The 2017 Wisconsin Aquaculture Conference will be held at the Hotel Marshfield in Marshfield. Registration is open for the 22th annual event that will be preceded by the workshop: Permitting and Licensing: What You Need to Know for Startup and Existing Farms. This will be a valuable workshop to help farmers understand what they need to do to keep their farms in compliance with the state regulations governing aquaculture.
With global demand for more farm raised fish, the theme, ‘Moving Ahead to the Future,’ highlights the efforts that the association has made to help farms become more viable while still using environmentally sound practices.
The two-day conference offers networking opportunities and educational sessions for those interested in Midwest aquaculture. This year’s conference will include extended talks on coldwater and coolwater aquaculture as well as aquaponics. Other talks will focus on aeration, RAS systems, nets, workforce training, farm valuation, farm insurance and FSA programs. Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection Secretary Ben Brancel will welcome fish farmers and aquaculture enthusiasts to the conference, with Senator Tom Tiffany addressing the audience later in the day and Ann O’Leary, the 69th Alice in Dairyland, is scheduled for early evening.
The Wisconsin Aquaculture Conference attracts top experts in the region and nation to speak such as this years’ keynote speaker, Paul Zajicek, Executive Director of the National Aquaculture Association, speaking on ‘Challenges and Opportunities for U.S. Aquaculture.’
The event features a trade show with more than 20 vendors represented, a silent auction and the Taste of Wisconsin aquaculture cooking demonstration using recipes spotlighting Wisconsin grown fish. Aquaculture, or fish farming, is an important part of the State’s agriculture industry contributing to local economies. Wisconsin ranks first in the Midwest for aquaculture and bolsters a $21 million economic impact to the state. Wisconsin is home to more than 2,400 fish farms that range from producing food fish, to pond and lake stocking and bait for recreational fishing and is a leader in aquaponics.
Registration fees for the event are $115 for Wisconsin Aquaculture Association members and $155 for non-members with a late fee applied after February 17. One-day registration is also offered. The fee for non-members includes a complimentary one-year membership to Wisconsin Aquaculture Association (WAA). To register online, visit the website at www.WisconsinAquaculture.com or for more information, please contact WAA Secretary Cindy Johnson at 814.515.2470 or cindy@WisconsinAquaculture.com.
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