Sessions to Focus on Fruit, Vegetable Production and Marketing

WASHINGTON, Kan. – Grapes to raspberries, high tunnels to marketing – all of these topics and more will be covered at a conference for specialty crop growers in Washington, Kan. on Saturday, Feb. 25.

The North Central Kansas Commercial Enterprises: Production-Marketing-Management Conference, sponsored by K-State Research and Extension, is planned for Saturday, Feb. 25 at Washington High School, 115 North D St. in Washington, Kan.

“This is a professional development opportunity for anyone who’s either growing fruits and vegetables as a business or who is considering such an enterprise,” said David Coltrain, horticulture agent with the K-State Research and Extension River Valley District.

The conference begins with registration at 8:30 a.m., with the program starting at 8:50 a.m. The cost to attend, which includes lunch, is $25 if paid by Feb. 15, or $35 if paid after that date. Students may attend at a reduced rate.

The day features three general session presentations, including

•    Direct Marketing Strategies – Mykel Taylor, K-State agricultural economist.

•    Move Your Hobby Enterprise to a Business – David Coltrain, K-State River Valley Extension District agent.

•    Produce Auction: Could it Work Here? – Tim Baker, University of Missouri Extension.

Participants can also attend three different breakout sessions from a choice of 20 topics. Speakers include growers, as well as university specialists and extension agents.

The conference is sponsored by K-State Research and Extension, Washington County Farm Bureau and the North Central Kansas Specialty Crop Project. It is funded in part through rural business development tax credits, administered by the Kansas Department of Commerce and as invested by the North Central Regional Planning Commission and North Central Kansas Community Network.

More information is available at www.rivervalley.ksu.edu or by contacting Coltrain at 785-325-2121 or coltrain@ksu.edu.