March 11, 2005
Purdue workshops explore expanding ag specialty markets
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Three one-day workshops will offer insights on the trends, market requirements and marketing tools needed to help break into agricultural specialty markets.
The workshops, co-sponsored by the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, will take place April 15 at Hilger's Farm Restaurant in Fort Wayne, Ind., June 10 at the Purdue Extension office in Noblesville, Ind., and Aug. 5 at the Clark County 4-H Center in Charlestown, Ind.
"We are combining tools and practical experience from people who are actually in the market, and that's a great way to offer a program," said Corinne Alexander, agricultural economist and workshop coordinator. "These workshops will offer a broad perspective on specialty crops, especially those that don't have established markets yet, such as blue corn and spelt."
Spelt is a type of grain similar to corn, but higher in protein.
Workshop topics include:
• Marketing tools used by successful businesses.
• Identifying profitable customers and how to promote customer relationships.
• Current production and market trends in Indiana, including insights into future opportunities.
• New ways to produce and market livestock, as well as enterprises such as goats and pastured poultry.
• Production and marketing alternatives for horticultural crops, such as direct marketing, agritourism, greenhouse operations, organics and season extension.
• Value-added agriculture, including food entrepreneurship.
• Production and marketing of specialty grains, such as organic grain, blue corn, flax, spelt and niger seed.
Registration for each workshop begins at 8 a.m., with sessions running from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Early registration is $15 if received by April 1 for the Fort Wayne workshop, by May 27 for the Noblesville workshop and by July 22 for the Charlestown workshop. After the early registration deadlines, the cost is $20. The registration fee includes lunch and snacks.
To register, contact Patt Sheahan at (765) 494-4310, shehanp@purdue.edu.
The workshops are partially funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency.
For more information on the workshops, contact Alexander at (765) 494-4249, cealexan@purdue.edu. A workshop brochure is available online.
The Purdue Small Farms and Sustainable Agriculture Team, Purdue's Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue Extension and the USDA-RMA are co-sponsoring the workshops.
Writer: Timi Jo Jordan, (765) 494-8402, agnews-stories@purdue.edu
Source: Corinne Alexander, (765) 494-4249, cealexan@purdue.edu
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722; Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu
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