Marbleseed Conference 2026 - Session

How can we move beyond our current polarization and develop a vision and strategy for an alternative that works for the majority? Can we build a world grounded in solidarity, community, and sustainability rather than competition, individualism, and waste? In this session, Stephanie Luce speak about the ways our system is not working to serve the needs of people or the planet and draws from her book Practical Radicals: Seven Strategies to Change the World to suggest ways forward.

Word is out that our synthetic-heavy global fashion industry has profoundly negative impacts across the board–from water usage, PFAS, and labor practices. The Midwest has the unique potential to be part of the solution by growing flax for textile linen and a wide range of other uses.

This session will highlight the benefits of flax as a crop that can diversify rotations and open new markets for farmers. Learn about past, current, and future efforts to scale up production, harvest, and processing for this emerging crop. The product potential for flax is robust and wide-ranging, making this crop a promising part of a sustainable and climate smart bio-regional economy.

Hear directly from a panel of farmers and ag professionals who have implemented conservation practices on their own operations and are seeing real-world results. This panel will explore how producers are integrating practices such as cover cropping, managed grazing, nutrient management, and habitat enhancements to protect soil, water, and biodiversity while supporting farm viability. Panelists will share what motivated them to get started, the challenges they faced, lessons learned along the way, and how conservation fits into their overall farm goals.