Tentative Schedule
The Aquaponics Association 2017 Conference, Putting Down Roots, is about growing more of our food with aquaponics. We will become the backbone of local food economies with efficient systems that can be placed anywhere, grow year-round, create jobs, save resources, and make us healthier. The conference will help YOU put down roots in your community with aquaponics.
Click Here for conference homepage and ticket sales
Tentative Schedule, November 3-5:
FRIDAY 11/3/2017
Morning Rural Aquaponics Tour
“The Secret Aquaponic Build in the Forest,” is a 2K sq. ft. research and development aquaponic system that is currently being constructed. This prototype is being developed to bring commercial aquaponics to the Columbia River Gorge in Skamania County, WA. Limited tour space available.
Welcoming & Introduction Luncheon
- Special Presentation: Putting Down Roots
Murray Hallam, Founder/CEO, Practical Aquaponics
Afternoon Sessions
Afternoon sessions run from approximately 12:30 to 6:00pm and feature separate tracks for Commercial Aquaponics, Applied Skills, Community Building, and STEM Education:
- Local Food System Panel Discussion
Lyf Gildersleeve, CEO, Flying Fish Company and Andre Uribe, Executive Chef at Bon Appetit at Willamette University - Fighting Hunger Through Aquaponics
Colin Cotton, AquaGrow Farms Supervisor, and Chris Hatch, Executive Director, The Mississauga Food Bank - Aquaponics in STEM around The World
Phillip Thompson, Director, Seattle University Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability - Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost: An Insight into Hacking the Global Food Economy
Arvind Venkat, CEO, Waterfarmers - Setting the Stage for Oregon: Sustainability Factors in Developing a Responsible Aqua Farming Program
Jon Bonkoski, GIS Director, Ecotrust and John Moehl, Oregon Aquaculture Association - The Redd on Salmon Street: Helping Build The Post-Industrial Food System
Emma Sharer, Redd Operations Manager, Ecotrust - Empowering Communities: Working with Schools, Marginalized Populations, and Other Non-Profits
Kaben and Shelby Smallwood, Symbiotic Aquaponic - Aquaponics: A Catalyst for Community Supported Innovation
Kate Wildrick, Co-Founder / Paradigm Shifter, Ingenuity Innovation Center - Probiotics and Fish Growth
George Pate, Kentucky State University - Bell Siphons; The Quest for a Reliable Auto-Siphon
Rob Torcellini, Bigelow Brook Farms - Social Media and Guerilla Marketing for Your Farm
Nick Burton, State of the Soil - One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish…Aquaponics in the Community College
Julie Flegal-Smallwood, Grant Director/Professor of Agricultural Sustainability, Redlands Community College and Dee McKenna, Professor of Biology, Redlands Community College - Small Systems: Aquaponics Build and Demonstrations
Meg Stout, Chair Emeritus, The Aquaponics Association; Author, Complete Idiot’s Guide to Aquaponic Gardening - Aquaponics & STEM Education National Trends: Strategic Implementation & Panel Discussion
Aquaplanet, The James Baldwin School, Symbiotic Aquaponic, Seattle University, SchoolGrown, Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM and more.
Networking Happy Hour
SATURDAY 11/4/2017
Morning Urban Aquaponics Tour
We’ll visit Live Local Organic, an urban aquaponic farm with 10K sq. ft. of growing space. This certified organic farm and supplies 71 individual stores and 10 retailers including Whole Foods and Safeway. Next, we’ll visit the Redd on Salmon, a food innovation center that is dedicated to supporting and growing emerging urban food producers. With over 20K sq. ft. of warehouse space, cold storage, aggregation, packaging, distribution and three commercial production kitchens, you will discover very innovative solutions and partnerships that are solving many issues around bringing food to the table (known as the “Last Mile”).
Afternoon Luncheon
- Special Presentation: Aquaponics and the Food Safety Issue We Must Address
Angela Tenbroeck, Executive Director, Center for Agricultural Sustainability and Excellence
Afternoon Sessions run from approximately 12:30 to 6:00pm and feature separate tracks for Commercial Aquaponics, Applied Skills, Community Building, and STEM Education:
- From Conception to Michelin Stars
Ken Armstrong, CEO, Ouroboros Farms - Special Panel on Commercial Aquaponics
Jonathan Van Senten, Virginia Tech Seafood AREC - Rural Africa System Design and Construction
Phil Reasons, President, Aquasol International - Bringing Your Fish To Market
Lyf Gildersleeve, CEO, Flying Fish Company - True Cost Accounting and the 2018 Farm Bill
Brian Filipowich, Director, Anacostia Aquaponics - Aquaponics in Developing Countries
Gopal Acharya, Wave Engineering Consultancy, Nepal - Growth of the Aquaponic and Aquaculture Industries
George Brooks, NxT Horizon Group - Moderated Discussion on Industry Food Safety Standards
Angela Tenbroeck, Executive Director, Center for Agricultural Sustainability and Excellence - Community Aquaponics
Tawnya Sawyer, Co-Owner, Colorado Aquaponics, The Aquaponics Source, Flourish Farms - Stabilized Media for Aquaponics
Dave Pruitt, International Horticultural Technologies - Farming for Profit
Joel Kelly, COO and Co-Founder, Live Local Organic - Aquaponics in the Classroom; Testing Variables
Tom Mullane, Resident Tilapia Expert, The James Baldwin School - Aquaponics & STEM Education Community Building: Living Examples & Next Steps
Aquaplanet, The James Baldwin School, Symbiotic Aquaponic, Seattle University, SchoolGrown, Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM and more.
Networking Happy Hour
SATURDAY EVENING
Banquet Dinner
6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Putting Down Global Roots
- Going Viral; How Aquaponics Is Transforming the World
Murray Hallam, CEO/ Founder, Practical Aquaponics - Successful Aquaponic Systems in Rural Africa
Phil Reasons, President, Aquasol International - Further Development of Aquaponics Technology in Canada,
Nick Savidov, Senior Research Scientist, Lethbridge College
SUNDAY 11/5/2017
Aquaponic Association Member Business Meeting
Individual Q&A Sessions
- Murray Hallam, CEO/ Founder, Practical Aquaponics
- Angela Tenbroeck, Executive Director, Center for Agricultural Sustainability and Excellence
- Nick Savidov, Senior Research Scientist, Lethbridge College
- Arvind Venkat, CEO, Waterfarmers
Afternoon Lunch
- Special Panel: AquaSpar Mythbusters
Tawnya Sawyer, Co-Owner, Colorado Aquaponics, The Aquaponics Source, Flourish Farms
Closing Remarks
2:00 PM Conference Closing