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Growing Mississippi’s Local Foods Industry Webinar Series

Webinar Series 2018-2019

Each Zoom webinar starts at 11:00 a.m. and ends at 12:00 p.m. CST.

UPCOMING WEBINARS


GROWING THE INDUSTRY

Consumer Insights and Food Policy Update

Register here.

March 21, 2019 • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CST

Dr. Alba Collart

 

Production Planning in Local Food Systems: Food Hubs, Coops, and Farmers Markets​

Register here. 

March 29, 2019 • 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. CST

Dr. Elizabeth Canales​

 
Understanding Mississippi’s Local Foods Industry: Part I

April 11, 2019 • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CST

James Barnes, Rachael Carter, Lauren Colby Nickels & Andy Collins

 

Understanding Mississippi’s Local Foods Industry: Part II

April 25, 2019 • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CST

James Barnes, Rachael Carter, Lauren Colby Nickels & Andy Collins

 

 

PAST WEBINARS


BRANDING YOUR BUSINESS

How to Clarify Your Brand Message for Your Food Business

November 8, 2018 • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CST

Watch on YouTube

Notes PDF

James Barnes, Rachael Carter, Lauren Colby Nickels & Andy Collins

 

A Roadmap to Successfully Branding Your Local Food Business

November 15, 2018 • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CST

Watch on YouTube

Notes PDF

James Barnes, Rachael Carter, Lauren Colby Nickels & Andy Collins

 

How to Build a Profitable Food Business Brand in 11 Easy Steps

December 6, 2018 • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CST

Watch on YouTube

Notes PDF

James Barnes, Rachael Carter, Lauren Colby Nickels & Andy Collins

 

Growing Your Local Foods Business Brand

December 13, 2018 • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CST

Rachael Carter, Lauren Colby Nickels, James Barnes & Andy Collins


 

ONLINE MARKETING MADE EASY

5 Ways to Grow Your Local Foods Business with Facebook

January 10, 2019 • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CST

Lauren Colby Nickels, James Barnes, Andy Collins & Rachael Carter

Watch on YouTube

 

7 Ways to Launch Your Local Foods Business with Instagram

January 24, 2019 • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CST

Lauren Colby Nickels, James Barnes, Andy Collins & Rachael Carter

Watch on YouTube

 

How To Grow Your Local Foods Business with a Website and E-mail Marketing Strategies

January 31, 2019 • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CST

James Barnes, Andy Collins, Lauren Colby Nickels & Rachael Carter

Watch on YouTube

 


GROWING THE INDUSTRY

Understanding Mississippi’s Local Foods Industry: Part I

February 7, 2019 • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CST

James Barnes, Rachael Carter, Lauren Colby Nickels & Andy Collins

 

Understanding Mississippi’s Local Foods Industry: Part II

February 14, 2019 • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CST

James Barnes, Rachael Carter, Lauren Colby Nickels & Andy Collins

 

Taking Action to Grow Your Local Foods Industry: Part I

February 21, 2019 • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CST

Rachael Carter, James Barnes, Lauren Colby Nickels & Andy Collins

 

Taking Action to Grow Your Local Foods Industry: Part II

February 28, 2019 • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CST

Rachael Carter, James Barnes, Lauren Colby Nickels & Andy Collins

 

How To Plan Local Food Production for a Food Hub and a Surrounding Network of Agricultural Producers

March 14, 2019 • 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CST

Dr. Elizabeth Canales

 

 


 

Webinar Speakers

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Dr. James Barnes is an Extension economist. His work largely focuses on business development in communities using three Extension programs, including: 1) Bricks-To-Clicks™; 2) Local Food System Economies; and 3) Local Flavor. He is a certified marketing guide and copywriter for StoryBrand, an online marketing framework used to help businesses clarify their marketing messages so customers will listen. He teaches online marketing using StoryBrand's framework to businesses throughout Mississippi communities. His research focuses on branding, online and social media marketing, agribusiness management, local food system economics, and rural development issues.

 


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Dr. Rachael Carter is an economist for the Mississippi State University Extension Center for Government & Community Development. Her work focuses on economic development, natural resource policy, tourism and local foods marketing through her Extension program, Growing Your Brand. She has worked for over 15 years in community and economic development and she provides analysis and education for elected officials at the city, county, state, and national level. She has led multiple statewide and regional economic development initiatives and worked with National Main Street Center’s community revitalization projects and education programs.

 


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Lauren Colby Nickels is an Instructor for the Mississippi State University Extension Center for Technology Outreach. During her two years with MSU-ES CTO, she has specialized in digital technology outreach and online marketing using web and social media outlets. She is one of 3 Instructors in Mississippi who teach nontraditional workshops on the importance of digital technology. She has been selected for numerous public speaking opportunities to engage business owners and organization leaders on the importance of digital marketing, outreach and cyber security through the Virtual Incubator Program.

 


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Andy Collins is an Instructor for the Mississippi State University Extension Center for Technology Outreach. He has seven years of experience in helping the state of Mississippi participate in the digital economy by using broadband and information technology to further community and economic development opportunities. He has worked with hundreds of small businesses, non-profits, and government organizations to improve or create their web presence.  Andy is very active in increasing rural broadband adoption through an increase of digital literacy levels and assisting in bringing Internet access to communities. He received his Bachelor of Business Management and MBA from Mississippi State University and is a lifelong Mississippian.

 


This webinar series is powered by the following MSU Extension programs:

Bricks-to-Clicks.

Virtual Incubator Program.

Local Food System Economies logo.

 

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News

Rows of lettuce
Filed Under: Greenhouse Tomatoes, Specialty Crop Production July 31, 2023

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Vegetable growers soon will have two chances to learn about managing pests on produce in greenhouses and high tunnels.

The one-day workshop Vegetable Pest Management in High Tunnels and Greenhouses will be held at two locations: the Mississippi State University Extension Service Forrest County office in Hattiesburg on Aug. 30, and the MSU Extension Lafayette County office in Oxford on Sept. 1.

canned fruits and vegetables
Filed Under: Local Food System Economies, Food and Health, Food Safety July 14, 2023

Some canning mistakes can be deadly if your products are contaminated by the botulinum toxin, which causes botulism poisoning. You cannot see, smell, or taste this toxin, but the tiniest taste of contaminated food can kill you. You want to avoid these 10 major canninng mistakes.

Alt Text: Close-up of freeze-damaged blueberries
Filed Under: Agriculture, Crops, Commercial Horticulture, Commercial Fruit and Nuts, Fruit, Local Flavor, Specialty Crop Production March 27, 2023

POPLARVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi blueberry producers expect to see substantial yield losses in the state’s largest commercial fruit crop after the hard freeze that hit the state on the weekend of March 18. Eric Stafne, fruit and nut specialist with the MSU Extension Service, said growers will see significant losses. The condition of the crop is poor based on what commercial growers are reporting to him and his observation of damage to blueberry plants at the South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station in Poplarville, where he is based.

Canned goods at a farmers market.
Filed Under: Local Flavor, Farmers Markets, Local Food System Economies, Marketing and Business Planning, Specialty Crop Production March 24, 2023

Have you considered becoming a vendor at your local farmers market? It’s important to do some research, check regulations, and make a plan before you begin a business or begin selling your products at one.

These tips can help you create a plan for selling at farmers markets and other similar venues.

Close up of tomatoes and yellow squash in farmers market baskets.
Filed Under: Local Flavor, Farmers Markets, Local Food System Economies, Marketing and Business Planning, Community, Small Business January 25, 2023

POPLARVILLE, Miss. -- Current and prospective market vendors can learn valuable marketing skills in a Feb. 9 workshop in Poplarville. Farmers Market Vendor Workshop: Boosting Your Revenue will teach participants valuable skills to help them increase sales. The workshop is open to vendors who sell at festivals, farmers markets and other similar venues.

Success Stories

Downtown lights shining along the sidewalk.
Marketing and Business Planning, Community, City and County Government, Economic Development, Rural Development, Small Business, Technology, Marketing
Volume 9 Number 3

The Excellence in Tourism Leadership Program is training volunteers, employees, and board members involved in Mississippi’s tourism sector and related organizations as they build networks with fellow tourism professionals.

: A man with a blue cap and glasses grabbing a blue bag of coffee for a blonde, smiling woman.
Marketing and Business Planning, Rural Development, Small Business, Technology, Marketing
Volume 9 Number 2

Bricks to Clicks provides free, low-cost, and easy-to-use marketing resources to help small businesses grow their audiences and income. Free marketing resources include a website course, one-on-one coaching, webinars, podcasts, a blog, and a bimonthly newsletter. With these marketing resources, business owners can get personalized guidance backed by decades of marketing experience to drive online awareness and engagement to increase sales.

Two women stand on either side of a machine.
Agri-business, Marketing and Business Planning
Volume 1 Number 2

VIP help female business owner reach online customers

After Becky Tatum acquired Delta Grind in 2008, she wanted the wholesale cornmeal production business to remain true to its roots, but she also had her own vision for what it could be. 

A woman wearing a white visor, maroon shirt, jeans, and boots marks a clipboard as five cows and three calves rest under a tree.
About Extension, Beef, Marketing and Business Planning, Rural Development, Food, Food Safety, Health, Nutrition, Rural Health
Volume 4 Number 3

See what's new in Extension: Gather for First Extension Beef-Production Workshop, the Food Factor Goes Digital, Extension Professionals Share Expertise, and Extension Offers New HappyHealthy Program. 

Red potatoes in a biodegradable basket are flanked on either side by green snap beans.
Agri-tourism, Culinary Tourism, Farmers Markets, Local Food System Economies, Economic Development, Rural Development, Food, Health, Nutrition, Rural Health, Vegetable Gardens
Volume 4 Number 2

From the youngest to the oldest generations, thousands of people are visiting, shopping, and enjoying themselves at the Hernando Farmers’ Market, held Saturdays on the historic DeSoto County Courthouse lawn.

The market has more than just fresh produce. It connects the community by uniting the shoppers, producers, and artisans who come.

Select Your County Office

Contacts

Portrait of Dr. James Newton Barnes
Associate Extension Professor

Your Extension Experts

Portrait of Dr. James Newton Barnes
Associate Extension Professor
Portrait of Dr. David Buys
Associate Professor
Portrait of Dr. Rachael Carter
Extension Specialist II
Portrait of Dr. Christine E. Coker
Extension/Research Professor
Portrait of Dr. Courtney Crist
Associate Extension Professor
Portrait of Ms. Elizabeth Powell Gregory North
Head, Ag Communications
Portrait of Dr. Ben Posadas
Extension/Research Professor
Portrait of Dr. Juan L. Silva
Professor
Portrait of Dr. Eric Stafne
Extension/Research Professor
Portrait of Dr. Jeff Wilson
Assistant Professor