The Kansas Rural Center invites businesses, organizations, and individuals to sponsor its 2014 Farm & Food Conference and 35th Anniversary Celebration, Nov. 7 and 8, at the Four Points Sheraton, Manhattan, Kansas.

The conference, “Sustainable Agriculture: A Once and Future Vision,” will celebrate KRC’s 35th Anniversary and focus on the future of agriculture, food, and community in Kansas and our region. Information for registrants, sponsors and exhibitors can be found at kansasruralcenter.org/calendar/conference-2014.

Those wishing to reach farmers, ranchers, food enthusiasts, community advocates and more have several sponsorship, exhibitor, and donation opportunities available this year and include the following:

• Cocktail Reception and Dinner sponsorship. Sponsors receive program recognition, KRC annual donor roll recognition, and complimentary reception and dinner tickets.

• Conference sponsorship.  Companies or organizations, consider becoming a sponsor, and receive complimentary registrations, visibility with booths, distributed materials and commemorative program listings.

• Food, Beverage, Art Donations. If you produce food or beverage products, or would like to donate art, food or farm items for our silent auction, receive visibility and program recognition commensurate with the value of those contributions.

Proceeds will benefit KRC’s future work in growing a sustainable farming and food system in Kansas.

A full two-day slate of conference workshops will provide inspiring ideas, helpful information and valuable connections for attendees, ranging from practical farm management, diversification and transition strategies, to community and food advocacy training.

Renowned speakers including Bryan Welch, Editor and Publisher, Mother Earth News; Fred Kirschenmann, Distinguished Fellow at Iowa’s Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture and President of Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in New York; Ricardo Salvador, Senior Scientist for the Union of Concerned Scientists and Director of its Food & Environment Programs; Bob Dixson, Mayor of Greensburg, Kansas; Hattie Mitchell, CPA and Tribal Council Treasurer of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation; and Julie Mettenburg, Executive Director of KRC will headline as keynote speakers throughout both days.

KRC will also host a cocktail reception and 35^th Anniversary Dinner Celebration on Friday evening. The celebration will feature live music, locally sourced food and beverages, book signings by Kansas authors and a silent auction featuring Kansas artisans, goods and service.

Cost to attend the conference is $55 per day, $45 for a 35^th Anniversary Dinner ticket or $145 for both days and the dinner.  To attend the conference, register at, kansasruralcenter.org/calendar/conference-2014.

The mission of KRC, founded in 1979, is to promote the long-term health of the land and its people through research, education and advocacy that advance an economically viable, ecologically sound, and socially just food and farming system. For more information, visit www.kansasruralcenter.org.