The North American Symbiotic Nitrogen Fixation Conference (NASNFC) has been held for the last 50 years, on a two to three-year cycle. While originally called the Rhizobium Conference in 1968, a title change was implemented several years ago to better reflect the geographic distribution of the majority of the participants, and to provide a broader focus that includes research on actinorhizal symbioses, associations with cyanobacteria, and associative nitrogen fixation.

Since its inception, the NASNFC has been a major vehicle by which these various disciplines have exchanged current information regarding nitrogen fixation research in North America. The subject matter at the conference is diverse, ranging from basic to applied aspects of nitrogen fixation research.