ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The 19th annual Business of Farming Conference, presented by ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project), will be held Feb. 26 at the Mission Health/A-B Tech Conference Center. The conference focuses on the business side of farming, offering beginning and established farmers financial, legal, management, and marketing tools to improve their farm businesses and make new professional connections.
More than a dozen workshops, including six new, will be led by innovative farmers and specialists. Returning topics include a business planning track in collaboration with Mountain Bizworks; legal tools from Ward & Smith, P.A.’s Agribusiness Practice Group; and farmer panels on Community Supported Agriculture, selling to restaurants, and more. Among the new sessions for 2022 are “Dynamics of Farm Employment,” “Food Relief Sites as Market Outlets,” and “Building Your Online Presence.”
“From accounting to marketing, the knowledge we have gained from farmers at ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference has been essential to our growth,” said Stephanie Vinat, owner at The AppaLatin Farmstead. Vinat will present in two workshops at this year’s conference, “Direct Marketing for Niche and Culturally Significant Crops” and “Diversifying with Value-Added Ventures.”
The popular Grower-Buyer Meeting, in which farmers meet with chefs, grocers, wholesalers, and other buyers to discuss their products and potential business relationships, will be held at lunchtime. Other networking opportunities include one-on-one sessions and an exhibitor hall. Embedded within the conference is the Farmers Market Summit, a chance for farmers market managers from across the region to come together for peer-sharing, technical assistance support, and annual planning.
Registration is now open at asapconnections.org. The cost is $75 by Feb. 1 and $95 after, with a discount for farm partners registering together. Scholarships are available for limited resource and BIPOC farmers. The registration price includes a locally sourced lunch, sponsored by Farm Burger, and breakfast.
Support for the Business of Farming Conference is provided in part by the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, Dogwood Health Trust, NC Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, Southern Extension Risk Management Education Center, and Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education.
ABOUT ASAP (APPALACHIAN SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE PROJECT)
ASAP’s mission is to help local farms thrive, link farmers to markets and supporters, and build healthy communities through connections to local food. To learn more, visit asapconnections.org.
–Sarah Hart, ASAP
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