Grow Your Tools and Resources
ASAP’s 2026 Business of Farming Conference took place on Feb. 28, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at A-B Tech Conference Hall in Asheville, NC.
The annual Business of Farming Conference brings together professional farmers from across the Southeast region to network and share resources to grow their farm businesses. Farmers learn about marketing, business planning, and financial management from experts and innovative peers. The conference is designed for beginning and established farmers as well as those seriously considering farming as a profession.
Spanish translation service will be available during the conference. Please indicate in your registration if you would like to use this service.
ASAP está emocionado en ofrecer traducción simultánea inglés-español en Business of Farming Conference de este año gracias al apoyo de Cenzontle. El uso de este servicio se puede seleccionar en la página de inscripción de la conferencia en asapconnections.org. Si necesita ayuda para inscribirse o tiene preguntas sobre la conferencia y prefiere comunicarse en español, envíe un correo electrónico a translations@asapconnections.org y un miembro bilingüe del personal de ASAP se pondrá en contacto con usted.
ASAP is committed to equity and inclusion at all of our events. We ask that you be open and considerate as you interact with fellow attendees. Read ASAP’s Equity Statement for more context.
Find Out More About
Sponsor the Conference
Sponsoring ASAP’s Business of Farming Conference showcases you as a leader of the local food movement and ensures that farmers have the tools they need to grow and thrive. Sponsor benefits include press and marketing exposure, exhibitor and networking opportunities, and free conference registration and locally sourced meals.
To learn about sponsorship options, contact Development Director Nora Scheff at nscheff@asapconnections.org.
Workshops for Farmers
Choose from more than a dozen workshops for beginning and established farmers. Workshops are rotated with new and repeated ones offered each year, and include business planning, farm financials, marketing, branding, legal considerations, and more, led by regional professionals and innovative farmers.
Grower-Buyer Meeting
Meet with chefs, distributors, artisan producers, and grocers to discuss sourcing and possible matches between what you produce and what each buyer needs. (It’s like speed dating for local sourcing!) Many farmers have made connections with participating buyers, and many more have improved their ability to serve wholesale accounts.
Participants in the 2026 Grower-Buyer Meeting will be announced in February. Learn more about Grower-Buyer Meetings.
One-on-One Sessions
Meet with experts who can provide your farm with individual support. These informal meetings are available on a drop-in, first-come-first-served basis. At past conferences, one-on-one sessions have included legal questions, tax preparations, grant writing, production and food safety, photography tips, social media support, and more.
- Production and Food Safety with Craig Mauney, NC Cooperative Extension and Michael McDonald, Blue Ridge Food Ventures
- Social Media Support with Oakley Brewer, ASAP
- Ask a Lawyer with Andrew Branan, NC State University
- Ask a Certified Public Accountant with Austin CPA
Farmers Market Summit
The summit brings together farmers market managers from across the Appalachian Grown region for peer-sharing, technical assistance support, and annual planning. Farmers market managers or other representatives may attend for free. Contact Mike McCreary to learn more about the summit.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Ag South Farm Credit | Bank Ozk | Bridge & Tunnel Coffee Co. | Buncombe Co. Farm Bureau | Dirtcraft Organics
USDA Farm Service Agency | Ward and Smith, P.A.
Funding for the Business of Farming Conference is made possible in part by:
This is work is supported through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture under award number 2022-49400-38200 (through the Beginning Farmer Rancher Development Program under project accession number 1029295). USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider.