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The 25th annual Virginia Biological Farming Conference will be held January 10-12, 2025 at The Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center.

The Virginia Biological Farming Conference brings together farmers, gardeners, eaters, educators, industry professionals, and advocates of sustainable, regenerative, biological, and organic agriculture. The three day Conference includes: Pre-Conference intensive workshops, 60+ concurrent sessions, locally sourced farm meals, book sales with author signings, and 50 tradeshow exhibitors.

Conference highlights include a youth and teen program for ages 5-17, a local farm tour, a silent auction and plenty of networking opportunities! Also featuring a regional networking meeting, fireside chats in an intimate space with a scheduled speaker, morning yoga for farmers, and a networking social with food and drinks.

The Taste of Virginia Expo & Market is a popular space within the Conference to enjoy samples and sales of Virginia food, beverages and handicrafts and the new ‘Farming is Funny’ Comedy Show will be sure not to disappoint!

New in 2025: All Conference registrations include: Breakfast and Lunch on Saturday and Sunday, thoughtfully prepared with local ingredients by the amazing chefs at Hotel Roanoke, from our own VABF member farm food! We’ve also increased our coffee and hot water stations to two locations and added both a morning service and afternoon service.

We listened to your feedback and desire for more networking opportunities! Included in your Registration, on Saturday evening immediately following the end of sessions, we will be having a networking social with appetizers and a cash bar in the Roanoke Ballroom. The networking social will give attendees an opportunity to mingle with tradeshow exhibitors and fellow attendees, as well as provide an additional opportunity to connect with other farmers and farming professionals in your region via regional seating areas.

Keynote Speakers

Jon Jackson

Comfort Farms & Stag Vets

GACD’s 2024 Conservationist of the Year

Jon Jackson is a distinguished U.S. Army Airborne Ranger and the current Executive Director of Stag Vets Inc. He is also the founder of Comfort Farms, established in memory of his Ranger comrade, CPT Kyle A. Comfort, who tragically lost his life in action on May 8, 2010. At Comfort Farms, Jon oversees a regenerative agricultural operation that emphasizes multi-species livestock and heirloom vegetables. His mission is to empower veterans by helping them reconnect with their communities through the medium of agriculture.

Read Jon Jackson's Full Bio

Saturday Keynote

Harvesting Resilience: Cultivating People Through Cultivating Our Land

During this discussion Jon Jackson explores the profound connection between sustainable agriculture and community well-being. This enlightening journey highlights how nurturing the land not only fosters ecological health but also strengthens the bonds within communities. By embracing regenerative practices, we can cultivate not just crops, but also resilience, empowerment, and social cohesion.
Image credit: Paul Bilodeau, Gloucester Daily Times

Niaz Dorry

NAMA & NFFC

2024 James Beard Foundation Leadership Award recipient for Policy Advocacy
As the Coordinating Director of the North American Marine Alliance (NAMA) and the Director of the National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC), Niaz Dorry has played a pivotal role in grassroots movement-building and steering federal legislation towards recognizing and supporting family-scale, community-based, and Indigenous fishing and farming communities. The shared leadership and close partnership between NAMA and NFFC, spearheaded by Niaz, has helped to bridge the gap between sea and land food systems, emphasizing the importance of including both in comprehensive food system discussions.
Read Niaz Dorry's Full Bio

Sunday Keynote

Celebrating Our InterDependence

In this keynote address, Niaz Dorry explores the question of what ‘interdependence’ really means, and why it proves critical at this juncture of the world’s history–especially when it comes to food systems. She will share deep learning from her “America the Bountiful” tour around the country, during which she met with the nation’s food producers and experienced firsthand the struggles and joys of frontline communities in the struggle for interdependence and community. Finally, she will lead an inclusive, participatory process for audience members to contribute to an emerging document and tool for social change, “The Declaration of InterDependence,” so come with an open mind ready to move in collective action!

Pre-Conference Workshops

7 Full and Half-Day Pre-Conference workshops and an urban farm tour are available on Friday, January 10 for an additional registration cost. Visit the Pre-Conference Workshop page to see the schedule and read the full workshop descriptions.

Pre-Conference Workshops
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Harvester Sponsor

Virginia State University’s College of Agriculture is one of the country’s leading 1890 colleges of agriculture, natural resources, food, and life sciences.

Our academic programs offer a comprehensive array of majors and concentrations that prepare our students to become leaders in the fields of nutrition, food science, apparel design and retail, child care, restaurant and hotel management, agriculture and more.

As part of VSU’s land-grant mission, the College of Agriculture also houses the Virginia Cooperative Extension program and an Agricultural Research Station, each which provide valuable resources to Virginia residents, while also providing practical, hands-on internship and work study opportunities for our students.

Our Transformational Committments

  • Agricultural Innovation, Integration, & Sustainability
  • Student Success, Experiential Learning & Workforce Development
  • Integrated Well-Being of Youth, Family and Community

The Carbon Farming Partnership offers a proven, science-based deep soil management approach that enhances soil biology and fertility, supporting farmers in achieving higher productivity, increased resilience, and long-term profitability. In collaboration with the USDA and NRCS, we assess deep soil organic carbon levels, nutrient profiles, and overall soil health through comprehensive meter-deep soil sampling, helping farmers track the impact of conservation practices on soil health over time, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions that support sustainable farm management. Based in Virginia and working in states across the Southeastern US, our hands-on educational workshops and specialized training for service providers empower producers with the tools and knowledge needed to boost soil health and unlock new opportunities for enhanced farm productivity. By embracing regenerative techniques to foster deep soil carbon, farmers can drive transformational change in both their farming practices and financial outcomes, ensuring a healthier, more resilient farm for the future.

Sustainer Sponsor

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Pollinator Sponsors

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Cultivator Sponsors

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Seedling Sponsors

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Exhibitors & Advertisers

AgrAbility Virginia

American Farmland Trust

Appalachian Sustainable Development (ASD) – Agroforestry Program

Appalachian Sustainable Development (ASD) – Veteran Program

Applied Bio-Minerals, Inc.

BCS Two-Wheel Tractors

Carbon Farming Partnership

Carter Farms

Certified Naturally Grown

Colonial SWCD

Common Wealth Seed Growers

Contour Lines

Dirtcraft Living Soil

Edible Blue Ridge

Floyd Eco Village

HERD Ventures

High Mowing Organic Seeds

Hiwassee Products

MarketLink

NCAT – National Center for Appropriate Technology

New Country Organics

Organic Growers School

Reynolds Community College

Rimol Greenhouse Systems

Rodale Institute – Southern Piedmont Climate Smart Project

Seven Springs Farm Supply

Shenandoah Permaculture Institute

Small Farm Outreach Program (SFOP)

Smoke in Chimneys

Southeast Rural Community Assistance

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange

Spikenard Farm Honeybee Sanctuary

Stone Soup Books

The Organic Mechanics Soil Company

TOPP – Transition to Organic Partnership Program

USDA NRCS

Virginia Agroecology Services

Virginia FAIRS

Virginia Soil Health Coalition

Virginia State University – College of Agriculture

Virginia State University – Small Farm Outreach Program

Virginia Tech, Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation

Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge

Weston A. Price Foundation