* Corporate Control of Our Food Supply: John Ikerd, author of Small Farms are Real Farms, will explain why the government adopted a cheap food policy and how it has failed. Dr. Ikerd and Patty Lovera of Food & Water Watch will talk about the 2012 Farm Bill, the proposed national leafy green marketing agreement, and other current battles between corporate agriculture and local food systems.
* Genetically Modified Foods: Howard Vlieger will explain the latest scientific discoveries about GMOs and the herbicide glyphosate, the new pathogen, and associated crop diseases and animal health problems. Dan Ravicher, lead attorney in the farmers' lawsuit against Monsanto, will give the latest news on the litigation front, and Cameron Molberg will explain the role of organics in fighting GMOs.
* Food Safety and Local Foods: Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, will talk about the farm raids occurring across the country and how you can use social media to fight back. Erin Flynn of Green Gate Farms will discuss the issues farm stands face with local regulations, and Mickey Morales will share stories from the state's working group on farmers market regulations.
* Raw Milk: Dr. Mark Shannan, Ramy Jisha of Texas Daily Harvest, and Brian Cummings will cover the human health benefits, the farmers' perspective, and how you can effectively communicate a pro-raw milk message to your community.
* Animal ID: Judith McGeary will explain USDA's new proposed rule, what it will and will not do, and how you can support our livestock and pastured poultry producers.
* Food Justice: Farmer and agtivist Brad Stufflebeam and anti-hunger advocates Matt Hess and Jeremey Everett will discuss how we can address hunger and poverty while still advocating for healthy, high-quality food.
* Water in Texas: In the middle of the worst drought on record, Sky Jones-Lewey will explain how riparian land management is critical to long-term water supplies. David Baker will share how Jacob's Well was saved and the current challenges facing Texans concerned about the future of our groundwater supplies.
* Effective Activism: Judith McGeary will use the fights for the Tester Amendment at the federal level and the raw milk & cottage foods bills at the state level to explain how you can become more effective at advocating for our farms and local foods.
