Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Leopold Center workshop to focus on niche markets for farmers

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March 9, 2010

AMES, Iowa -- The latest research and tools on building and managing niche enterprises, local food distribution networks and other market opportunities for farmers will be presented Thursday, April 1 at a no-cost workshop hosted by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture at Iowa State University.

The day-long event will feature short presentations by leaders of more than 20 projects funded by the Leopold Center's Marketing and Food Systems Initiative, and activities of the Value Chain Partnerships and other Center working groups. The workshop will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Gateway Hotel and Conference Center in Ames with registration beginning at 7:30 a.m.

“This annual event is our opportunity to showcase what has been learned from a diverse array of projects and working groups that the Leopold Center has funded or coordinated,” says Rich Pirog, associate director and program leader of the Center’s Marketing and Food Systems Initiative.

Keynote speaker Anthony Flaccavento, former director of Appalachian Sustainable Development and current president of SCALE, Inc., will share the inspirational story of how a regional food value chain selling to large retail outlets was built with small- and midsize farmers in the rural Appalachian region of Virginia and Tennessee.

Headlining the workshop will be reports from seven working groups that focus on niche pork, local and regional foods, fruit and vegetable production, small meat processing plants, grass-based livestock, energy and agroforestry. Several concurrent sessions will highlight results and updates of active Leopold Center projects. Topics include:

  • Tracking food system impacts;
  • New farmers and new students in sustainable agriculture;
  • New tools to build local and regional food businesses;
  • Farm to School and Farm to College programs;
  • Building resilient local food systems;
  • Local and regional food distribution and fresh produce value chains, and
  • Adding value to alternative crops (such as aronia berries and paw paw fruit) and meat products.
  • In addition to these topics, workshop participants will have an opportunity to visit with the leaders of 10 new marketing and food system projects underway at the Leopold Center.

The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required by March 24 to ensure a lunch ticket. Register on-line or call the Leopold Center, (515) 294-3711 to make a reservation. 

For more info contact:

Rich Pirog, Associate Director, rspirog@iastate.edu, (515) 294-1854

Laura Miller, Leopold Center Communications, (515) 294-5272, lwmiller@iastate.edu

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