Sell What You GrowSell What You Grow

10 Ways to Market your 10 Ways to Market your Products… Locally and Products… Locally and

RegionallyRegionally

Cinda WilliamsCinda Williams

The Basics of Direct MarketingThe Basics of Direct Marketing

Capture more of Capture more of the profitthe profit

Reduce Reduce agricultural riskagricultural risk

Develop unique Develop unique product identity product identity

www.sare.org

““Direct to Consumer” Direct to Consumer” ConnectionConnection

This works to the advantage of bothThis works to the advantage of both

Both develop relationship – TRUSTBoth develop relationship – TRUST Producer can provide fresh product Producer can provide fresh product

tailored to customer needstailored to customer needs Customers can provide input to grower Customers can provide input to grower

and refine the product line based on and refine the product line based on what they purchase what they purchase

Direct Marketing SkillsDirect Marketing Skills

““Relationship Relationship marketing” - need marketing” - need people skillspeople skills

More intensive More intensive managementmanagement

Produce the Produce the highest quality of highest quality of productproduct

10 Ways to Market your Products10 Ways to Market your Products

Farmers’ marketsFarmers’ markets

U-PickU-Pick

Farm standsFarm stands

Ag TourismAg Tourism

Community supported Community supported agriculture (CSA)agriculture (CSA)

10 ways…continued10 ways…continued Grocery storesGrocery stores

Restaurant salesRestaurant sales

CooperativesCooperatives

Mail order catalogs/ InternetMail order catalogs/ Internet

Custom salesCustom sales

Farmers MarketsFarmers Markets

One of the most common One of the most common methods of getting your methods of getting your product to the people product to the people who want to buy itwho want to buy it

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

People are seeking out locally People are seeking out locally grown products.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 2004, there were3,706 markets.

In 1994, there were1,755 markets.

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

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

www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets

U-Pick OperationsU-Pick Operations “ “People don’t come People don’t come

all the way out all the way out here to get cheap here to get cheap food. They come food. They come because it’s fun because it’s fun and the berries are and the berries are absolutely fresh.”absolutely fresh.”

-- Ernie Bohner, Persimmon -- Ernie Bohner, Persimmon Hill Berry FarmHill Berry Farm

Producers consideringProducers consideringpick-your-own will need:pick-your-own will need:

Liability insuranceLiability insurance

Space for parkingSpace for parking

Ability to supervise customersAbility to supervise customers

Farmside mannersFarmside manners

The success of pick-your-own The success of pick-your-own is in the details:is in the details:

Good signage locationGood signage location

Targeted advertisementTargeted advertisement

Effective answering machine messageEffective answering machine message

Creating a pleasant and safe setting for Creating a pleasant and safe setting for familiesfamilies

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 Familiarize yourself with regulations regulations governing food productsgoverning food products

Farm StandsFarm Stands

Ag TourismAg Tourism

Agri-tourism or Agri-tourism or Entertainment farmingEntertainment farming

Great diversity in what Great diversity in what farms can offerfarms can offer

Provides an “on-farm” Provides an “on-farm” experienceexperience

Ag TourismAg 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 If considering an Ag Tourism enterprise…Tourism enterprise…

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

Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) has an excellent publication

Community Supported Community Supported AgricultureAgriculture

Subscription farmingSubscription farming What? What? How often?How often? Where?Where? Cost?Cost?

Requires advanced planning Requires advanced planning Experience in productionExperience in production

Community Supported Community Supported AgricultureAgriculture

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

-- Molly Bartlett, CSA farmer, Hiram, -- Molly Bartlett, CSA farmer, Hiram, OHOH

Check out Check out Helsing Junction Farm atHelsing Junction Farm at

http://www.helsingfarmcsa.com

When evaluating CSA, When evaluating CSA, consider:consider:

Proximity to customersProximity to customers

Willingness to give customers Willingness to give customers something extra something extra

Variety of productsVariety of products

Ability to distribute produceAbility to distribute produce

CSA informationCSA information

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

http://www.csacenter.org/http://www.csacenter.org/

Cooperative MarketingCooperative Marketing

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

Legal cooperatives or collaborative Legal cooperatives or collaborative agreementsagreements

Someone to lead the marketing and Someone to lead the marketing and management effortsmanagement efforts

One successful example: Oregon Country

Beef

Cooperative MarketingCooperative Marketing

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

- Quote from the Oregon Country Beef web site- Quote from the Oregon Country Beef web site

http://www.oregoncountrybeef.com/http://www.oregoncountrybeef.com/

More information on rural More information on rural cooperatives:cooperatives:

Visit USDA Rural Visit USDA Rural Development siteDevelopment site

www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbswww.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs

Do adequate market research and Do adequate market research and business planningbusiness planning

Join a marketing club or networking Join a marketing club or networking group to pool skillsgroup to pool skills

To learn more about cooperatives, To learn more about cooperatives, visit the National Cooperative visit the National Cooperative Business Association at:Business Association at:

http://www.ncba.org/http://www.ncba.org/

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 RestaurantsDirect 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/InternetMail Order/Internet

Let the Internet work for Let the Internet work for you you

Promote your products and availabilityPromote your products and availability

Sell your productsSell your products

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

www.ruralroots.org/farmfreshfood.asp

Custom Meat SalesCustom Meat Sales

Sell whole, half or Sell whole, half or quarter animals quarter animals

Use custom meat Use custom meat packing places in packing places in your locationyour location

MeatMeat Processing IssuesProcessing Issues

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

Mobile meat processing Mobile meat processing unit owned by Lopez unit owned by Lopez Community Land TrustCommunity Land Trust

http://www.lopezclt.org/sard/sjc_fpc.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 Protection” – go to “Food Safety” for a link to local health districtto local health district

Resources:Resources:

USDA Sustainable Agriculture USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)Research and Education (SARE)

www.sare.org / (301) 504-5230www.sare.org / (301) 504-5230

Alternative Technology Transfer for Alternative Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA)Rural Areas (ATTRA)

www.attra.org / (800) 346-9140www.attra.org / (800) 346-9140

Resources Resources (continued)(continued)::

USDA Farmer Direct MarketingUSDA Farmer Direct Marketing

www.ams.usda.gov/directmarketingwww.ams.usda.gov/directmarketing

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