By Scout Nelson
The Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) and K-State Research and Extension (KSRE) have joined forces to offer a series of Local Food Producer Workshops. Aimed at supporting farmers' market vendors, managers, and those interested in selling food products directly to consumers, these workshops are a vital resource for Kansas's agricultural community.
Kansas's over 100 registered farmers’ markets are not just food sources; they are economic stimulants. Recognizing this, KDA's marketing director, Russell Plaschka, emphasizes the importance of these workshops in fulfilling their mission to educate and grow Kansas’s agricultural businesses.
Each workshop, while varying slightly by location, will cover critical topics including Marketing, SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks, Food Safety, Regulations on Selling Meat, Eggs, and Poultry, and Sales Tax for Vendors. KDA’s weights and measures program offers free scale certification at these events.
Scheduled dates and locations are:
- Feb. 9 in Olathe at K-State Olathe
- Feb. 10 in Hutchinson at Hutchinson Community College
- Feb. 23 in Parsons at the Southeast Research–Extension Center
- March 1 in Hays at the K-State Agricultural Research Center
Registration, available at FromtheLandofKansas.com/FMworkshop or local extension offices, is $20 per participant. Robin Dolby, KDA’s marketing coordinator, can be contacted for more information at 785-564-6756.
These workshops, funded by the Kansas Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Alternative Crops, Kansas Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, and sponsored by KSRE and KDA, represent a significant step in bolstering Kansas's local food markets and agricultural sustainability.
Photo Credit - gettyimages-shotbydave
Categories: Kansas, Education