Specialty producers to showcase products at state fair

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PIERRE – The Value-Added Agriculture Development Center invites state residents to attend the 23rd annual Value-Added Agriculture Center Day at the South Dakota State Fair in Huron on Thursday, Sept. 1, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Fair-goers can walk through the Day Sponsor Tent to sample products from value-added businesses and learn more about the innovative products being made in South Dakota. 

The event will feature about 20 vendors, many which were developed with support from the VAADC. The VAADC helps producers enhance their profit stream by creating businesses to process and market products they grow. Additional exhibitors are members of the South Dakota Specialty Producers Association, which provides producers of specialty crops and other local food  products with education, promotion and connections.

The event will highlight local food and products including South Dakota meats, ice cream, herbs, fresh produce, spirits, sorghum flour and more. 

There will also be presentations on various local food topics and an ice cream social provide in cooperation with South Dakota dairy producers. Resource organizations that partner with VAADC in developing and expanding value-added agriculture ventures will also be on hand to provide details on their programs.

The Day Sponsor Tent presentation schedule is as follows: 

• 10:30 a.m.: Agritourism: Do We Have What They Want?

• 11:30 a.m.: New Uses of Soybeans

• 1 p.m.: Savory Crepe and Fresh Herb Demonstration (Women’s Building Kitchen)

• 1:30 p.m.: Preparing Vegetables for Salsa (Women’s Building Kitchen)

• 3 p.m.: Value-Added Ag Day Center Ice Cream Social

Support from East River Electric Cooperative, Farm Credit Services of America, S.D. Bankers Association, S.D. Association of Cooperatives, S.D. Farmers Union, S.D. Rural Electric Association, S.D. Soybean Research & Promotion Council, S.D. Wheat Commission, Agtegra, and USDA-Rural Development make VAADC services available to South Dakota farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs and business owners.

Contact Cheri Rath, executive director of the Value-Added Ag Development Center, with questions at 605-224-9402.