The University of Florida IFAS Cooperative Extension Service in partnership with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Aquaculture is offering a workshop on the harvesting and marketing of cultured oysters. The workshop will be held on two dates and at two locations. Both workshops are from 2:30 to 5:00 pm.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015, FSU Coastal and Marine Lab, 3618 Coastal Hwy 98, St. Teresa, FL
Thursday, May 7, 2015, FWC Kirkpatrick Marine Lab, 11350 SW 153rd Court, Cedar Key, FL
Topics include 1) Niche marketing cultured oysters for the raw bar—what top chefs demand and how to ensure you get paid for your hard work, 2) Learn to differentiate your product on qualities other than price in the marketplace and adapt your marketing pitch, 3) Marketing strategies to target key buyers and get maximum return, 4) Promotional materials available for marketing Florida oysters, and 5) Rules of the Road: Harvesting and processing requirements for oysters during summer months.
Speakers include 1) Bob Rheault, PhD, Executive Director, East Coast Shellfish Growers Association (ECSGA). Bob started Moonstone OystersTM in 1986. He likes to joke that the only reason he survived was because he was a good salesman and boasted the highest priced oysters in the country for years. Bob helped start the ECSGA in 2004 and is a passionate advocate for the industry. 2) Martin May, Bureau Chief, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture Marketing, and 3) Kim Norgren, Environmental Administrator, Florida Department of
The workshops are free. To ensure there are enough handouts available, please confirm your attendance with Portia Sapp, FDACS Division of Aquaculture, (850) 488-5471, Portia.Sapp@FreshfromFlorida.com or Leslie Sturmer, UF IFAS Shellfish Aquaculture Extension Program, (352)543-5057, LNST@ufl.edu.
To view a printer-friendly workshop flyer, click here.
