FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 13, 2014

For more information:
Dustin Crutchfield
Public Relations Department
Glenville State College
(304) 462-6390
Dustin.Crutchfield@glenville.edu

Glenville, WV – West Virginia farmers can learn from agricultural, business, and production experts at two unique events scheduled for Friday, January 24th and Saturday, January 25th at Glenville State College.

On Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m., certification training on Good Agricultural Practices and Good Handling Practices provided by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture will take place on the third floor of the Mollohan Campus Community Center. The training is aimed at improving safety in production and the quality of marketed produce. On Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., the Farm Opportunities Day Conference will be held in the Mollohan Campus Community Center on the main campus. That event will help attendees maximize their business potential for small farms through trusted training from state and local experts.

The conference is a collaborative effort of Glenville State College, the West Virginia Small Business Development Center, and the West Virginia University Extension Service and Small Farm Center. The goal of the conference is to help farmers learn how they can profit from the multi-million dollar food market in central West Virginia.

"We encourage anyone that is interested to join us for these events including working farmers who want to expand their operations and hobby farmers who want to expand beyond farmers markets. Our goal is to bring some of the services to local farmers that were not available to them without traveling to other parts of the state. There is a great opportunity for local farmers to take advantage of the opportunity to cash in on the need for locally grown food. The food industry is experiencing a shift to locally grown food and they need more suppliers. This seminar will highlight the many opportunities that are available to local farmers," said Small Business Development Coordinator Larry Porter.

Conference participants will be able to choose from one of four course sessions that include livestock, vegetables and fruits, farm business management, and marketing. Additionally, a resource fair will be held during the conference that includes businesses, organizations, and outreach institutions. Attendees will be able to make connections and learn about local business opportunities from representatives who have backgrounds in everything from risk management to farm credit. Lunch and snacks will be provided to attendees of both the Friday and Saturday events.

Event organizers say that due to the need to make accommodations for training materials, walk-ins are discouraged for the Friday training session. However, there is still time to pre-register at $25 per person. Registrations for the Saturday conference are still being accepted at $20 per person. Registration will be accepted at the door, but pre-registration is preferred to help with logistics and food preparation. There is no cost for persons under the age of eighteen to attend the conference; however, registration is still required.

Those interested in attending should print and complete a registration form at www.anr.ext.wvu.edu/farm-opportunities or call any WVU Extension Service.

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This article has been updated to reflect the change of venue for the Friday, January 24th training. It was previously scheduled to take place in the new GSC Waco Center on the Mineral Road campus but now has been relocated to the Mollohan Campus Community Center Ballroom.