Growing, harvesting, preserving and marketing food that benefits from chilling or freezing is no easy process. Middlemen, lack of education, poor technology transfer, difficult or non-existent agriculture credit, unclear market linkages, tradition, volume and production inconsistencies, lack of enforcement of laws on the books, lack of political will power, etc. all conspire against the producer that tries to raise and market high-value perishable commodities. This session will explore some real life problems and possible solutions that face any farmer, processor, trader or business trying to make more money while keeping food fresh and safe to eat.
Presenter - Dan Gudahl is currently the Executive Director for Whiterock Conservancy, a 5,500 acre non-profit organization that links people, nature and agriculture located near Coon Rapids, Iowa. Dan spent 2013-2016 leading a USDA-funded project in the Caraga Region of the Philippines called the Philippines Cold Chain Project. He has a M.S. in International Agriculture from California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo. Dan also has food production and marketing experience in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Indonesia as well as 12 countries in sub-Saharan Africa and the USA.