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Local, Regional & Safe Foods UA Extension

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Little Rock, AR
Local, Regional & Safe Foods UA Extension

Our team focuses on local, regional & safe food systems development in Arkansas. See below for more details on each focus area.

Supporting local, regional & safe food systems development in Arkansas through education & outreach led by Dr. Amanda Philyaw Perez and a fab team at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. This is done through programs, projects, trainings, technical assistance & support, resource creation, and networking events. FOCUS ON LOCAL & REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS 🍅
The farm to table moveme

nt is growing in Arkansas. Many communities have created farmers markets, established community gardens, and started serving farm fresh food in school cafeterias. Arkansans have an increased interests in sustainable agriculture and locally grown foods, while many farms are producing a wide variety of locally grown vegetables, fruits, grain, nuts, seeds, and livestock. Agritourism, specialty crop farming/specialty food products, and local food retailers are on the rise. And food business entrepreneurs are looking for ways to turn their recipes into successful businesses. Through our local & regional foods programs and activities, we support a robust and diverse food system with research-backed resources, timely information, and meaningful connections. Through our Share Grounds Commercial Kitchens project, we assist those interested in starting a local food business or aggregating local food products with technical assistance, permitted production facilities, and partnership opportunities. FOCUS ON SAFE FOOD SYSTEMS 🥬
The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is a federal act that requires producers and processors of fresh fruits and vegetables to implement certain controls in order to prevent contamination of our nation’s food system. The act gives power to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to establish regulations for the production of fresh fruits and vegetables (The Produce Safety Rule). Keeping up with these regulations for your farm can be daunting, so our Extension team is here to help navigate this process with you. By providing fundamental, science-based farm and produce safety knowledge through produce safety trainings, on-farm visits, educational resources, and technical assistance to fruit and vegetable farmers, packers, regulatory personnel, and others in the state, we support a safe food system for all Arkansans.

09/08/2026

🌾Registration is Now Open for After the Harvest 2026! 🌾

What happens after food is harvested or produced? How does it make its way safely and successfully into Arkansas markets?

Join growers, producers, food entrepreneurs, processors, farmers market vendors and managers, buyers, Extension personnel, food system organizations, and community partners from across the state for After the Harvest 2026, a two-day conference dedicated to strengthening Arkansas's local food supply chain.

📍 Little Rock, AR
📅 November 4-5, 2026

This year's conference will focus on three key areas:

✅ Sell Local Food – Learn how to access and prepare for a variety of market opportunities.
✅ Move Local Food – Explore postharvest handling, storage, processing, distribution, and infrastructure solutions.
✅ Connect Local Food – Build relationships and partnerships that strengthen local and regional food systems.

Participants will also have opportunities to attend specialized bootcamps on:

🌱 Farmers Markets
🌱 Arkansas Food Freedom
🌱 Food Processing & Manufacturing

Throughout the conference, food safety and regulatory considerations will be woven into sessions designed to help attendees navigate real-world challenges and opportunities in Arkansas's food supply chain.

Whether you're expanding into new markets, improving operations, navigating food safety requirements, or building partnerships, After the Harvest offers practical tools, resources, and connections to help you take the next step.

🎟️ Registration is now open! Secure your spot today and join others from across Arkansas who are working to strengthen local food systems from producer to market. Register here➡️https://tinyurl.com/hjkjwsfu

extension Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service

09/05/2026

🍇 Learn to Make Muscadine Jelly & Explore Food Business Opportunities! 🍇

Join the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture for a hands-on workshop featuring Arkansas muscadines! Learn how to safely prepare and can delicious muscadine jelly, using research-tested methods from the National Center for Home Food Preservation. You'll also discover how to produce and sell homemade food products under the Arkansas Food Freedom Act.

📅 September 23, 2026
⏰ 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
📍 Conway County Extension Office
339 E. Campus St., Kirk Building Room 105, Morrilton, AR

✅ Learn safe jelly-making and canning techniques
✅ Prepare muscadine juice and determine the proper jelly endpoint
✅ Practice filling jars and processing jelly in a boiling-water canner
✅ Learn Food Freedom Act requirements for selling homemade foods
✅ Lunch, drinks, recipes, and all workshop supplies included

Whether you're looking to reduce food waste, preserve a local harvest, stock your pantry, or start a small food business, this workshop will help you gain the skills and confidence to get started.

💲 Cost: $10 per person
📝 Register: https://uada.formstack.com/forms/home_to_local_market
📧 For more information, contact Amanda at [email protected].

09/04/2026

🦠Wrapping Up the 2026 Arkansas Association for Food Protection Annual Meeting

As we conclude our time at the 2026 Arkansas Association for Food Protection (AFP) Annual Meeting in Fayetteville, AR, we are reflecting on a week filled with valuable learning, collaboration, and meaningful discussions on advancing food safety across Arkansas and beyond.

Throughout the meeting, attendees heard from food safety leaders representing industry, academia, and regulatory agencies.

Sessions throughout the week covered a variety of important topics, including:

• Pathogen, Allergen, and Foreign Object Recalls
• Updates on Sanitary Design
• Strategic Paths for Food Safety
• FDA Regulatory Updates
• Arkansas Department of Health Rapid Response Team Program Overview
• Alpha-gal Syndrome and its implications for consumers and the food industry

The conference provided excellent opportunities to connect with food safety professionals, share experiences, and gain practical knowledge that can be applied to strengthen food safety programs and protect public health.

Thank you to the Arkansas Association for Food Protection, speakers, organizers, and attendees for a successful event. We look forward to continuing these conversations and applying what we learned to support Arkansas farms, food businesses, and communities.

09/03/2026

🦠2026 Arkansas Association for Food Protection Annual Meeting🔬

This week we're attending the 2026 Arkansas Association for Food Protection Annual Meeting hosted in Fayetteville, AR. This event entailed valuable insights from food safety leaders across industry, academia, and regulatory agencies.

A few highlights have included a poster from our team member Sarah Bakker on understanding Extension technical requests from farms and food businesses in Arkansas, Craig Bacon, Ph.D., Professor and Head of the Department of Food Science at the University of Arkansas, and Bill Potter, Ph.D., Extension Poultry Food Safety Scientist at the University of Arkansas, who shared their expertise on current food safety challenges and opportunities.

Sessions covered important topics including:
✅ Pathogen, Allergen, and Foreign Object Recalls
✅ Updates on Sanitary Design
✅ Strategic Paths for Food Safety

The meetings have offered excellent networking opportunities and practical information that attendees can take back to their organizations to strengthen food safety programs. More to come on the event!

09/02/2026

Produce Safety Grower Training Recap 🌱

Yesterday, our team welcomed growers and agricultural professionals to an in-person Produce Safety Grower Training in Springdale, Arkansas. The training was led by Dr. Perez, with support from team members Sarah Bakker, Danielle Dozier, and Ryan Neal.

Attendees received practical guidance on produce safety requirements and Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) for fruit and vegetable operations. The training covered essential topics including agricultural water management, soil amendments, worker health and hygiene, wildlife considerations, postharvest handling practices, and food safety plan development.

This course meets the FSMA Produce Safety Rule (PSR) training requirement for covered farms and can also support farm audit preparedness.

If you were unable to attend, be sure to sign up for our newsletter to stay informed about upcoming trainings and educational opportunities! ➡: https://tinyurl.com/53tzm26e

Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this event a success. We are proud to continue supporting Arkansas growers and strengthening produce safety practices across the region.

🌾🍅🥬

Department of Food Science, University of Arkansas Uark Horticulture Market Center of the Ozarks

08/26/2026

🚜🥕🍅 We're Full! Registration Has Closed

The response to our Produce Safety Grower Training on September 1 has been tremendous, and registration is now officially closed.

Thank you to everyone who signed up. We can't wait to spend the day with you learning about produce safety best practices and supporting Arkansas growers.

If you missed this training, don't worry! We will be opening registration soon for our next Produce Safety Grower Training in Little Rock. Additional details, dates, and registration information will be shared soon, so stay tuned.

See you soon in Springdale!

08/20/2026

🌱Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend the Arkansas Farm to ECE Coalition's Farm-to-Table In-Person Meeting at the 4-H Vines Center in Little Rock, and it was an inspiring day filled with connection, collaboration, and celebration.

It was wonderful to spend time networking with partners from across the state, reflecting on the coalition's accomplishments over the past year, and discussing the important work that lies ahead. Together, we explored our mission and priorities while helping shape a shared vision for 2027.

I'm grateful to be part of a coalition so dedicated to creating healthy food experiences and agricultural learning opportunities for Arkansas's youngest learners. Looking forward to continuing this important work together! Arkansas Farm-to-Early Childhood Education 🌱

08/13/2026

"The Cottage Food Industry and Food Freedom Movement continue to expand rapidly across the United States, with Southern and Western states leading the way. I was honored to present a poster at this year's International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) Conference titled, "Understanding Farm Stop Operations: Insights from a Statewide Needs Assessment in Arkansas," co-authored by myself Amanda Philyaw Perez and Sarah Bakker.

As this movement continues to grow, I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with fellow UADA Food Safety faculty, Dr. Lida Araghi and Dr. Sungil Ferreira, as well as agency partners Jeff Jackson in Arkansas and Justin McConaghy in Oklahoma. Together, we are working to provide outreach, education, and technical assistance to support producers, entrepreneurs, and communities involved in local food systems.

Oklahoma is helping lead this evolution with the recently passed Local Food Freedom Act, which expands opportunities for local food producers by allowing operations up to $250,000 in annual sales with limited regulatory requirements. Learn more here➡️https://www.okhouse.gov/posts/news-20260507_4

As food freedom expands opportunities for local food production and entrepreneurship, strong food safety education and practices are essential to protect public health, build consumer confidence, and ensure that expanded access to food production is both sustainable and responsible."

08/07/2026

🍓Another great opportunity to share our work at the 2026 International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) Annual Meeting! 🍓

" I was honored to present "Preserving Arkansas Partnership: Supporting New and Established Cottage Food Producers in Food Preservation, Safety, and Regulatory Compliance" with Terrie James, Quad Whitton, Dr. Lida Araghi, David Hill, Christie Wagley, Chef Margie Raimondo, owner of Urbana Farmstead, and our partners at the Ferndale Farmers Market.

It was especially rewarding to hear a presentation form North Carolina highlighting similar findings on the expansion of the cottage food industry. Both presentations reinforced the growing need for food safety education, technical assistance, and regulatory guidance for home- based, cottage, and small- scale food manufacturers.

As local food businesses continue to expand, Extension has an important role in supporting entrepreneurs through science- based education and technical assistance. While Extension systems include outstanding Agriculture and Family & Consumer Sciences agents, relatively few have specialized backgrounds in food safety, food manufacturing, or public and environmental health. As a result, many states face limited capacity to provide the technical information needed by this rapidly growing sector. Strengthening Extension's food safety expertise will be essential to helping food entrepreneurs produce safe, compliant products while supporting resilient local and regional food systems.

Thank you to everyone who attended, shared ideas, and contributed to the discussion. I look forward to continuing this work with our partners to strengthen Arkansas's cottage food and small food business community."

Uark Horticulture Department of Food Science, University of Arkansas Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service Urbana Farmstead

08/06/2026

🎉 Our Produce Safety Training in Springdale is officially FULL! 🎉

Thank you for the overwhelming interest in our upcoming Produce Safety Training. Registration has now closed as all available seats have been filled.

Didn't make it into this session? Don't worry! We have more Produce Safety Trainings and other exciting Local, Regional, and Safe Foods initiatives planned for the spring and fall.

📬 Stay in the know by signing up for our newsletter to receive updates on upcoming trainings, events, resources, and opportunities.

🔗 Newsletter Sign-Up: https://tinyurl.com/3a8ad84d

Address

2301 S. University Avenue
Little Rock, AR
72204

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	8am - 4:30pm
Thursday	8am - 4:30pm
Friday	8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

(501) 671-2000

Website

https://linktr.ee/LocalRegionalSafeFoodsUAEX

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