Nevada Farm2Food Program

The Nevada Farm2Food Program supports small-scale women farmers and food entrepreneurs as they refine a food and beverage value-added product and explore new markets.

Research shows that value-added production, the act of processing raw agricultural goods into finished products such as food or beverage products, can increase farmers’ profitability, increase the shelf stability of products, expand the market season, increase farm visibility, and allow them to enter new markets.

The Nevada Farm2Food Program immerses women in a community of experts and peers while you work through modules that eliminate the uncertainty of diversifying your production or enhancing your existing food or beverage products and business.

Applications closed on October 25th, 2024. Thank you to all who applied and congratulations to the Nevada 2024-2025 cohort!

Click the photo below to learn more and hear from a past participant about how the program benefited her food business.


2024-2025 NEVADA PROGRAM

The Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA) is seeking participants for cohort four of the Nevada Farm2Food Accelerator program! Selected women will join the virtual course at no cost to the participant. In return, participants agree to provide feedback to the NDA on the program and adaptations for a future Accelerator program in Nevada.

“This is an extremely professional experience where we are supported throughout the entire journey. It introduced new or previously unknown aspects of food preparation and why it is important to be familiar with these aspects. ”
— Leslie Lotspeich, Lotspeich Family Farm


PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY

If you answer, “That’s me!” to the following, we encourage you to apply!

  • Are you a specialty crop* farmer in Nevada with a developing or refining a value-added food or beverage product?


    OR

  • Are you a food or beverage entrepreneur whose processed product or product idea consists of specialty crop* ingredients sourced in Nevada?


    AND

  • Do you own or help manage a small-scale farm or food/beverage business with less than $500,000 annual gross sales and less than 20 part-time and/or full-time employees annually?

*The USDA defines specialty crops as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, culinary herbs, and spices. Visit USDA’s What is a Specialty Crop? webpage to view a list. 






PARTICIPANTS CAN EXPECT

  • To be connected to a community of women farmers, entrepreneurs, and food experts

  • A unique opportunity to learn how to launch a new food/beverage product or enhance an existing product

  • To participate in online live 60-minute weekly discussions with optional 60-minute weekly “office hours”

  • To get free lab testing and consultations with experts

  • To ask questions and get answers from experts through one-on-one consultations

  • To gain new skill sets and knowledge related to food safety, packaging, pitching to buyers, and more

  • To attend an in-person educational and networking event for highly engaged participants

“The Farm2Food Accelerator was a space that managed to feel both professional and personal. Each week I felt inspired to innovate and better the products that I have been working on.”

- Crystal Leon, The Radish Hotel

2024 – 2025 PROGRAM FORMAT & PARTICIPANT EXPECTATIONS

Ten to twelve selected women will join the course at no cost to the participant, thanks to Nevada’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program funds to help support Nevada's agriculture and the broader community. In return, participants agree to provide feedback to the NDA on the program.

Between November 2024 and March 2025, participants will complete 15 weeks of coursework, including

  • Three in-person events – a half-day welcome event to begin the program on November 14th, 2024, in Sparks, NV, an educational trade show experience for highly engaged participants (tentatively planned for January 20, 2025, in Las Vegas, NV), and a networking event as the final, celebratory event in Spring 2025.

  • Weekly self-paced online modules to complete. Modules include introductory information on the topic for that week, an activity to help you apply the knowledge to your business, and any relevant resources. Depending on the module topic, participants should anticipate dedicating 2 – 6 hours per week.

  • Weekly 60-minute live online discussion with experts, guest speakers, and fellow participants on the week’s module topic with optional 60-minute online office hours.

The program will kick off with a half-day, in-person event on Thursday, November 14th, 2024. After that, all weekly live discussions will take place online on Tuesdays from 10 - 11 AM PST/PDT with optional office hours on Thursdays from 10 - 11 AM PST/PDT, running from November 19, 2024, to March 25, 2025, with holiday breaks.

For details on module topics, please visit the curriculum page.



INTERESTED?

Applications closed on October 25th, 2024. Thank you to all who applied and congratulations to the Nevada 2024-2025 cohort!

COST

Cost: Free



PARTNERS

Click on our partner logos to learn more!  

Funding

Funding for this project was provided by the 2024 Nevada Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.