Illinois Farm Bureau Hosts 'Everything Local' Conference

Annual event at BOS Center focuses on organic farming, college programs, and diversifying farm income

Jan. 29, 2026 at 2:39pm

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The Illinois Farm Bureau is hosting its annual 'Everything Local' conference at the BOS Center in Springfield, Illinois. The three-day event features sessions on organic farming practices, college agricultural programs, and strategies for supplementing farm income with off-farm work.

Why it matters

The 'Everything Local' conference highlights the growing interest in sustainable agriculture and the need for young farmers to have a diverse set of skills to manage modern farming operations. As more consumers seek out locally-sourced and organic food options, events like this help educate farmers on best practices and connect them with educational resources.

The details

The conference features speakers such as Leah Lawson of the Organic Farming Research Foundation, who discusses the differences between organic and conventional farming, emphasizing the importance of soil health. Charlie Mitsdarfer of Parkland College in Champaign also speaks, noting that many students now want to return to farming, even if they don't have a farm background, and the college aims to provide them with skills in areas like soil science, equipment maintenance, and marketing to bring value back to their farms.

  • The Everything Local conference runs for three days in Springfield.
  • The event took place on January 29, 2026.

The players

Leah Lawson

A representative from the Organic Farming Research Foundation who spoke about the differences between organic and conventional farming practices.

Charlie Mitsdarfer

A professor at Parkland College in Champaign who discussed the college's efforts to prepare students, including those without farm backgrounds, to bring valuable skills back to their family farms.

Illinois Farm Bureau

The organization that hosts the annual 'Everything Local' conference focused on sustainable agriculture and supporting the next generation of farmers.

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What they’re saying

“Really it's about working with the soil and making sure that the soil is healthy, so that it will give good production for years on end without significant inputs.”

— Leah Lawson, Representative, Organic Farming Research Foundation

“When we see students now when they come in, a lot of them do want to go back to the farm. Not all of them are from a farm background, but the ones that do, we want to make sure they have the skills to bring something back of value to the farm, whether it's soil science, working on equipment, marketing, you name it.”

— Charlie Mitsdarfer, Professor, Parkland College

The takeaway

The 'Everything Local' conference highlights the growing demand for sustainable agriculture practices and the need to equip the next generation of farmers with a diverse set of skills to manage modern farming operations. As more consumers seek out locally-sourced and organic food options, events like this help educate farmers on best practices and connect them with educational resources to ensure the long-term viability of family farms.