunch will be provided each day as part of conference registration, which can be completed online through the Great Plains Growers Conference website.
“There’s no better place to connect with growers and experts from your region,” Kaltenekker said. “Make a friend, forge a relationship and build a supportive network that will last a lifetime.”
