WASHINGTON CO., N.Y. — Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Washington County is hosting its final session in a series of marketing workshops on Tuesday, October 8 to help the region’s farmers and food producers have a stronger presence in the marketplace and sell more product. This workshop will discuss the licenses needed to sell processed food, certifications available to help promote products and the labeling requirements to sell food at the retail level.
The workshop will take place from 6:00 to 8:30 pm at the Washington County Fairground’s main office on Old Schuylerville Road in Greenwich. The evening will be moderated by Jessica Ziehm, Washington CCE’s Taste NY Ag Marketing Educator, and will feature two guest experts:
- Roxanne Hill, Supervisor of Food Safety and Inspection from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets
- Alex Mytelka, the Grocery and Wellness Manager at Honest Weight Food Coop
“There’s a lot to producing a product that is ready to sell,” said Ziehm. “Having a good recipe is just the beginning. There are numerous rules and regulations to follow, as well as creativity needed to get your product on a store shelf and to catch the eye of the consumer. This workshop will provide insight and advice from both a regulator and food buyer on how to take your product to the next level.”
The first half of the session will focus on what is required to retail food products. Licenses, sanitation, labeling and more will be discussed to ensure attendees understand the rules of the game. The second half of the evening will discuss creative ways to enhance your odds of obtaining shelf space, consumer interest and ultimately, sales. The evening will be informative, but informal with discussion encouraged and examples presented. Those who plan to attend should consider bringing their product, labeling and/or packaging for a free assessment from the experts in an “Antiques Roadshow” type of approach.
Registration is not required, but appreciated. While this is the final session in this series of marketing workshops, CCE is planning to offer more during the winter months. To be added to the mailing list for future marketing workshops or to simply request one-on-one marketing assistance, please contact Jessica Ziehm at jaz67@cornell.edu or call CCE of Washington County at 518-746-2560.
–CCE Washington County
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