BROOKINGS, S.D. — The South Dakota Specialty Producers Association and SDSU Extension are seeking input from commercial producers.
“We want to better understand production and marketing of specialty crops and other local foods in the state,” said Rhoda Burrows, Professor & SDSU Extension Horticulture Specialist.
Burrows calls out to South Dakota growers of fruits, vegetables, herbs, nuts, hops, nursery crops and flowers, as well as producers of honey, specialty types of poultry, meats, grains or dairy, and related processed foods. By filling out the survey, growers will benefit their industry.
According to Burrows, the results will help better target educational programming, partnerships, and promotion of local food efforts.
“In addition, it will help describe the economic impact of specialty crops in South Dakota,” she said.
“We invite you to complete our annual survey to ensure that we continue to meet your needs and help advance local food efforts in the state,” said Kim Brannen, president of South Dakota Specialty Producers Association.
Participant prizes and more survey details
The short survey requests information from 2016, including crops and products produced, markets utilized, food safety requirements requested from buyers, production approach, technologies utilized and producer needs.
The link to the S.D. Specialty Crops Producer Annual Survey for 2016, as well as results from the 2015 survey, can be found on the homepage of the South Dakota Specialty Producers Association website at http://www.sdspecialtyproducers.org.
The survey will take approximately 10-15 minutes and information will remain strictly confidential. Data will be presented only in an aggregated form. Results will be shared with local food partners including the S.D. Departments of Agriculture, Tourism and Health, and others who serve local food producers across the state.
Participants who complete the survey can enter into a drawing for prizes which include resource guides such as “Market Farming Success” or “Wholesale Success” and a gift certificate towards the 2017 Local Foods Conference in Spearfish Nov. 3-4, 2017.
Winners will be notified by email or phone.
“This survey is part of a larger effort by SDSU Extension and South Dakota Specialty Producers Association to support specialty crop producers by connecting them with resources, customers, agri-tourism markets, networking and educational opportunities,” Burrows said.
This effort is supported by a Specialty Crop Block Grant funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the South Dakota Department of Agriculture.
— SDSU Extension
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