PHIRST® PovertyZero™ Farms & Food Workshop Series with NC A&T

Free NC A&T & PHIRST® workshop series. Attend 1 day, multiple days, or all 4: business, agriculture, technology & future farming.
About this Event

PHIRST® PovertyZero™ Farms & Food Workshop Series with NC A&T

Join North Carolina A&T State University and PHIRST® for a free four-day workshop series focused on certification pathways, sustainable agriculture, practical skills, enterprise development, and applied learning. Participants may attend one day, multiple days, or the full four-day series.

The workshop series is designed for farmers, future farmers, backyard growers, entrepreneurs, educators, students, and community leaders seeking practical knowledge, certification opportunities, hands-on experience, and sustainable enterprise strategies.

DAY 1 – AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS, MARKETING, FINANCE & ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Participants explore direct marketing strategies, niche farming opportunities, transportation and storage of agricultural products, business planning, value-added enterprises, financial planning, cash flow, recordkeeping, heirs' property, business structures, tax preparation, and entrepreneurship. This day focuses on building profitable and sustainable agricultural enterprises.

Certificate Opportunity:
Marketing, Business, Finance & Entrepreneurship

DAY 2 – WATER, SOIL, CROPS, HIGH TUNNEL AGRICULTURE & ANIMAL PRODUCTION
Participants learn about soil and water management, the hydrologic cycle, irrigation systems, high tunnel agriculture, soil properties, specialty crop production, fertigation, small-ruminant production, animal health, feeding practices, and productivity management. This day focuses on improving production efficiency, sustainability, and farm profitability.

Certificate Opportunity:
Production Agriculture

DAY 3 – CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE, ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES & DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
Participants explore climate-smart agricultural practices, bioenergy production, cover cropping, waste-to-resource strategies, carbon sequestration, renewable energy, conservation practices, assistive technologies, disability resources, digital technologies, and computer applications that improve agricultural productivity and enterprise management.

Certificate Opportunity:
Climate-Smart Agriculture, Assistive Technologies & Digital Technologies

DAY 4 – PHIRST® POVERTYZERO™ INTEGRATED ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS PRACTICUM
Participants experience the future of scalable small-farm and community-enterprise systems through demonstrations of integrated solutions for water, food production, energy, sustainability, and regenerative resource management. The practicum demonstrates how Water Sustainability For LIFE, Farms and Food, Applied Sustainable Energy Solutions, and Sustainable Regenerative Sanitation work together as an integrated enterprise system.

WHAT YOU WILL GAIN
• Practical agricultural knowledge and skills
• Sustainable farming and enterprise strategies
• Certification opportunities through NC A&T OPPE pathways
• Exposure to innovative technologies and systems
• Networking with agricultural professionals, educators, entrepreneurs, and community leaders
• Real-world examples of scalable agricultural enterprises

Attendance is free, but registration is required.
Seating is limited to 150 participants per day.

Attend one day, multiple days, or the entire four-day series.

Learn. Grow. Innovate. Build Sustainably.

Agenda

🕑: 09:30 AM - 03:30 PM
Day 1 – Agricultural Business, Marketing, Finance & Entrepreneurship
Host: NC A&T OPPE

Info: Day 1 focuses on agricultural business, marketing, finance, and entrepreneurship. Participants explore direct marketing strategies, niche farming, transportation and storage of agricultural products, business planning, value-added enterprises, financial planning, cash flow, recordkeeping, heirs' property, business structures, tax preparation, and entrepreneurship. This day aligns with NC A&T OPPE certificate pathway content in marketing, business, finance, and entrepreneurship.

🕑: 09:30 AM - 03:30 PM
Day 2 – Water, Soil, Crops, High Tunnel Agriculture & Animal Production
Host: NC A&T OPPE

Info: Day 2 focuses on water management, soil health, crop production, high tunnel agriculture, and animal production systems. Participants explore the hydrologic cycle, soil and water management, drip irrigation, high tunnel agriculture, soil properties, fertigation, specialty crops, small ruminant production, animal health, feeding practices, tagging, restraining, and weighing. This day aligns with NC A&T OPPE production agriculture certificate pathway content.

🕑: 09:30 AM - 03:30 PM
Day 3 – Climate-Smart Agriculture, Assistive Technologies & Digital Technologi
Host: NC A&T OPPE

Info: Day 3 focuses on climate-smart agriculture, resource efficiency, assistive technologies, and digital tools. Participants explore bioenergy production, cover cropping, waste-to-resource strategies, carbon sequestration, renewable energy, conservation practices, assistive technologies, disability resources, digital technologies, and computer applications. This day aligns with NC A&T OPPE certificate pathway content in climate-smart agriculture, assistive technologies, and digital technologies.

🕑: 09:30 AM - 03:30 PM
Day 4 – PHIRST® PovertyZero™ Integrated Enterprise Systems Practicum
Host: PHIRST® / PovertyZero™

Info: Day 4 features the PHIRST® PovertyZero™ Integrated Enterprise Systems Practicum, demonstrating the future of scalable small farming and community-enterprise systems. Participants explore how water, food production, energy, sustainability, and regenerative resource management work together through integrated enterprise systems, including Water Sustainability For LIFE, Farms and Food, Applied Sustainable Energy Solutions, and Sustainable Regenerative Sanitation.