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Risk Management Education Program in Asian Herbs - For Organic Growers
Offered by New Mexico State University
Wednesday through Friday, December 3 rd. through 5 th., 2008
at Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension Office/4-H Auditorium,
1500 Menaul NW Albuquerque, NM
Registration Fee: $75 for the three days - lunch each day included.
Pre-registration is strongly encouraged.
For more information &/or to pre-register, please contact Charles Martin at cmartin@nmsu.edu or 505-852-4241.
This Risk Management Education and Training Program in Asian Medicinal Herb Production and Marketing is made possible by a grant from the Western Center for Risk Management Education.
The goal of the three-day training program is to assist growers in identifying, managing and mitigating risks associated with Asian medicinal specialty crops grown for the acupuncture and Oriental medicine (AOM) professions.
Asian medicinal herbs offer unique and possibly lucrative new markets for organic specialty crop growers, especially here in New Mexico where our varied and extreme climate and growing conditions enable the production of a diverse range of medicinal crop species. As with any other “new” or unfamiliar specialty crop, however, Asian medicinal herbs come with their own risks and challenges. Proper species identification, knowledge of seed sources, successful propagation techniques, awareness of potential invasiveness, and familiarization with production, harvesting and processing methods are important background information to know with any niche crop, but especially so with Asian medicinal herbs. The development of a sound long-range marketing and distribution plan to handle fluctuations in this emerging market will help prepare growers for the realities of “boom-and-bust” cycles associated with herbs. Additionally, a proper understanding of herb quality criteria needed by AOM professionals is essential for success. Growers need to be mindful that they are not just cultivating herbs, they are growing medicines. Potency and sanitation are paramount considerations growers need to include among other factors.
The training program will be offered as a three-day intensive workshop. National experts have been scheduled to come share their extensive knowledge with growers on the details of each of the following areas: a) Asian herb market overview and outlook; b) species identification and selection; c) propagation; d) cultivation and crop management practices; e) identifying and managing potential invasiveness; f) harvesting methods; g) processing and quality control; h) marketing strategies; and i) understanding market contracts. Active participation and follow-through on the part of attending growers will be strongly encouraged. Growers will be expected to learn to match crop species with their growing conditions, select herbs based not just on marketing potential but based on their combined use in Chinese formulas, acquire hands-on processing skills, and develop a marketing strategy for their selected herbs.
While the training will be oriented towards experienced, certified organic specialty crop growers, anyone can attend. Herbalists and AOM professionals are especially encouraged to participate to learn firsthand the production and processing steps taken to get the crude herbs into usable medicinal form. AOM professionals who take the training program will also begin to be able to grow fresh, high quality Asian herbs for direct use in their own practice.
Again: Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. For more information or to pre-register, contact Charles Martin at cmartin@nmsu.edu or 505-852-4241.
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