EDUCATION & TRAINING

ACRE (Agribusiness Center for Research and Entrepreneurship)

https://acre-sc.com/

ACRE is made up of six areas of emphasis: research initiatives; entrepreneurship center; agribusiness development grants; SC Farm Link; policy; and local food and logistics.

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ATTRA’S Internship and Apprenticeship Database

https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/internships/

P.O. Box 3838 Butte, MT 59702 800-346-9140

Contact: askanag@ncat.org

This database is maintained by the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, or ATTRA, which is a project of the National Center for Appropriate Technology. The database includes a state by state directory of paid and unpaid, full and part season internships and apprenticeships at sustainable farms in the U.S., and some in Canada.

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Catawba Farm and Food Coalition

https://www.facebook.com/catawbafarmandfood/

Supports the development of a secure and sustainable food system in Chester, Fairfield, Lancaster, Union, and York counties and the Catawba Indian Nation

 

Carolina Farm Stewardship Association

www.carolinafarmstewards.org

Mailing Address: PO Box 448, Pittsboro, NC 27312

Physical Address: 287 East St. Suite 421, Pittsboro, NC 27312

919-542-2402 (fax) 919-542-7401

A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission to help people in the Carolinas grow and eat local, organic food by advocating for fair farm and food policies, building the systems family farms need to thrive, and educating communities about local, organic agriculture. Specialties: Organic production and certification, high tunnel construction and production, food safety plan and GAP certification support, market access assistance.

 

Center for Heirs Property Preservation

https://www.heirsproperty.org/

1535 Sam Rittenberg Blvd # D, Charleston, SC 29407

(843) 745-7055

Protects heirs’ property and promotes its sustainable use to provide increased economic benefit to historically under-served families.

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Clemson Extension

www.clemson.edu/extension

Find your local county office at http://www.clemson.edu/extension/county/index.html

The national Cooperative Extension Service engages citizens to improve economic development and quality of life by delivering research-based information in agriculture, natural resources, food safety and nutrition, economic and community development, and 4-H youth development. South Carolina Cooperative Extension is based at the state’s two land-grant institutions — Clemson University and South Carolina State University. Clemson Extension agents are located in all 46 counties and at the university's five Research and Education Centers. Resources can be found at https://scgrower.com/.  

They also host a weekly podcast: ‘SC Grower Exchange’ that can be found on any podcast platform for free.

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Clemson Sustainable Agriculture

https://www.clemson.edu/cafls/research/sustainableag/

The Clemson University Sustainable Agriculture Program offers sustainable agriculture training and outreach services with support from Clemson Extension and the USDA Southern region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) programs. Priority areas for training are determined by stakeholders through annual public open forum and advisory committee meetings. The program advisory committee is comprised of farmers, 1862 and 1890 Extension personnel, governmental agency and NGO representatives, and others with an interest in sustainable agriculture development. Past meeting minutes and a prioritized list of the current year's training needs, determined by the Advisory Committee, can be found here.

 

Clemson University New & Beginning Farmer Program

www.scnewfarmer.org or https://www.facebook.com/SCNBFP

The SC New and Beginning Farmers program (SCNBFP) is focused on enabling new and beginning farmers to be successful, productive, and innovative members of their local agricultural community by providing them with the tools, knowledge and skills necessary to be successful entrepreneurs; sound business managers; exemplary stewards of SWAPA (soil, water, air, plants, and animals), and successful marketers of the unique products they create; and perhaps most importantly, individuals who have a sense of pride and quality of life as a result of their investment and participation in the agricultural community of South Carolina.

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Georgia Organics

https://georgiaorganics.org/

200 Ottley Dr NE A, Atlanta, GA 30324

(678) 702-0400

A growers' collaborative that empowers farmers to thrive, helps schools engage children in delicious and educational farm-to-school experiences, and makes organic and local food accessible. Resources available for gardeners: reports on techniques, getting started and building soil, growing vegetables, planting and harvesting calendar, growing fruit.

 

Jeremiah Farm & Goat Dairy

www.jeremiahfarm.com

Platt Road, Johns Island, SC

843-559-1678

Contact: info@jeremiahfarm.com or jermiahfarmsc@aol.com Jeremiah Farm & Goat Dairy offers classes in goat keeping, cheese making, and soap making. Also offers informal classes in canning, jarring, preserving, gardening, and sustainable agricultural practices.

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Lowcountry Local First

www.lowcountrylocalfirst.org

1630-2 Meeting St Charleston, SC 29405

Lowcountry Local First (LLF) advocates the benefits of a local living economy by strengthening community support of local-independent businesses and farmers. The Eat Local initiative is designed to grow and support local food systems by connecting local farms, producers, and apprentices to local restaurants, institutions and people who want farm fresh foods. LLF offers a variety of education, outreach, and apprenticeship programs.

 

Organic Growers School

www.organicgrowersschool.org

PO Box 17804, Asheville, NC 28816

OGS is a nonprofit organization in the Southern Appalachian region with the mission to advance organic agriculture and sustainable living by building a mutually supportive network of thriving communities and prosperous farms throughout the region. OGS offers educational opportunities for organic farmers through their CRAFT (Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training) initiative. They also offer Apprentice Link, a service matching farmers to farmworkers and offering consultation about structuring labor on the farm.

 

SCF Organics

https://scforganicfarms.com/

SCF-Organic Farm’s Mission is to educate farmers and customers about the benefits of vegetables and fruits grown with organic, heritage, dry-farming methods, and to increase production and consumption of that produce among farmers and customers of all income levels in the State of South Carolina and beyond.

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Small Business Development Center - SC State Region

https://www.scsbdc.com

SCSU Region Small Business Development Center

300 College Street

Belcher Hall Suite 353

Orangeburg, South Carolina 29117

803.533.3964

Contact: charlestonsbdc@mailbox.sc.edu (Multiple Offices)

Specialties: One-on-one consultation to prospective and existing business owners, assisting them to analyze business opportunities, develop business plans, and create loan packages. Services are offered at no charge and are available by appointment only. All SBDCs across the state can provide business support listed above but SCSU also can provide specialized agri-business consulting as well.

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South Carolina Black Farmers Coalition

https://www.facebook.com/scblackfarmers/

The SC Black Farmer Coalition is working to train, equip, and support existing, returning, and budding generations of Black farmers. We need Black-led training programs, land trusts, food hubs, policy advocates and funders to get the job done.

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South Carolina Future Farmers of America

www.scaged.org/SCFFA/home.htm SCFFA provides opportunities for leadership development, personal growth and career success and is delivered through contextual learning, supervised agricultural experience programs, and student leadership organizations.

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South Carolina Young Farmer & Agribusiness Association

www.scaged.org/SCYF/index.htm

The South Carolina Young Farmer and Agribusiness Association (SCYFAA) is a State organization for out-of-school young people who are engaged in agriculture. It is also designed to aid interested adults through systematic and organized educational programs on agriculture and agribusiness.

 

The South Carolina Association for Community Economic Development (SCACED)

scaced.org

SCACED is a coalition of individuals and organizations who support the development of healthy and economically sustainable communities throughout South Carolina. Our members work collaboratively to build wealth and create economic opportunity for all SC residents, and many of our efforts are focused on minority communities and other groups who have been left out of the economic mainstream. SCACED partners with a number of agricultural organizations to provide training and outreach to increase the economic viability of local farms.
 

SC State University 1890 Extension

https://www.facebook.com/scstate1890/

The 1890 Research & Extension Program at SC State University offers an important public service for rural and urban limited-resource families who are in need of the latest research-based scientific knowledge, sustainable practices in agriculture, financial management, business development, parenting skills, health and nutrition, and computer skills. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and state and local government, 1890 programs are making a difference in South Carolina communities and changing lives. Visit the website to find an extension agent for your region.