As growing season approaches, things seem to be heating up in the fields rather than in the conference centers! If you would like to list an event in the FAS Update, please contact Katie Eukel at keukel@headwatersgroup.com.

June 24-25, 2005
Rural Development Initiatives, Inc. (RDI)'s "Regards to Rural III."
Resort at the Mountain, Welches, Oregon.
A gathering to inform, inspire and celebrate all that is rural! This year, in response to emerging trends in rural communities, five tracks will be offered: Entrepreneurship and Innovation; Culture and Community; Leadership Skills; Model Projects and Case Studies; and Rural Policy. Watch the RDI website for more information & registration forms http://www.rdiinc.org. For more information, contact RDI at rdi@rdiinc.org or 541.684.9077.

July 6-8, 2005
Iowa State University's "New Directions in Federal Farm Policy: Issues for the 2007 Farm Bill"
Ames, Iowa
This policy summit will explore current issues and gather input on what should be included in the next farm bill. Contact: Paul Lasley, ISU Sociology, (515) 294-0937, plasley@iastate.edu.

July 8-9, 2005
The Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society's Summer Symposium & Farm Tour
Comstock and Fertile, Minnesota
The Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society has scheduled its annual summer on-farm event for the Robin Brekken and Jim Todahl farms near Comstock and Fertile, Minnesota. For more information, please see: http://www.npsas.org/Upcoming.html.

July 10-23, 2005
The University of California-Santa Cruz's "International Shortcourse on Agroecology" Santa Cruz, CA
For information and questions on the course, please visit the web site at http://www.agroecology.org/shortcourse.htm or contact the course organizer, Sarah Levitan, at course@communityagroecology.net, Tel. 831-459-3619 or Fax. 831-459-2867.

July 11, 2005
Growing Growers' "Taste Your Vegetables" Workshop
Raytown and Kansas City, Missouri
4:00-7:00
This Growing Growers workshop focuses on ways that growers can communicate the excitement of taste with customers. A local chef will lead this workshop that tours and tastes fresh, delicious and interesting produce at two area farms. For more information, please see: http://www.growinggrowers.org/workshop.htm.

July 20-23, 2005
Practical Farmers of Iowa's 2005 Midwest Environmental Education Conference, "Winds of Change."
North Iowa Area Community College, Mason City, Iowa
For more information, please see: http://www.niacc.edu/meec/ or contact Carol Schutte at (641) 422-4319.

July 27-30, 2005
Sustainable Farming Association of Central Minnesota's "Windy River Renewable Energy and Sustainable Agriculture Fair"
Little Falls, Minnesota
This 5th annual fair takes place in conjunction with the Morrison County Fair. It will include workshops, demonstrations and exhibits, as well as off-site tours. For more information, please see: http://www.windyriver.us/.

July 30-August 4, 2005
Soil and Water Conservation Society's (SWCS) Annual Conference
Hyatt Regency and Riverside Convention Center, Rochester, New York
The SWCS annual conference brings together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers at all levels of government, along with a broad cross-section of other interest groups, to explore current issues in natural resource management and planning. For more information, visit SWCS's web site.