Why Attend
Every Attendee Leaves With...
✔ Practical ideas you can apply immediately
✔ Meaningful relationships that continue beyond the symposium
✔ Fresh perspectives to strengthen your farm, business, or community
✔ Renewed optimism for what's possible when people come together
Registration
Meet the visionaries behind this year's symposium
This year's keynote speakers explore regenerative agriculture from two powerful perspectives—one from beneath our feet and one from the food on our tables. Together, Mary Purdy and Matt Powers will inspire attendees to think differently about the connections between healthy soil, thriving farms, nutritious food, and resilient communities. Their presentations set the stage for three days of practical learning, meaningful conversations, and new partnerships that continue long after the symposium ends.
Mary Purdy
MS, RDN • Food Systems Strategist • Educator • Eco-Dietitian
How Healthy Soil Creates Healthy Communities
Healthy soil grows far more than crops—it shapes the health of our food, our families, and our communities. Drawing from the latest research in nutrition, agriculture, and public health, Mary Purdy explores the powerful connections between the way we grow food and the well-being of people and the planet. Through inspiring stories and practical insights, attendees will discover why healthier and more resilient communities begin with healthier soil.
Matt Powers
Author • Educator • Soil Health Advocate
The Living Soil Beneath Our Feet
Healthy soil isn't just dirt—it's a living ecosystem. International educator Matt Powers brings the hidden world beneath our feet to life, making the science of soil biology engaging, practical, and accessible. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the soil food web and discover practical strategies for building healthier soils, stronger crops, and more resilient farming systems.
About the symposium
Growing What's Next Starts With Coming Together
Every generation is entrusted with something worth caring for—the land beneath our feet, the food on our tables, the businesses that sustain rural communities, and the knowledge we pass on to future generations.
Across the Inland Northwest, producers, researchers, healthcare professionals, educators, entrepreneurs, conservationists, and community leaders are discovering these challenges are deeply connected.
The Farm & Food Symposium exists to bring those connections to life through inspiring stories, practical learning, meaningful conversations, and new partnerships.
Because the future isn't something we inherit. It's something we grow.
Become a Partner
Help Grow What's Next
The future of agriculture isn't built by any one farm, organization, or business. It grows when people come together around a shared vision.
By partnering with the Farm & Food Symposium, you're helping bring together producers, researchers, educators, healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, conservation leaders, and community members who are shaping the future of agriculture across the Inland Northwest.
Together, we're creating practical solutions, strengthening regional partnerships, and building momentum that continues long after the symposium ends.
Thank You to Our 2025 Conference Sponsors
