The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture would like to partner with Northwest Arkansas produce growers for an exciting opportunity to create value-added products from surplus produce. A grant is now available from the USDA AMS Farmers Market Promotion Program to launch the “Expanding Farmers’ Opportunities” program. (Downloadable Flyer)
The goal of the program is to partner with and help horticultural produce growers in Northwest Arkansas develop value-added products from their surplus produce (unsold or second-grade) using the food manufacturing facility at the UA System Arkansas Food Innovation Center (AFIC), with a focus on shelf-stable, value-added products (VAP) in the low acid food category. The recipe for the VAP will be developed by a team at Brightwater Center for the Study of Food, and the product will be made at AFIC. A team at the University of Arkansas Walton College of Business will also develop a business plan to guide the new venture. All of these services will be provided at no cost to the selected partnering growers. The VAP product can be sold by the grower at the Farmers Market or other venues.
Participating growers should anticipate a one-year commitment from ideation to product launch. As a grower, you will get: a commercially viable recipe, training and help with using specialty (retort) equipment for producing low-acid VAPs, marketing advice, and at the end of the program a portfolio including a recipe of your product, a food safety plan for processing, and a business plan. Creating a culture of local food processing can aid growers’ income and enrich the customer experience at the market.
Complete the 5-10-minute survey to help the program by providing information about the produce growers in Northwest Arkansas. In addition, this survey will be used to select NWA produce growers for participation.
Recent Comments