Tilth Conference 2024 Blog Post

by Jake McNeill, Student, Washington State University

My name is Jake McNeill, and I’m currently a senior at Washington State University, majoring in Organic and Sustainable Agriculture. Unlike most of my peers in CAHNRS, I do not come from a strong agricultural background. I grew up in the suburbs around Seattle and would spend my summers in Eastern Washington working on orchards with my family members. Through my studies and my work at WSU’s Eggert Family Organic Farm, I’ve heard about the Tilth Conference from previous years. It has always sounded intriguing to me, and I see it as an invaluable opportunity to connect with organic farmers and industry professionals. As a student, I believed attending would be a fantastic way to gain some insight in the practical-commercial side of organic agriculture and sustainability rather than solely the academic side. Beyond the information that was posted about the sessions I didn’t know what to expect from the conference. I’m glad to say I wasn’t disappointed.

I was particularly drawn to sessions focused on how new farmers can access land, as well as those discussing the organic market and business strategies. The emphasis on the grassroots values of organic agriculture and the importance of locality highlighted the need to build strong, personal networks and partnerships with fellow farmers and buyers. I also found Helen Atthowe’s keynote speech fascinating, as she addressed the broader shifts occurring within the agricultural industry. Her insights into the role education and scientific understanding play in farming reinforced the idea that approaching agriculture as a science provides farmers with a distinct advantage. As a student, this was encouraging to hear. In my personal experience, most of my interactions with people discussing my choice of studies has been meet with positivity and interest; however there has also been times that some people, mainly from non-agricultural backgrounds view agriculture as a “poor man’s profession” and that I would be better pursuing a career that could make more money or had higher prestige. This shift in agriculture is relieving to hear.

What surprised me most, however, was how many other attendees were eager to ask my classmates and me questions once they learned we were university students. I had entered the conference thinking that everyone would have more experience and knowledge than us. While this was certainly true when it came to the practical aspects of farming as a business, I was most surprised by the roundtable discussions, where farmers, advocates, and distributors actively sought our input during policy discussions.

There were many sessions in the conference that I wanted to attend but sadly I was not able to attend all of them. I got to speak with many interesting people from all around the Pacific Northwest all with unique backgrounds. I am satisfied to say I got to leave with some interesting and funny stories. The meals they served us were good, however primarily vegetarian made with organic produce which was considerate. We were also treated to unlimited free coffee, which we definitely took full advantage of and helped get us through the extremely busy weekend.