Tag: Agribusiness

The Clemson Extension South Carolina New and Beginning Farmer Program (SCNBFP) proudly celebrated the graduation of its Class of 2025, marking a milestone in the program’s 15-year history of empowering the next generation of South Carolina producers. This year’s cohort included 50 graduates who successfully completed the Certificate program and an additional 13 participants enrolled in the Audit track. Together, they represented a diverse cross section of South Carolina agriculture—from aspiring farmers launching their first enterprises to those expanding existing operations across a wide range of commodities and regions.

Throughout the five-month program, participants engaged in ten full-day workshops focused on essential agribusiness management and production topics. Sessions covered business planning, financial and risk management, marketing, legal and regulatory considerations, soil health, and integrated pest management. Participants also connected with Clemson Extension Agribusiness professionals, industry partners, and fellow farmers, gaining access to valuable resources and building relationships that will continue to support their success long after graduation.

A highlight of this year’s program was the introduction of a Business Plan Pitch Contest, sponsored by SC Farm Credit, which provided cash prizes to support the growth and development of participants’ farm operations. The competition showcased the entrepreneurial spirit and innovation of South Carolina’s beginning farmers. Congratulations to this year’s winners: 1st Place – Amy Sudbeck; 2nd Place – Mercedes Bouyer; 3rd Place – Jacob Towe; and 4th Place – Denese Tyler.

With more than 650 program alumni to date, the SCNBFP continues to serve as a vital resource for new and beginning farmers across the state. By providing the tools, knowledge, and confidence needed to build viable, sustainable farm businesses, the program is strengthening rural communities, expanding access to locally produced food, and ensuring that agriculture remains a cornerstone of South Carolina’s economy for generations to come.

Bryan Smith, Area Extension Agent-Agricultural Engineer

The Laurens County Extension Office is currently hosting a hybrid Master Gardener course.  The Master Gardener course began on August 12, 2025 and will meet each Tuesday through December 2.  This year’s course has 5 students.

Students in the course will complete 16 three-hour classes on subjects including lawn care, vegetable gardening, urban tree care, soils and plant nutrition, tree fruits and small fruits, and many more.  Each class is presented by an Extension Agent or a Master Gardener graduate that has experience in the subject matter, which allows them to provide practical experience along with research-based information.

This year’s course is once again a hybrid model, which includes 9 in-person presentations and 11 presentations by video (20 presentations in total will be presented over the 16 week course).  The hybrid model is an attempt to provide the same training to Master Gardener students across the State so they will all have the same base knowledge in the “Core” subjects.  The in-person classes allow coordinators to tailor the course for each county’s needs by offering local topics most useful to their students.

After completing the course the students will provide 40 hours of community service over the next 12 months to become Certified Master Gardeners.

For more information about the program visit https://www.clemson.edu/extension/mg/ .

Bryan Smith, Area Extension Agent-Agricultural Engineer

SC State Regulation R.61-43 requires all confined animal facility operators to attend the Confined Animal Manure Manager (CAMM) certification program provided by Clemson Extension.  The CAMM team has worked hard to provide trainings for South Carolina’s confined animal facility operators this year.  From July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 Bryan Smith (Laurens), Brian Beer (Lancaster), Lee van Vlake (Florence), and Amber Starnes (Chesterfield) worked together to offer two initial, full day trainings and also worked with local county agents across the state to provide 65 recertification trainings including 53 in-person trainings and 12 online Zoom trainings.

Presenters included Bryan Smith, Dr. Julie Helm (Livestock Poultry Health), Dr. John Chastain (Clemson University), Dr. Sean Eastman (Livestock Poultry Health), Lee van Vlake, Brian Beer, and Tonya O’Cain (SCDES).  Topics included “Crop Utilization of Manure Nutrients and Soil Fertility,” “Vectors and Vector Control,” “Horse Manure Issues and Management,” “Mortality and Composting,” “Energy Saving Opportunities for Swine Facilities,” “Beef Grazing Systems and Water Quality Protection,” “Poultry Litter Fertilization for Hybrid Bermudagrass,”  and “Tunnel Ventilation & Evaporative Cooling: Heat Stress Reduction, Performance, and Energy Use,” as well as several others.

597 growers attended the in-person recertification trainings and 435 growers attended the online recertification trainings.  60 growers attended the two initial, full-day trainings.

The team plans to offer two initial, full-day trainings in February 2026 and a slate of recertification trainings for our growers from January through March 2026 and another slate from late April through August 2026.  More information about the training program may be found at www.clemson.edu/camm .

Agribusiness Agent, Ben Boyles, was awarded a Mandela Washington Fellowship to travel to Ivory Coast in Africa in October of 2024. 

The Mandela Washington Fellowship Reciprocal Exchange enables United States universities to establish partnerships that broaden professional connections, foster lasting relationships, expand agricultural markets and enhance mutual understanding in Africa.

Boyles partnered with NC State Horticultural Science professor Dr. Carlos Iglesias to participate in the reciprocal scientist exchange program during the week of Oct. 5 – 12, 2024, hosted by Dev-Agri, an emerging Ivory Coast agribusiness company. They visited a series of project sites to evaluate agricultural conditions and discuss opportunities and challenges with Dev-Agri, the Ivorian government and smallholder farmers.

During their time in country it was evident that there is no shortage of opportunity for growth in the agricultural sector not only for the Ivory Coast, but the entire region as well.

“The Ivory Coast has significant potential for food production and could become self-sufficient, even supplying substantial amounts of food to neighboring countries,” says Iglesias. “There is an abundance of idle land, available labor, and demand for food. What is needed is capital to support technological and logistical advancements.”

Boyles and Iglesias look forward to hosting representatives from the Ivory Coast in 2025, to continue to build relationships and explore opportunities for mutual learning.

150 new and beginning farmers from across South Carolina (including York County) learned about organizations and programs to support their farm business during the full day SC Farmer Resource Rodeo that was held in January in Columbia, SC. Participants heard short presentations from representatives from over 35 farm-focused resource organizations to learn about their programs and projects, met one-on-one with organization representatives by visiting their information tables during the event, heard from an established farmer, and established connections that will help their farm business grow!

Bryan Smith

Laurens County has a very active Beekeepers group.  The Laurens County Beekeepers Association meets the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm in the Joe Adair Educational Center, 110 Scout Creek Ct, Laurens.  The Association provides programs that are educational and informative to both new and experienced beekeepers.  Their average meeting attendance is 30 persons.

Secretary Jessica at secretary@laurensbeekeepers.com for more information. Dues are $10.00. Contact Association
 

The Laurens County Spotlight on Agriculture is an annual awards banquet held each year to honor the accomplishments of our local farmers and farm families.  The event will be held this year on March 13, 2025, in the First Presbyterian Church Family Life Center in Clinton, South Carolina.

We are very pleased to announce that Mr. Chip Carter, host of RFD TV’s “Where Food Comes From” will be our speaker for this year’s Laurens County Spotlight on Agriculture.  Mr. Carter has traveled the country, seeing just how food gets from the farm to our tables.  His adventures include “busting” watermelons in the Rio Grande Valley, pulling Vidalia Onions in Georgia, making cheese in Wisconsin, and plowing with a mule and a single-bottom plow.

This event averages over 300 persons in attendance each year and is funded by sponsors of the event.   Tickets for the event are $10.00 each and are available at the Laurens Extension Office on 219 W Laurens Street in Laurens and from the Laurens Extension Advisory Committee members.

Please click here to see what the local York County Extension Agents are doing: York County Winter 2022 Newsletter