Sally Caldwell, Communications Coordinator

May 27, 2015

ABBEVILLE — On Thursday, the Freshwater Coast Community Food Alliance (FCCFA) held a meeting in Abbeville where they gathered together with almost 30 local farmers to discuss the growth possibilities of agricultural crops, livestock and specialty foods and what is needed to increase production and sales.

The producers from Anderson, Starr, Abbeville, Iva, Due West, Donalds, Plum Branch, Lowndesville, Calhoun Falls, Honea Path, Hodges, McCormick, and Greenwood provided FCCFA with valuable discourse concerning the growth, sales, and progress of cultivation. Each grower voiced his or her needs that come up during the growing seasons, many of these needs resounding among many of the farmers.

Each agricultural business needs certain products and buyers in order to succeed, and the Freshwater Coast Community Food Alliance’s goal at this meeting was to address those needs and to eventually meet them. The Food Alliance plans to meet again on August 27th, at 6pm at the Abbeville Extension Office 265 Industrial Park Road, Abbeville, SC 29620.

Farming in Abbeville County, McCormick Count and Anderson County has been challenging, and the purpose of this meeting was to figure out why and how the community can team with FCCF and Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service to increase agricultural business successes.

Will Ferreira, Community Coordinator of the FCCF, gestures as he discusses horticulture and local food systems with local growers.

Since the growers have voiced their needs, FCCF and Clemson Extension will work to provide farmers with the resources and publicity required to maintain a thriving agricultural     community.