The viability of our local farms is reaching critical importance. The reason is simple, America’s farms provide an unparalleled abundance of fresh, healthy food, but they are rapidly disappearing. America is losing more than an acre of farmland every minute.

Among the opportunities for local farmers is creating new operational efficiencies, streamlining financial information, advanced inventory analytics and simple communications tools that connect farmers with buyers–the same tools that are helping today’s small business owners compete against much larger players.

There are an increasing number of information management systems becoming available to organize farm production, transactions with buyers and managing customers. Erika Block, founder and CEO of Local Orbit, is speaking today the 2013 National Farm Viability Conference in Middlebury, Vt.

Erika will discuss how Local Orbit is supporting the entrepreneurs who are creating new local food markets with a simple suite of business software tools, and how these markets are helping farmers become smarter sellers, expand into new markets and reach new buyers.

Panelists presenting with Erika include: Mark Cannella, UVM Extension; Nick Bullock, Yankee Farm Credit, and Giulia Stellari, Ag Squared.

Each panelist will share his or her perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing farmers presented by a rapidly shifting environment. Each will discuss their business models and the technologies that are helping farms become more competitive in a rapidly growing local food market.

Additional details on the Farm Viability Conference are available here.

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