Gail Feenstra, ASI faculty Affiliate Shermain Hardesty and Winters farm owner Dianne Madison are panelists in the discussion “Specialty Food Market Opportunities for Small Farmers” at the Small Farm Conference.

In this workshop, we will explore new market opportunities for small and mid-scale farmers. We will focus on the regulations for becoming Cottage Food and specialty food producers. We will also share results from very recent research about how farmers can become suppliers to specialty food manufacturers. Dianne Madison, a farmer and olive oil producer, will describe how she became a specialty food producer, and more recently—an ingredient supplier to an artisanal chocolatier. She will also describe how she has addressed some marketing challenges and how her specialty food business supports her farming operation.

Learn more about the conference workshops and register to attend here: http://www.californiafarmconference.com/