Addison Kennan, an 11th-grade FFA member from Mountain View, Arkansas, grows jalapenos and processes them into candied products that she sells throughout her community and state. Her seasonal operation involves planting in early summer, harvesting in late fall, and processing large batches of peppers daily through a careful canning process that includes cutting, brining, sanitizing jars, and pressure canning to meet food safety standards. She emphasizes the importance of proper safety precautions, labeling compliance with USDA requirements, and detailed record-keeping under Arkansas's Food and Freedom Act, while her SAE grant helped fund a commercial kitchen renovation to expand her business.
