Agricultural Innovation Center

In this practical, hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to bring a food product to market.  Case studies of successful WI food business will provide insight and guidance as you begin developing your own brand positioning statement.  Regional experts Janet Ady, Jim Gage, and Andrea Neu will lead this workshop and be available to work with participants as you develop these important foundational pieces for the success of your business.  This workshop includes breakfast, lunch and materials.

Friday, September 10, 9 am-4 pm
First National Bank, 1625 10th Street, Monroe, WI
$20, advance registration required

Download Registration Brochure

More information is available by calling Green County Development Corporation at (608)328.9452 or emailing gcdc@tds.net

PRESENTED BY
Business FONDUE” – Food Organizations Network supporting the Development of Unique Enterprises
UW-Extension Agricultural Innovation Center
Thrive
Green County UW-Extension
with financial support for the US Economic Development Agency

Mark your calendars! The eXtension Entrepreneurship webinar series is back for the fourth season. All webinars will air monthly on the second Thursday at 2:00pm (ET); 1:00pm (CT); 12:00pm (MT); 11:00am (PT).

On Thursday, September 9, 2010 we open with a three-month series on specialty food businesses. September’s topic will be Starting Right in Specialty Foods. Join Brian Norder, Director of the Vermont Food Venture Center for an informative session on what it takes to start and grow a specialty food business. Brian has over a decade of experience assisting entrepreneurs in all phases of food-related business development.

On October 14 the webinar will focus on the importance of branding and will feature specialty food business owners Judith Moore of the Charleston Cookie Company (http://www.charlestoncookie.com) and Robin Rhea, Slather Sauce (http://www.slatheriton.com).

The November 11 webinar will conclude this series with a look at Culinary Tourism, an emerging niche that combines agriculture, specialty food and tourism. This presentation will feature a panel of Extension specialists working on Culinary Tourism initiatives.

No pre-registration is required and there is no fee to participate. About 10 minutes prior to the start time simply go the Adobe Connect Pro meeting room at http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/ecop/. You will be presented with a login screen that has an “Enter as Guest” option. Enter your full name then click “Enter Room” to join the conference. You will be able to hear the audio directly from your computer’s speakers.
Newcomers to online learning are welcome!

Thinking about starting a new food-based business?  Looking for ways to expand and develop your existing business?  Working with entrepreneurs who are?  Please help us spread the word about this exciting workshop!

Introduction to Branding and Marketing
$20, advance registration required
Friday, September 10, 9 am-4 pm
First National Bank, 1625 10th Street, Monroe

In this practical, hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to bring a food product to market.  Case studies of successful WI food business will provide insight and guidance as you begin developing your own brand positioning statement.  Regional experts Janet Ady, Jim Gage, and Andrea Neu will lead this workshop and be available to work with participants as you develop these important foundational pieces for the success of your business.  This workshop includes breakfast, lunch and materials.

Register by calling Green County Development Corporation at (608) 328.9452 or emailing gcdc@tds.net. Registration forms are also available on the GCDC website at www.GreenCountyEDC.com and at www.BusinessFondue.com.

Presented by

• Business FONDUE” – Food Organizations Network supporting the Development of Unique Enterprises
• UW-Extension: Agricultural Innovation Center
• Thrive
• Green County UW-Extension
• with financial support for the US Economic Development Agency

from Dr. Barbara Ingham, Food Science Professor, Extension Specialist,University of Wisconsin-Madison

As the bounty of garden produce increases, many individuals may be looking to supplement their income with farm market sales of home-canned fruits or pickled vegetables. This is the first year this type of production and sale is allowed under Wisconsin Act 101 (the Pickle Bill).

Under the Pickle Bill, individuals do not have to be licensed to can, or process, fruits and acidified vegetables for sale, but there are constraints, including (but not limited to):

• limited sales venue (farm markets and farm stand; no wholesale sales, no sales outside of Wisconsin)
• limited sales cap ($5,000 per person/farm per year for all exempt products)
• limited product range (naturally acidic fruits or pickled vegetables only; no sauces or dressings, no dairy-containing products, no meats or eggs, no bakery products, etc)
• labeling must alert consumers that the product is not produced under license
• no sale of products prepared in a licensed facility
• no sales of exempt and non-exempt product from the same location (farm stand), etc.

A web site which outlines much of the information pertinent to home processors can be found here:

http://www.foodsafety.wisc.edu/pickle_bill.html

Read more »

by Mark Olson, Renaissance Farm

Creating a sound pricing structure is one of the most difficult AND most important tasks for any business.  In this article and the accompanying videos, Mark Olson discusses the science and the art of product pricing and the important relationships between pricing, market research, product and market development,and packaging.  Mark presents two different pricing equations offering a range of charges. The pricing structure discussed in the video is appropriate for a very friendly distributor while the written equation is standard for wide spread distribution.

Be sure to take a look at the additional videos in which Mark discusses his personal experiences with each of these topics and what he’s learned after 25 years of building and expanding his successful business.  Download Printable PDF

The fourth major in-store event of the Grocers Buy Local project will be held at two Daniels Sentry Food stores in Janesville.  Find the press release here.

Train the Trainer Workshop
June 9, 2010
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Hancock Agricultural Research Station

Download the informational PDF here.

Many fall vegetables have unique flavors, and under proper storage conditions, some types of fall vegetables can last for months. This 4-page pamphlet created by the UW-Extension Emerging Agricultural Markets Team offers tasty recipes and tips on buying, storing, and cooking beets, Brussels sprouts, and winter squash.

This is the first publication in a 4-part series educating customers about how to purchase and use farm-fresh vegetables.

Buy Publication or Download PDF

A program to assist farmers and other food businesses interested in starting or expanding value-added production or specialty marketing.

Find more info here.

• Classes held on Tuesdays May 4, 11, 18, and 25th, 2010, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
• Green County – UW Extension Multi-Purpose Room: 2841 6th Street, Monroe, WI
• $30 per participant for the entire four week course. This fee covers materials, speakers, and lunch for the four sessions.
• For more information, or to register for the class, contact Anne Pfeiffer, email or 608-890-1905 Read more »

Have you ever wondered about how small businesses get contracts to supply the State of Wisconsin? Those answers are coming to Dodgeville on April 28th.

The Iowa County Entrepreneur Club will be welcoming Chuck Wallschlaeger, Government Contract Specialist with the Business Procurement Assistance Center who will discuss how to organize your enterprise to sell to the state.

See the Iowa County Economic Development website from more information Read more »