What to Expect

Since our founding, the annual conference has been a keystone event for sharing knowledge, building connections and celebrating agriculture in Iowa (and good food!). As our conference grows to nearly 1,000 attendees, we are pleased to offer 60-plus sessions on a wide variety of agricultural topics, 70-plus exhibitors, locally sourced meals and a spirit of curiosity and community. We hope to see you there!


Things to look forward to:

  • Reuniting in person with old friends, and making new ones
  • Conference meals and snacks sourced from PFI members and local businesses
  • A silent auction of PFI experiences
  • PFI storytelling
  • PFI dinner + pickles and preserves potluck
  • A Friday evening keynote by Donna Pearson McClish
  • Three pre-conference short courses
  • 60-plus farmer-led sessions, including general sessions, roundtables, farmer-to-farmer sessions and lightning talks
  • 77 of our sessions approved for certified crop advisor CEU credits

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PFI Dinner + Pickles & Preserves Potluck

Friday, 7-11 p.m. | CPMI Event Center

PFI will provide the main and side dishes, but the potluck contributions make this a truly festive event!

What is a “pickles & preserves potluck,” you ask?

Can it wait in your car during a January day? Can it sit out for a couple of hours in the evening? Is it cheese? Jam? Pickles? Summer sausage? Kraut? Does it go on pork? Does it go on bread? Is it beer? If the answer to any of these questions is “yes,” bring it to the potluck with a serving utensil. Free with your conference registration; free-will donations for dinner are accepted.


Past PFI Annual Conferences

Take a look at the webpages for previous annual conferences to help get a better idea of what conferences are all about.

2020 annual conference

2021 Annual Conference

2022 Annual Conference


Past Annual Conference Photos

Click the buttons below to look at photos from past conferences.

2020 conference photo highlights

2022 conference photo highlights


About Practical Farmers of Iowa

Practical Farmers of Iowa is a non-profit, founded in 1985 as an organization for farmers, led by farmers. Rooted firmly in farmer-to-farmer knowledge-sharing, network-building and farmer-led research, we have expanded our work in what we call “farm viability” – offering multiple cost-share opportunities, farm business coaching programs, landowner and farm transition support and first-generation farmer mentoring.