By Blake Jackson
Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences has introduced a new project to assist agricultural producers in navigating the challenges of microgreens production.
Funded by the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, this initiative aims to equip established and aspiring microgreens producers with essential knowledge to strengthen and diversify their businesses.
Microgreens, known for their year-round availability and high demand, offer a lucrative opportunity for producers. However, challenges such as maintaining quality, ensuring food safety, managing disease, and securing financing and markets can hinder their success.
"Microgreens production presents a promising avenue for producers to diversify their operations and capitalize on growing market demands," stated Francesco Di Gioia, associate professor of vegetable crop science and project co-director. "Through this project, we aim to provide producers with indispensable risk management strategies to enable them to thrive in this competitive sector."
The project will feature a series of monthly webinars focused on production issues, marketing and business planning, food safety, and legal considerations. Additionally, two local workshops will offer hands-on training.
“Our project is unique in that we not only provide education on production issues, but we also include business planning and marketing and address potential legal issues,” said Claudia Schmidt, assistant professor of agricultural economics and project co-director.
Other project members include Kathy Kelley, professor of horticultural marketing and management; Brook Duer, staff attorney at Penn State Law; and Jeff Stoltzfus, Leah Fronk, and Robin Perry-Smith, Penn State Extension educators.
The educational series will commence on October 24 with the inaugural webinar, "Microgreens: Commercial and Nutritional Value Explored." This session will delve into the definition of microgreens, their nutritional quality, and the associated opportunities and risks of making nutritional claims.
The webinar is offered free of charge, but pre-registration by October 23 is required to access the webinar link. Participants will also receive a link to the recorded webinar, which will be available for six months. For more information visit the Penn State Extension website.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-eugenesergeev
Categories: Pennsylvania, Crops, Education