The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the National Agricultural Law Center are facilitating a series of five workshops titled “Plan. Produce. Profit,” according to Dr. Henry English, head of the Small Farm Program for the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB). One of the workshops will take place May 24 at UAPB’s S.J. Parker 1890 Extension Complex auditorium located at 2300 L.A. “Prexy” Davis Drive.
“Workshop participants will learn how to operate under the Arkansas Food Freedom Act for selling homemade food items to the public,” Dr. English said. “Attendees will be eligible to receive a free pH meter for producing food products that need pH testing.”
According to a fact sheet from the Division of Agriculture’s Public Policy Center, Act 1040 of 2021 – otherwise known as the Arkansas Food Freedom Act – allows Arkansas residents to sell more types of homemade food and drink products in more locations than before, allowing direct sales of certain homemade food and drink products that do not require time or temperature controls to remain safe. Some products, such as pickles, salsas and canned vegetables, may require pH testing.
Workshops topics will cover the Arkansas Freedom Act, family and consumer sciences programs, food liability, creating and processing value-added food products in Arkansas, manufacturing opportunities and the use of pH meters.
Workshop dates and locations are:
- April 24 – Fayetteville – Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences, 1371 W. Altheimer.
- May 10 – Little Rock – Cooperative Extension Service state office, 2301 S. University.
- May 23 – Hope – Southwest Research and Extension Center, 362 Hwy. 174 North.
- May 24 – Pine Bluff – UAPB 1890 Extension Complex Auditorium, 2300 L.A. “Prexy” Davis Drive.
- May 31 – Jonesboro – Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas, 3414 One Place.
The workshops will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. Individuals who would like to participate in any of the workshops need to register online at https://uada.formstack.com/forms/nalc_planproduceprofit. To have the registration link sent to your email address, contact Karen Lee at [email protected].
Registration is $10 per person and includes lunch. The workshops are limited to 50 participants per location.
