Sell What You Grow

“10 Ways to Market your Products… Locally and Regionally”

Sustainable Small Farming & Ranching

The Basics of Direct Marketing

Capture more of the profit

Reduce agricultural risk

Develop unique product identity

www.sare.org

“Direct to Consumer” Connection

This works to the advantage of both Both develop relationship – TRUST Producer can provide fresh product

tailored to customer needs Customers can provide input to grower

and refine the product line based on what they purchase

Direct Marketing Skills

“Relationship marketing” - need people skills

More intensive management

Produce the highest quality of product

Marketing Strategies

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10 Ways to Market your Products

Farmers’ markets

U-Pick

Farm stands

Ag Tourism

Community supported agriculture (CSA)

10 ways…continuedGrocery stores

Restaurant sales

Cooperatives

Mail order catalogs/ Internet

Custom sales

Direct Marketing

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Farmers Markets One of the most common

methods of getting your product to the people who want to buy it

Good starting point – can help develop customer base for other methods such as subscription sales (CSA).

People are seeking out locally grown products.

Farmers’ Market GrowthFarmers’ Market Growth

Increasing in popularity in US. Increasing in popularity in US. Numbers of markets have increased Numbers of markets have increased and sales have increased.and sales have increased.

In 2009, there were5,274 markets.

In 1994, there were1,755 markets.

Market tips:

Colorful, layered displays of your Colorful, layered displays of your products are enhanced by signs and products are enhanced by signs and packaging.packaging.

Market Tips:

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Market Tips:

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Market tips:Prices in round numbers to speed sales and eliminate problems making change

To learn more about To learn more about farmers markets, visit:farmers markets, visit:

www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarwww.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarketskets

Marketing Tips: packaging, increasing customer base, and bringing people to the farm

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U-Pick Operations

“People don’t come all the way out here to get cheap food. They come because it’s fun and the berries are absolutely fresh.”

-- Ernie Bohner, Persimmon Hill Berry Farm

Producers consideringpick-your-own will need:

Liability insurance

Space for parking

Ability to supervise customers

Farmside manners

The success of pick-your-own

is in the details:

Good signage location

Targeted advertisement

Effective answering machine message

Creating a pleasant and safe setting for families

Farm StandsFarm StandsCustomers Customers develop loyalty develop loyalty to the farmto the farm

Consider costs to Consider costs to build your build your “stand” structure“stand” structure

No transportation No transportation costcost

Feature high-demand items, such Feature high-demand items, such as as fresh-picked sweet cornfresh-picked sweet corn

Pick locations near busy roads Pick locations near busy roads

Familiarize yourself with regulations Familiarize yourself with regulations governing food productsgoverning food products

Farm StandsFarm Stands

Ag Tourism

Agri-tourism or Entertainment farming

Great diversity in what farms can offer

Provides an “on-farm” experience

Ag Tourism

http://www.10000trails.com/agritourism/

Producers need good “people” Producers need good “people” skillsskills

Tourism offices can help bring Tourism offices can help bring customerscustomers

Contact the state Dept. of Contact the state Dept. of Agriculture for help with farm Agriculture for help with farm festivals and other eventsfestivals and other events

Entertainment Farming TipsEntertainment Farming Tips

If considering an Ag Tourism enterprise…

www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/ress/altenterprise/

Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) has an excellent publication

Community Supported Agriculture

Subscription farming What? How often?Where?Cost?

Requires advanced planning Experience in production

Community Supported Agriculture

“We want our customers to be more sensitive to the farm situation. The more they understand the connection of family farms to healthy communities, the better for us.”

-- Molly Bartlett, CSA farmer, Hiram, OH

Check out Helsing Junction Farm at

http://www.helsingfarmcsa.com

When evaluating CSA, consider:

Proximity to customers

Willingness to give customers something extra

Variety of products

Ability to distribute produce

CSA information

For more information and to view the directory visit the “Robyn Van En Center for CSA Resources”

http://www.csacenter.org/

Cooperative Marketing

Group of farmers pool their products to meet a demand for a specialized product

Legal cooperatives or collaborative agreements

Someone to lead the marketing and management efforts

One successful example: Oregon Country

Beef

Cooperative Marketing

“… Individual family ranchers are directly responsible to the meat manager and end customer for both eating quality and claims on growing practices.”

- Quote from the Oregon Country Beef web sitehttp://www.oregoncountrybeef.com/

More information on rural cooperatives:

Visit USDA Rural Development site

www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs

Do adequate market research and business planning

Join a marketing club or networking group to pool skills

To learn more about cooperatives, visit the National Cooperative Business Association at: http://www.ncba.org/

Wholesale Marketing

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Upscale Upscale restaurants restaurants and specialty and specialty stores pay stores pay top dollar for top dollar for quality quality produce and produce and hard-to-get hard-to-get items.items.

Direct Sales to Restaurants

http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/cdpp/selldirect.pdf

Develop a plan Develop a plan before you startbefore you start

What is the What is the purpose?purpose?

How will you How will you manage the site?manage the site?

How will you ship How will you ship the products?the products?

Mail Order/Internet

Let the Internet work for you

Promote your products and availability

Sell your products

Have your own web site or get listed in a online guide or directory

www.localharvest.org and www.eatwellguide.org

Custom Meat Sales

Sell whole, half or quarter animals

Use custom meat packing places in your location

Meat Processing Issues

When you get higher volume and/or want to sell by the cuts – you will need to find a local processing facility.

Mobile meat processing unit owned by Lopez Community Land Trust

http://www.lopezclt.org/sard/mpu.html

For more information about meat For more information about meat processing regulations in Idaho:processing regulations in Idaho:

Idaho Health and WelfareIdaho Health and Welfarehttp://www.healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/http://www.healthandwelfare.idaho.gov/

Look under “Health” and then “Food Look under “Health” and then “Food Protection” – go to “Food Safety” for a link to Protection” – go to “Food Safety” for a link to local health districtlocal health district

Resources:

USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)www.sare.org / (301) 504-5230

Alternative Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA)www.attra.org / (800) 346-9140

Resources (continued):

USDA Farmer Direct Marketing

www.ams.usda.gov/directmarketing

North American Farm Direct Marketing Assn. www.nafdma.com

CreditsPresentation developed by Cultivating Success

TM: Sustainable Small Farms Education. Photos provided by Cultivating Success staff, unless otherwise noted.

Video segments taken from:“Affinity Farm: A Small-Acreage Farm Shares Strategies” produced by Ben Troka, University of Idaho College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Copywrite 2005, University of Idaho.

“Meadowlark Farm: A Case Study of a Small-Acreage Farm” produced by Ben Troka, University of Idaho College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Copywrite 2005, University of Idaho.

“Riley Creek Blueberry Farm: A Case Study of a Small-Acreage Farm” produced by Ben Troka, University of Idaho College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Copywrite 2002, University of Idaho Extension.

“Nothing But Herbs: A Case Study of a Small-Acreage Farm” produced by Ben Troka, University of Idaho College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Copywrite 2001, University of Idaho Extension.