Farmers who sell products at farmers markets will have an opportunity to learn how to increase sales, improve customer relationships and navigate business tax rules at six Farmers Market Boot Camp Workshops across Tennessee in February and March, including one in Chattanooga on March 5. These workshops will be taught by specialists from University of Tennessee Extension and Tennessee Department of Agriculture and are open to all farmers markets vendors.
The Farmers Market Boot Camp Workshops will be held in Memphis (Feb. 24), Dyersburg (Feb. 25), Dickson (Feb. 26), Fayetteville (March 4), Chattanooga (March 5) and Harriman (March 6) and will last from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
The workshops are intended for farmers market vendors and will cover the following topics:
Get on Board—How to Increase Sales with Electronic Payments and SNAP
Calling All Cooks—Food Manufacturing With a Domestic Food Permit
Are You Covered? Be Informed About Liability Risk
Calling All Cooks—Food Manufacturing in a Commercial Kitchen
Catch Your Customers’ Eye With a Great Booth Display
Keep the Wolves at Bay—Know the Rules About Business Tax
A Grower’s Perspective: Helping Customers Get What They Want at the Farmers Market
Guidelines for Sampling Produce at the Farmers Market
Preregister to attend the workshops by contacting Nancy Austin at naustin@utk.edu or at 865.974-7717. There is no cost to attend but preregistration is required at least five days prior to the workshop. Due to space limitations, registration is limited to 40 participants in some locations.
This workshop qualifies as one course toward the educational requirements to receive 50 percent TAEP cost share for ONLY: Fruits & Vegetables and Value-Added diversification sectors. For additional information regarding educational programs for TAEP credit, please contact Erica Alexander at the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, 615.837-5344.
For more information about the workshop locations and directions, visit https://ag.tennessee.edu/cpa under educational events.
Other questions can be directed to Hal Pepper at the Center for Profitable Agriculture: 931.486-2777 or hal.pepper@utk.edu.