ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – Registration is now open for the 2025 Great Plains Grower Conference, Jan. 9-11 on the campus of Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.

The three-day conference draws vegetable, fruit, flower and specialty crop growers from across Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, South Dakota and Nebraska, says Denice Ferguson, an agricultural business and policy specialist for University of Missouri Extension.

“Every year, this conference attracts 350-400 committed growers, from full-time farm market vendors to part-time diversified horticulture producers, who come together to explore the latest trends and practices in the industry,” says Ferguson, who is chair of the conference.

The event kicks off on Thursday, Jan. 9, with pre-conference workshops on hard cider, marketing and nut orchards. The main conference, Jan. 10-11, will feature a variety of educational tracks.

“There’s a wealth of information available to growers on the latest trending topics, but our conference offers them a research-based, unbiased evaluation of these concepts and their practical applications before they commit to any investments,” Ferguson says.

The conference also features a trade show for horticultural growers, showcasing the latest products from more than 40 vendors.

“Several aspects that make this conference a favorite among attendees include the promise of an engaging and insightful industry speaker to kick off the event,” Ferguson says. “Also, there are dedicated grower association meetings for Missouri, Iowa and Kansas, as well as the popular Growers Innovation Competition and Pizza Party. All of this is included in the registration fee, which also covers an unlimited buffet-style lunch and refreshments during breaks throughout the conference.”

Helping with the conference are MU Extension horticulture specialists Juan Cabrera-Garcia, Kathi Mecham, Justin Keay, Ramon Arancibia, Gwen Funk and Todd Higgins.

Extension professionals from Iowa State, Kansas State, Lincoln University and University of Nebraska-Lincoln also serve on the conference committee.

For details and registration, visit https://GreatPlainsGrowersConference.org.

You can follow the annual conference on Facebook at https://facebook.com/GreatPlainsGrowersConference, or call 816-279-1691 for more information.