MSU Extension's Agriculture for Tomorrow Conference Brings Farmers and Homesteaders Together

The annual event provides networking and educational opportunities for the region's diverse agricultural community.

Mar. 12, 2026 at 6:04pm

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The Michigan State University (MSU) Extension held its annual Agriculture for Tomorrow Conference at Bay College in Escanaba, Michigan. The event allowed farmers to network with each other and organizations like UPCAP, the Delta Conservation District, and MSU's Institute for Agricultural Technology. Farmers and homesteaders also attended educational sessions on topics like farm-to-institution marketing. According to MSU's James DeDecker, the Upper Peninsula's agricultural landscape is diverse, with both large-scale producers and a rise in small farms and homesteads.

Why it matters

The conference aims to bring together the region's various agricultural groups, from large livestock and crop producers to small-scale farmers and homesteaders. This cross-pollination of ideas and experiences is seen as crucial for maintaining the diversity of the Upper Peninsula's agricultural community and helping all operations improve and grow.

The details

The Agriculture for Tomorrow Conference featured a new track focused on farm-to-institution marketing, helping farmers explore selling to schools, hospitals, and other local institutions as a way to expand their businesses. The event was sponsored by MSU Extension, UPCAP, the Delta Conservation District, and MSU's Institute for Agricultural Technology.

  • The conference was held on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

The players

James DeDecker

Director of MSU's Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center.

MSU Extension

The outreach arm of Michigan State University that organized the Agriculture for Tomorrow Conference.

UPCAP

A regional organization that participated in the conference.

Delta Conservation District

A local conservation organization that participated in the conference.

MSU Institute for Agricultural Technology

An MSU program that participated in the conference.

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What they’re saying

“This is an opportunity to bring all those different groups together. Sometimes in agriculture, we get kind of siloed, right? The field crop producers hang out with the field crop producers or the dairy producers with the dairy producers. I think that kind of cross-pollination is really important. It's a necessity in our environment here in the U.P. to maintain that diversity and to just share ideas and share experiences so that we can all grow together and improve our businesses and our operations.”

— James DeDecker, Director of MSU's Upper Peninsula Research and Extension Center

The takeaway

The Agriculture for Tomorrow Conference demonstrates the diversity of the Upper Peninsula's agricultural landscape, with both large-scale producers and a growing number of small farms and homesteads. By bringing these different groups together, the conference aims to foster the sharing of ideas and experiences that can help the entire regional agricultural community thrive.