New position with N.C. MarketReady will support farm businesses

Media Contact: Leah Chester-Davis, director of communications, Plants for Human Health Institute, 704.250.5406, leah_chester-davis@ncsu.edu

KANNAPOLIS, NC – N.C. MarketReady, based at the N.C. Research Campus, has created a farm and agribusiness management position to develop and sustain programs that help N.C. agricultural producers explore efficient economic options and optimize profits for their farming operations.

Jonathan Baros joins the N.C. MarketReady team, the Cooperative Extension outreach arm of North Carolina State University’s Plants for Human Health Institute, to work with Extension personnel and other organizations to address farmers’ economic needs. He is also a faculty member of the N.C. State Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics.

“The goal of N.C. MarketReady is to make North Carolina agriculture more profitable,” said Rod Gurganus, N.C. MarketReady director. “The addition of Jonathan (Baros) with his expertise in farm business management will enhance our efforts as we develop resources for agricultural producers and Extension agents across the state.”

Baros’ focus will be working with fruit and vegetable producers. He is charged with evaluating economic components involved in compliance with food safety rules; examining economic options for initiating cooling and postharvest handling programs in fruits and vegetables; assessing value-added and alternative enterprise opportunities in the traditional horticultural area; and developing cost-and-return estimates for traditional horticultural crops.

Prior to joining N.C. State in January, Baros worked with Texas A&M University as an Extension program specialist and member of the Financial and Risk Management (FARM) Assistance team. He helped agricultural producers evaluate and implement strategic risk management plans. In 2010, Baros received the Southern Agricultural Economics Association Distinguished Extension Program Team Award for his work with FARM Assistance. He holds both a master’s and a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from Texas A&M.

The Plants for Human Health Institute is located at the N.C. Research Campus in Kannapolis. N.C. MarketReady is the N.C. Cooperative Extension outreach arm of the institute. Learn more at www.ncmarketready.org.