Events

AGAware is a program that seeks to promote and educate the next generation of young, beginning, small and underserved farmers. AGAware is comprised of three divisions:

• Educational workshops
• Proactive community involvement projects to promote agriculture
• Speakers bureau to promote agriculture and educate

The AGAware program will offer insight into topics that include the following:

• Balance Sheets
• Income Statements
• Personal Finance
• Credit Bureau Scores
• Risk Management
• Succession Planning
• Building a Budget
• Accrual Income
• Available Finance Programs for YBSM

Come learn about how to assess soil health on the farm, the practices that support it, and why it’s important. We’ll cover the basics of how soil fertility, physical properties, and soil biology are related, and discuss a variety of management strategies that promote soil health, including what researchers at Clemson have learned from years of no-till research. We’ll tour research plots at Clemson’s Student Organic Farm, and demo soil sampling techniques and key organic no-till equipment. We’ll also cover different soil testing methods, and discuss which might be right for your farm.

Who Should Attend: Produce growers who must meet the requirements of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule.

The PSA Grower Training Course is a way to satisfy the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirement outlined in § 112.22(c) that requires ‘At least one supervisor or responsible party for your farm must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration.’

What to Expect at the PSA Grower Training Course:
First Day: 8:30am-5:00pm
The trainers will spend all day teaching the content contained in these seven modules:
- Introduction to Produce Safety
- Worker Health, Hygiene, and Training
- Soil Amendments
- Wildlife, Domesticated Animals, and Land Use
- Agricultural Water (Part I: Production Water; Part II: Postharvest Water)
- Postharvest Handling and Sanitation
- How to Develop a Farm Food Safety Plan

Snacks and Lunch will be provided, please note of any food allergies or preferences

In addition to learning about produce safety best practices, key parts of the FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements are outlined within each module.

After attending the entire course, participants will receive a certificate from the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) that verifies they have completed the training course. To receive an AFDO certificate, a participant must be present for the entire training and submit the appropriate paperwork to their trainer at the end of the course.

If you need a food safety course for the Cold Storage Cost Share Program this will satisfy that requirement.

This is the first event of its kind in the Lowcountry and will offer insight and education specific to the Southeast region.  The event features esteemed flower growers Debra Prinzing (Driving force behind the Slow Flower Movement) and Rita Anders of http://www.cutsofcolor.com/ , along with other speakers, a design component/panel, and a meet and greet reception.

The cost to attend is $25 for the welcome reception on 8/26 and $75 for the workshop on 8/27.

South Carolina Farm to Institution, in partnership with the South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Control’s Division of Diabetes, Heart Disease, and School Health, will be hosting the second annual SC Farm to Institution Summit. This year’s theme is Planting Seeds of Innovation.

With growing interest in ginger and turmeric, many health professionals, researchers, farmers, and food and beverage professionals are turning their attention toward these healthy spices. In order to cultivate new ideas and further grow the industry, Virginia State University is hosting the first National Ginger & Turmeric Conference in Richmond, Virginia this fall. The three-day conference is targeted at the agricultural, health, and culinary professionals who work or are considering working with ginger and turmeric. It will showcase the latest science and technology related to production, product development and health, as well as feature success stories and marketing strategies.

he Sustainable Agriculture Conference brings together farmers, foodies, ag-tivists, and experts for a weekend of celebration of innovation in local, sustainable agriculture.

Attendees will experience a supportive and interactive event featuring local farmer-mentors as well as experts from various sectors of our agricultural system.

Check out these unparalleled opportunities to learn and connect:

• 60 workshops in 3 incredible days for roughly 1,000 attendees from the Carolinas and experts from around the country.

• 70-table exhibit hall with premium spaces available on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Networking opportunities – regional and topical meetings, buyer/producer meet-up, seed exchange, meet-and-eat reception, and more!

• Local and organic meals.