In 2022, the U.S. Census of Agriculture reported 116,617 farms generating over $3.26 billion in direct food sales to consumers, marking a 16% increase from five years earlier. In Kansas, local food sales surged even more, growing by 185% from 2017 to 2022, according to Amanda Lindahl, program coordinator for Kansas Local Food Systems. This growth represents 1,764 Kansas farms selling food through venues like farmers markets, on-farm stands, or directly to neighbors.
The Kansas Local Food Systems program, managed by K-State Research and Extension, has partnered with the Kansas Department of Agriculture to offer workshops for local food producers starting Jan. 31.
Registration is now available online for each of the six workshops. The list of upcoming workshops includes:
- Jan. 31: Manhattan – Pottorf Hall, Riley County Fairgrounds.
- Feb. 1: Wichita – Sedgwick County Extension Education Center.
- Feb. 7: Olathe – K-State Olathe.
- Feb. 21: Chanute – Neosho County Community College.
- Feb. 28: Hays – K-State Agricultural Research Center.
- March 28: Garden City – Southwest Research-Extension Center.
Each workshop starts at 9 a.m. and is open to anyone interested. The Feb. 7 session in Olathe will also be available via livestream, with Spanish and English options.
Topics covered in the workshops include:
- Marketing
- Food safety
- Regulations for selling meat, eggs, and poultry
- Sales tax for vendors
- Kansas Senior Farmers Market nutrition training
These workshops are partially funded by the Kansas Center for Sustainable Agriculture and Alternative Crops and the Kansas Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program. More information and registration is available here.
