NWT’s 2027 agrifood conference to take place in Hay River

The Territorial Agrifood Association is preparing to organize its annual conference outside Yellowknife for the first time next year.

While all previous Grow NWT conferences were held within the territorial capital, Hay River has been chosen as the location for the 2027 event.

The decision was part of an agreement TAA recently signed with the town regarding a separate project, though agrifood association boss Janet Dean said it wasn’t the sole reason Hay River was picked.

Dean said the intention was to maximize participation from outside Yellowknife.

“We now want to take it out into a community where we have a lot of active commercial production,” she told Cabin Radio, “and where we have farmers and growers, historically, that have had a lot of success and demonstrated great resiliency – but also innovation and opportunity.”

According to Dean, the theme for next year is opportunities in agriculture. The organization believes Hay River is “primed and ready.”

Dean said the town’s commitment to agriculture – including redevelopment plans tied to the former Northern Farm Training Institute site and broader support for related industries – made it a strong fit.

She pointed to existing activity in the community, including commercial farming, waste management and production of biochar, a form of charcoal intended for organic use.

The 2027 conference will highlight a research program launched this year in which local growers test crops and methods under northern conditions.

The conference is tentatively planned for the end of March, likely March 25-27.

The first day will feature a growers’ forum with producers sharing updates, lessons learned and best practices from community and commercial farming, Dean said.

Day two involves research updates, innovation showcases and presentations from sector partners.

The final day is open to the broader community, with workshops on topics such as seed swapping and skills development.

Dean said the event will include opportunities to tour indoor growing operations in the region and connect with local producers, though she noted that winter conditions will limit on-site field tours. Organizers hope to bring participants back in summer 2028 to engage more directly with on-the-land projects.

While funding considerations have often limited participation in past years, Dean said logistical support from the Town of Hay River will help expand attendance by freeing up resources for travel and bringing in more participants from across the territory.

She said the broader goal of the conference continues to evolve each year, from raising awareness of the sector to sharing knowledge, building community and now focusing on tangible growth.

“We want to see more people producing food that we can measure,” she said.

“We want to know that there are new farms opening up, new growers starting new businesses that support the agriculture sector.

“We’ll have people at the conference who are the idea-makers, that can showcase some of the new things that can be done that enable producers with less budgets to be able to get actively involved in the sector – so we really want it to be about opportunities and seeing people take those opportunities as a result.”