Transcript Sell What you Grow

Sell What
You Grow
Sustainable Small
Farming & Ranching
“Market your Products… Locally and
Regionally”
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
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
 Both
People are seeking out
locally grown products.
Direct Marketing Skills
“Relationship
marketing” - need
people skills
 More intensive
management
 Produce the
highest quality of
product

Ways to Market your Products
 Farmers’
 U-Pick
 Farm
markets
stands
 Ag Tourism
 Community supported agriculture
 Grocery stores
 Restaurant
 Food Banks
 Farm to School
 Food Hubs
 Internet
Farm Stands
Customers develop
loyalty to the farm
Consider costs to
build your “stand”
structure
No transportation
cost
Farm Stands
 Think about location and traffic flow
 Familiarize yourself with regulations
governing food products
Community Supported Agriculture
 Subscription
farming
 What?
 How
often?
 Where?
 Cost?
 Requires
advanced planning
 http://www.slowfoodskagit.org/slo
w_food_skagit/CSA.html
Check out
Helsing Junction Farm at
http://www.helsingfarmcsa.com
Puget Sound Food Hub
www.pugetsoundfoodhub.com
 Post
what you have
 Drop off at agregation sites
 Requires Liability Insurance
www.campbellriskmanagement.com
Direct Sales to Restaurants
Upscale restaurants and specialty stores
pay top dollar for quality produce and
hard-to-get items.
Marketing to Restaurants
Feb. 3rd and 4th Mount Vernon
Farm to Table Trade Meeting
Feb. 22nd-Bellingham
Farmer Fisher Chef
Connection, March-Seattle
http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/cdpp/selldirect.pdf
Marketing to Restaurants February 2nd and 3rd, 2016
Farm to School
 USDA
Pilot Project in
Washington
 Taste WA Days
 http://www.wafarmtoschool.org/page/28/t
aste-washington-day
 Requires
Food Safety (GAP)
certification
 http://www.wafarmtoschool.org/
U Pick Operations:
 Good
signage
location
 Targeted
advertisement
 Effective answering
machine message
 Creating a pleasant
and safe setting for
families
U Pick Operation
Requirements:

Liability insurance

Space for parking

Ability to supervise customers

Farmside manners
Ag Tourism

Agri-tourism or
Entertainment farming

Great diversity in what
farms can offer

Provides an “on-farm”
experience
Agritourism
 http://www.outstandinginthefield.com/
 http://bowedisonfoodtrail.tumblr.com/
 http://www.festivaloffamilyfarms.com/
 http://www.bellewoodfarms.com/
If considering an Ag Tourism
enterprise…
Natural
Resources
Conservation
Services
(NRCS) has
an excellent
publication
www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/ress/altenterprise/
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
www.eatwellguide.org
www.farmigo.com
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).
Accepting other currencies:
Credit Cards- Square
 https://squareup.com/
Farmers Market Nutrition Coupons- WIC and Senior
 http://www.doh.wa.gov/YouandYourFamily/WIC/FarmersMarket
EBT- through the market or separately
To learn more about
farmers markets, visit:
www.wafarmersmarkets.com
seattlefarmersmarkets.org
www.bellinghamfarmers.org
www.mountvernonfarmersmarket.org/
Resources
 WSDA Greenbook
http://agr.wa.gov/marketing/smallfarm/
greenbook/
 USDA Farmer Direct Marketing
www.ams.usda.gov/directmarketing
 North American Farm Direct Marketing
Assn. www.nafdma.com