Ten Nevada women have been announced for the Farm2Food Accelerator program, which began Nov. 3.
The list includes Stacy Fisk of Fisk Farm Herbs in Fallon.
This workforce development program is designed to help women farmers and entrepreneurs with food or beverage products, or product ideas, expand into new markets.
This is a new and exciting program for Nevada agriculture and a way to provide women entrepreneurs with the tools and training they need to take their businesses to the next level.
“The women selected come from all over the state, producing a variety of specialty crops used to make products such as jams, dried culinary herbs, mushroom jerky, hot sauce and wine,” said NDA Director Jennifer Ott. “This program will support these women running small businesses to grow their operations, develop new business strategies and increase their chance of success.”
Selected participants will join women from Oregon and Washington for a 15-week online program at no cost, thanks to funds made available through the Nevada Specialty Crop Block Grant program. The program will provide women with the opportunity to the following:
• Gain knowledge and tools related to food safety, product development, marketing and more
• Connect with a community of women farmers, food entrepreneurs and food experts to exchange ideas and meet peers in other states
• Launch a new value-added food or beverage product or enhance an existing product
“Workforce development opportunities are important for every industry and sector, but especially for those that are underrepresented, like women in farming,” said Gov. Steve Sisolak. “We are excited see the impact of this program on our food and beverage industries and hope to bring a larger program like this to Nevada.”
The Farm2Food Accelerator program focuses on supporting women farmers who grow specialty crops for a value-added food or beverage product or those who source specialty crop ingredients in the products they make. The USDA definition of specialty crops includes fruits, vegetables, honey, tree nuts, dried fruits, culinary herbs and spices, and a value-added product is defined as a product that has changed in its physical state or form, such as milling wheat for flour or making strawberries into jam.
Other applicants accepted into 2022 program include the following:
Cortney Bloomer, Rural Health & Nutrition Initiative, Dayton.
Teri and Megan Harasha, Jazi’s Greens, Carson City.
Lyndsey T. Langsdale, Reno Food Systems, Reno.
Crystal Leon, The Radish Hotel, Sparks.
Leslie Lotspeich, Lotspeich Family Farm, Deeth.
Eva Sara Luna, Desert Moon Farms, LLC, N. Las Vegas.
Sara Thomas, NO BS Farm, Fernley.
Evelynn Thompson, Zoot Poultry Company, Spring Creek.
Betsy L. Whipple, River Ranch Vineyard, Hiko.
Visit f2faccelerator.org/nv-program to learn more about the program or to watch for information on future programs.
