Small Farm Programs

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS: Below is a listing of annual classes and events, some of which are offered multiple times throughout the year. Please check our Calendar of Events for upcoming dates and locations.

Annie's Project

This six-week educational program designed to empower farm women to manage information systems used in critical decision making processes and to build local support networks, which is essential for continuing education and self-help. The target audience is women in agriculture with a passion for agri-business and/or involvement in an agri-business whether by marriage, inherited, or own and operate your own farm.

Farm women will receive training for managing information in all areas of Risk Management: Financial, Production, Marketing, Legal, and Human Resources. The program will be delivered in a series of six workshops that combine lecture, discussion, individual and group work and computer work. Topics include financial statements, recordkeeping, farm business planning, marketing plans, estate planning, alternative enterprises, and insurance. more...

Florida Small Farms Outreach Program

Series of televised workshops on a variety of topics including safe food handling, state food regulations, marketing, and packaging requirements.

Florida Small Farm Conference

Includes many activities that benefit small farmers including:

• A general educational session to attract well known speakers on topics of broad interest.
  
  
• Concurrent educational sessions (presentations, workshops, hands-on demonstration, and discussion groups) will be provided to share results of groundbreaking research and provide educational support for producers to operate sustainable and profitable enterprises.
  
  
• A large exhibition area to introduce new products and technologies to small producers will be available. Industry suppliers, allied organizations, educational groups, funding agencies, foundations, and other allied industry representatives with services for small farmers will be encouraged to participate. The 2009 conference attracted 80 exhibitors and well over 100 are expected in 2010.
  
  
• Other activities will include other creative ways to facilitate farmer networking at the Conference.
  
  
• All these activities in total will help facilitate networking, dialog, and visioning among members of the Florida small farms community, and to increase awareness of the small farms industry to decision makers, supporting institutions, and the general public.

See website for more infomation...

Master Goat and Sheep Producers' Certification Program

Comprehensive training program which offers classes on herd health, marketing, nutrition and pasture management, bio-security, bioterrorism awareness, quality assurance, disaster preparedness, reproductive management and more. Hands-on training in hoof trimming, assessing body condition scores, judging livestock, FAMACHA and microscopic fecal examinations, just to name a few. more...

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