This presentation will provide an overview of food safety regulations and GAP certifications that are often needed when growing, harvesting, packing, and holding fresh fruits and vegetables. Area specialized agent for food safety, Elena Rogers, will discuss practices that all farms should consider following in order to minimize the risk of microbial contamination during the [...]

Speaker: Jennifer Badger, NC Cooperative Extension, Empowering Mountain Food Systems (EMFS) Join us for this essential course designed to help farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs establish a strong foundation for their ventures. Whether you are starting a new farm or looking to optimize your existing operations, this class will guide you through the process of forming a Limited [...]

Speaker: Jennifer Badger, NC Cooperative Extension, EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems In today’s fast-paced business environment, understanding your financial landscape is crucial for informed decision-making. This comprehensive course, "Compiling Quarterly Reports," equips you with the skills to organize data effectively, analyze your business performance, and forecast for future success. TOPICS COVERED: Organizing Data: Learn best practices [...]

Speaker: Jennifer Badger, NC Cooperative Extension, EmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems Online Elevate your farm's marketing efforts with our practical and engaging class on creating impactful sell sheets. Designed specifically for farmers, this course will teach you how to develop compelling sell sheets that effectively showcase your products and capture the interest of potential buyers. IN THIS CLASS, YOU [...]

Speaker: Jess Mrugala, NC Cooperative Extension, Empowering Mountain Food Systems (EMFS) Grants can be successful methods for accessing capital for new or existing farm or food businesses, but it can be a challenge to know where to start. This workshop will walk you through the process of finding the right grants for your business, provide tools for writing [...]

Are you thinking about starting a farm and feeling overwhelmed by all the decisions? This one-half day workshop can help. It is designed to assist new and aspiring farmers in taking the first steps in thinking through farm start-up (whether you already have land access or not). Thoughtfully defining your goals and strategy before you start farming can prevent [...]