MarketReady Workshop Scheduled for Oct. 31 in Covington

By Johnny Morgan, LSU AgCenter

The LSU AgCenter will conduct the final MarketReady Workshop of 2017 at its St. Tammany Parish office in Covington on Oct. 31.

The one-day workshop will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will conclude at 3:30 p.m., with a working lunch included.

Seven workshops have already been held throughout the state to help small - to - medium - scale producers with best business practices. The workshops will continue in March 2018.

AgCenter extension associate Alessandro Holzapfel said the workshop will prepare these small growers to sell to restaurants, schools and grocery stores.

“We are interested in meeting and working with producers of fruits, vegetables and other specialty crops. However, we also hope to see producers of meat and dairy products and fishermen at these events,” Holzapfel said. “Anyone who is interested in learning more about how to best go about selling their products in more ways than just the local farmers market should attend.”

The workshop provides professional marketing education to improve sales relationships and provides networking opportunities with potential buyers, he said.

“Some of the things we will be presenting to the growers is how to price and package their products, the importance of good record keeping and obtaining the proper insurance for their operation,” he said.

To make the workshops possible, the AgCenter partners with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Louisiana Department of Education.

MarketReady training is free, but participants are required to register online at http://bit.ly/2gZOPK2.

The AgCenter St. Tammany office is located at 1301 N. Florida St. in Covington.

For additional information, contact Holzapfel at 225-578-2701.