Beginning Farmer Training to Focus on Local Food Opportunities

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From HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY NEWS
July 1, 2010
For more information, contact:

Sarah Crane, Agricultural Program Manager
Florida West Coast Resource Conservation & Development Council

Phone: (941) 961-7060
Beginning Farmer Training to Focus on Local Food Opportunities
What: FREE Agriculture Business Development Seminar for New, Beginning and Aspiring Farmers
When: Thursday, July 15, 6:00 p.m.
Where: SouthShore Library, 15816 Beth Shields Way in Ruskin

Hillsborough County's Agriculture Industry Development Program has partnered with the Florida West Coast Resource Conservation & Development Council to provide a free agricultural business development training seminar for new, beginning and aspiring farmers.

This seminar will focus on "Opportunities in Local Food" & "Selling Your Products Locally." Two farms, Heart of the Garden Farms and Brown's Grove, will share insights and expertise they have learned along the way.

Topics will include:
. Niche marketplaces
. Key factors to success
. Marketing language
. Product presentation
. Labeling your products and more!


To register, contact Sarah Crane, Agricultural Program Manager, Florida West Coast Resource Conservation & Development Council, at (941) 961-7060. For more information, visit http://www.farmertraining.org/.
The Hillsborough County Agriculture Industry Development Program is a section of the Hillsborough County Economic Development Department. The purpose of the County's Agriculture Industry Development Program is to initiate and assist with efforts to create a business atmosphere that is conducive to the continuation and expansion of agricultural businesses within Hillsborough County for the benefit of all its residents.
In 2008, more than $800 million in agriculture products were sold from Hillsborough County, with almost 240,000 acres devoted to agriculture in the County. The top three agricultural products by sales were strawberries, ornamental plants and vegetables. For more information on Hillsborough County's agricultural industry, visit the County's Agricultural Industry Development Program online.
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