Reza Rafie, Extension specialist at Virginia State University, discusses locally-grown produce with a Whole Foods employee. Rafie is working to connect producers with local outlets for their products.

Reza Rafie knows there is money to be made in the specialty fruit and vegetable crops arena – and he wants farmers to know it, too.

Rafie, commercial vegetable Extension specialist at Virginia State University (VSU), has been working for two years to grow and market unusual produce in what he calls a “niche” agriculture effort.

“It’s a different way of thinking about agriculture,” Rafie says. “I help farmers look at it this way: they’re not growing a ‘crop’; they’re growing ‘food.’ That opens up a lot of possibilities if they are willing to explore niche markets and adapt what they are growing to suit today’s buyers and new trends.”

Consumers today are more interested in locally grown produce and in the nutritional value of the foods they eat. Additionally, as the population of Hispanic, Asian, and Middle Eastern natives in the United States continues to grow, more people are looking for fruits and vegetables that are important to their culture and traditions – which may not be available in typical American grocery stores. Read the full story in Solutions.